Good Afternoon Leatherwallers,

I wish I could find the original thread that suggested this to thank the gentleman. I grabbed the Buckets @ Home Depot for $2.30 and the spray insulation for about $3.00 per can (2 Cans per bucket). I have shot my 60# Dream Catcher, 50# RWH and a few others with both broadheads and target points and I am amazed at the minimal amount of damage. I made 4 of them and will use these for travel targets in the future. Again Thank you to the original posted a few months back that put this in my head.

Wow never thought of that

What happens if you spray the inside of the bucket with some WD-40 (or slick it up with some vaseline) as a release agent?

If that works, there may be some mold markings that will give you a perfectly centered circle to aim at.

Or you could put a piece of foam insulation in the bottom (or squash it down on top) to give you a smoother surface so that you could tack paper or cardboard down on it to gie you a fresh target face.

I like it. Think I'll do one and cut it into 4" slices, then hang them in front of a good backstop I made from an old rug. If the foam won't release, it won't release. Bucket won't stop a saw!

going to depot today.. thanks

Large plant pots and feed tubs work well also. You can get the large plant pots around landscaping projects when they are planting trees.

The foam is good for a cheap target material but it will start tearing up quickly when you shoot broadheads into it. I bet if you added a lid and drilled a small hole it would make refilling the foam a breeze. Cool target.

I have shot over 200 Broadheads at this target and it shows no signs of ware yet. the foam only gives me about 7 inches of penetration even from my 50# from 25 yards. it is holding up great!

HA! I do it the old fashioned way- through the drywall of my garage wall and then into the insulation.

Your way looks like an improvement... ;-)

Even if it does start wear out all you have to do is shoot some more foam in it and it's good as new.

One important note....if you make one of these targets, ensure that the foam has cured all the through before you start shooting it. That foam, when uncured, doesn't wipe off arrow shafts real easily. Don't ask. :)

Well lile be sumbetch.

I also use the stuff to fix my 3D targets. Wrap saran wrap around chest cut a small slit with fillet knife---insert nozzle and fill it up. Remove plastic wrap when it cures and then paint.

Great tip,thanks much

use a garbage bag to make it removable from bucket. cardboard box can be used to make square blocks

"HA! I do it the old fashioned way- through the drywall of my garage wall and then into the insulation"

Coffee splatter!

Think I'll go with BigDog's idea of a box & a garbage bag. Probably might as well use the cardboard on the box, but the bag would beat the snot out of any kind of release agent you could come up with.

I do like Bode does but I keep old shot out block targets and cut chunks to fit the hole in the 3d target. Then I top that with the spray foam. When it cures I shape it with a farriers rasp then paint. You can make them last a long time like me that.

:)

This is awesome. Thanks for the idea guys.

Just fill a cardboard box with the foam and close it up. That would give you 6 target backs or you could just draw targets on the cardboard. No need to get the foam out.

Dan W's post made me snort Budweiser up my nose.

what an awesome idea! I wonder if you used a garbage bag and filled it about 2-3" thick and kind of banged the pail around to make the foam settle, would that make some nice aerial targets?

THAT is a great idea. Think I'll make up one using the cardboard box just for broadheads and save my good block target for the field points. Will definitely last a lot longer. Thanks BaconArrow.

I've done it in a cardboard box [wax box works best]

just drill a couple holes to insert the foam, takes a few days to dry sometimes

Like the idea.

Know they make several types of spray, depending on application. Does one work better than the others? Also, about how long for a bucket full of the stuff to cure completely at room temperature?

Thanks

Squirt in one can at a time and let it dry over night. I normally squirt a can in each day at the same time until the box is full. If you put them all in at once, the center will not dry.

I use the the lower expanding type of foam. Might take more cans than the higher expanding foam but the lower expanding is more dense.

Well, it took about a full day for each can to cure in the one posted below. But I used just some cheap off the self Large crack filler from Home Depot. I know they make some that sets up faster but I figured I was there and it was pouring rain so I had time. I did 4 buckets with one can each and would have set it in the sun if it was out. it took tow days for it to cure. I then put the second can in each bucket and put it in the sun for about 6 hours and then just left it over night. they were all ready to go when I got home from work and now my arm hurts from shooting so much... its a good problem to have right?

However... as my main man (fdp) said above... don't shoot that bad boy until you KNOW it is cured. he says don't ask, however I will tell... I shot an 18 arrow quiver at mine prematurely and then spent about 3 hours with acetone cleaning my shafts cussing the hole time...

lessons learned... but I love the targets and will keep making them.

I need one/want to make one the size of those bales behind that bucket and bow. LOL!! Seriously though, I'd like to make a huge one like that.

It is genius ideas like this that make America a great country!

But I think I will need a dishpan size one to get back very far.

I will certainly try it out on 3D targets. Many thanks! - lbg

Think I'll sell off my shares in the Block target company. This place is gonna put 'em clean outta business!

18 arrows.... Good Lord!

Appreciate the information on type of foam and drying time.

Thanks again.

Great idea , thanks.

Shoot Um' Up Boy's, Here is a picture of the foam I used from Home Depot. Like I said I think there are several others out there that may dry faster or have a larger spray, but I gotta tell ya these results on the minimal damage from Broadheads is astounding!

You Leatherwallers make my Archery informative and make me a better Archer/Hunter. its little things like this we can all share that drive our wives crazy an give us hours of stress relief.

I will be plunking this thing during the Halftime show tomorrow...

Have a great weekend guys!

And to think I could have saved my old block targets before they attained total destruction from shooting them out & making a huge mess in my garage-

-all that time I had some leftover cans of that stuff just sitting around after a real insulation project!

Thanks for this thread.

As for the foam...I just buy the cheapest stuff they have in the store.

You can also forget the bucket and shoot the hay bale full of foam also.

I prefer the Bucket Onehair, it simulates a 12" Circular sweet spot that I strive to hit on Wild Hogs. my preferred quarry here in Northern California, but to each his own I am sure that are a ton of different variations that are 100 times better than my home depot bucket, but for now this is what I will spend my $10.00 on.

Shoot on a line and bring home the Bacon,

Thanks, BaconArrow! This one is on my project list now. While we're being cheap, here's where you get all the free buckets you ever wanted: go to the bakery section of your grocery store. They buy the icing in large, sturdy plastic buckets and typically just throw them away when empty. I keep a stack of them in the garage.

Yet another Hunter out there finding a way for me to save a buck! thanks for the heads up overandunder! I will hit up the Large stores in my area to see if I can reap the rewards! Made this target 5 days ago, it has taken over 500 Broadhead shots and 300 Target points and even though the bucket is not in the best of shape the foam is holding up like a champ!

Easy in, Easy out with both Rage and Zwicky heads.

Bacon! I'll have some with my Elk please.

Luke...that thing wont wear out any time soon, And if the front gets shot up, you know how to patch it. The sun will break the bucket down before the foam gets shot out.

I Agree Frank, after the bucket deteriorates I will make a swinging target with the foam and make another bucket target.

Hope your having a great weekend,

Spicy Poke Rinds for Breakfast!

Thanks for everything guys, Enjoy your Sunday and the Super Bowl!

"I will make a swinging target with the foam" now I gotta' try one of those.....

Have you tried any of the other types of foam in a can?

Just wondering. The link below is to the same brand of spray foam, but it's for ponds and such. Reason I mention this is because it's black in color and might by stand up to the sun over time a little better. Only problem, is that I haven't used any of these foams for the purpose of making targets, but I am going to try it. It would be interesting to see which provides the most dense targets, sounds like it's your black can, and which lasts longest for shooting and which lasts the longest exposed to the elements. This green can in the link below will stand up to water and I'm thinking because it's black it might stand up to UV rays better. (Thinking this way because I have a big outdoor target in mind. LOL!!!)

http://www.menards.com/main/paint/caulks-sealants/foam-rubberized-sealant/great-stuff-pond-stone-waterfall-foam-sealant-12-oz/p-1444435969916-c-7937.htm?tid=-2093535725964240133

Never used the black, green, or orange cans. Have used the blue cans for windows and doors. It doesn't expand much and isn't dense at all which makes it good for it's designed purpose. You can crush it between two fingers with ease.

Have also used the red can. Sets up much more dense and harder, yet you can still poke a finger into it, but probably can't crush it easily between two fingers. Have held wooden concrete forms in place with this, have used it in place of small wooden concrete forms, so long as it's not under tremendous pressure, and I've also had it expand and blow wooden forms out. The red can is some tough stuff and you have to give it plenty of room to expand. I assume the black can is similar and perhaps stronger.

I may try a can of black, a can of red, and a can of the green pond and waterfall "stuff" and see what happens.

Anyone else used any other colored cans for targets?

What did you pay for the hay bales? You already have a target.

I filled an old flat basket ball with a piece of rope haging out with that stuff and threw it around the backyard shooting at different distances. worked pretty good. I didn't like the way it rolled across my arrows sticking out of it, so I hung it up in tree branches. I liked that better..until I missed..Hahaha

I made a few of the bucket mold swinging targets Frank, I put a 3 ounce fishing weight at the bottom of my bucket and then braided 6 strands of 50lb test line and tied it to it. pulled the line taught then sprayed the inside of the bucket with WD-40 and then sprayed in my foam. it turned out great for a pendulum style swinging target. I know it wont last as long as the bucket filled because it will chip away, but it does not leave a huge mess and is fun testing your skills on a moving target. Ill post pictures soon,

Miss Piggy = Roast Pork when BaconArrow is on the Prowl...

thanks everyone,

And they are now going to wonder why they are selling so many Homer Buckets. Great idea.

Put the foam in a paint bucket and put the lid on tight while expanding and curing.

It may push the lid off as it expands, but that's ok.

Spray a little water in the bucket on the sides and on the lid, that will help it set better/faster and be easier to take the lid off when set.

Don't let it fully cure with the lid on ,or you may have problems getting it off again.

John.

Another source of buckets is any local restaurant. I went through the burger-joint drive-through yesterday and rolling around in the parking lot was an empty 5-gallon bucket of Kikkoman's Soy Sauce from the Chinese place next door.

Burger joints will have buckets from ketchup, mustard, pickles, mayo....

Not hard to find for free!

BaconArrow, this is GREAT! I am going to try it out --cost and function. Can't beat it. Thanks

Please guys , who make this bow

That bow is made by Wing, most likely a Falcon.

Perun,

Thank you for the post, this is My #50 Red Wing Hunter. It is one of my top three favorites! really the only bow I own that I prefer more is my Martin DreamCatcher. So Fast So Smooth...

Bacon... It's What's for Breakfast.

My experience with great stuff foam used for an arrow target is it rapidly yields a big ol mess of miniscule chunks after just a few dozen arrows. A real pita to clean up. Poly grocery bags stuffed in a garbage bag works better and is cheaper, but still will fall apart if left in the sun. jme

Not my experience at all Bob, I think the key is to get the foam as dense as possible. I would spray in the hole can and then bang the bucket on the group to make sure all the Air pockets were out. Then I would let it dry overnight prior to adding the second can and rinse and repeat. I yet to have any mess what so ever, you can look at my original post the day I finished the bucket and here is the same bucket today after Hundreds of arrows both Brodhead and field point.

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