Buying Nite Brite batteries? Homemade lighted nocks

[Stéphane]

I would like to make a lighted nock after I saw these videos. But I need to buy these batteries: Thill Nite Brite replacement battery. It goes inside Thill lighted bobbers.

I can find them for $3.50 to $5 on the internet, but because it's in the States, the shipping just kills the deal. I would like to make a couple of them to see how they do. Cheap enough to give it a try.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hMqLT-4ezzk
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nlUJujJZphc

[JonSchaefer]

Canadian tire sells them i picked up some there and maid some they work good

[Blacktail]

wow sounds cool:mrgreen:

[Stéphane]

Found it!


$3.79!!

http://ca.wholesalesports.com/storefront/fresh-saltwater-fishing/accessories/nite-brite-battery-light/prod266477.html

[Bow Walker]

Great! I've been waiting for an upcoming training trip down to the states so that I could get those things. Now I don't have to wait. Thanks Stephane, for your detective work. I couldn't find a Canadian retailer.

[Stéphane]

Okay, the store didn't have them, and my Cdn Tire either. Soooooo, I resorted to Ebay for 3.99/each. With shipping and everything, $18.50 for 4 shipped to my door. I'll let you know how they work and post it later on.

[Bow Walker]

Damn! Here I thought that you'd solved a minor problem I had. Oh well, that trip to the US will be coming soon (i hope).

[Bow Walker]

Steph - were they just out of stock for the time being, or do they not carry them at all?

[Bow Walker]

If you have any issues buidling your own lighted nocks - PM bochunk2000 (http://www.huntingbc.ca/forum/member.php?u=67)

He's built quite a few using the very same battery.

p.s.
....they work just fine.

[OOBuck]

Hummm...

Wally world sells luma nock for 10 bucks each....

[Bow Walker]

Yup - they do. But you can make your own for less than 1/2 that price. Does that make me cheap or frugal?

[Stéphane]

Steph - were they just out of stock for the time being, or do they not carry them at all?

You know, I have no idea. I asked the guy at Wholesale in Langley and he said he didn't think they had any. I didn't see him going on the computer to check either. He said the store is too new to carry these.

If you have any issues buidling your own lighted nocks - PM bochunk2000 (http://www.huntingbc.ca/forum/member.php?u=67)

He's built quite a few using the very same battery.

p.s.
....they work just fine.

I will if needed. Thanks!


Hummm...

Wally world sells luma nock for 10 bucks each....

I bought one to check it out. Not impressed for the price. I needed to use the paper to wedge the nock, then sometime it works fine, other time not so well. Considering it cost me twice the price, I would expect them to work flawlessly.

[MikeH]

looks like a good idea would rather buy it premade tho.how much would that weigh?How many shots would you get before its dead or breaks?things to think about.

[Bow Walker]

looks like a good idea would rather buy it premade tho.how much would that weigh?How many shots would you get before its dead or breaks?things to think about.
Bochunk2000 has been using 'homemade' ones for a couple of seasons now (that I know of) . He regularly gets deer with his bow. His lighted nocks have stood up to a lot of shooting and still work just fine. :)

The weight of the lighted nock is greater than a regular nock, about double (25 - 30 grains) of a regular nock. All that is required is some attention to detail when building the arrows. You can't expect to just substitute a lighted nock for a regular one on any old arrow and expect that arrow to fly "like a field point". :wink:

Adding weight to the back end of an arrow - without doing the same on the front end - alters the F.O.C., the spine, and the flight dynamics. Granted, an extra 15 grains (or so) on the back end isn't much but it also doesn't take much to screw up the dynamics. :neutral:

Stepahne - I'm going to see if I can get my brother to drop into the WSS in Nanaimo to see if they carry them or if they have them in stock. I'll let you know. :wink:

[MikeH]

I know they add weight use lumanock don't notice a difference,curious tho keep us informed on how it comes along.

[Bow Walker]

Just for everyone's information...

I was up in Nanaimo yesterday and I stopped in at WSS. I have a Blue Fox replacement battery (from which the lighted nocks are built) and I showed it to three of the fishing guys that were "holding up the counter" (not a very busy day).

They all said that they had not seen that type of battery before. They did say that they were familiar with the brand name of Blue Fox, though. They carry a lot of products by that company.

They even took the time to look in their data base, in their online catalogue, and even on the Blue Fox website to see if they could find anything similar. The only place that listed the replacement battery was the Blue Fox website - somewhere in the U.S.

So, long story short - buyers have to order out of the States for replacement batteries.

I did meet an HBC member while I was in the store though. 358win, a.k.a. Rick, we had a bit of a chat and I got to put a face with a name once again. Look forward to talking again, Rick. Nice to meet you.

[Blacktail]

was in bass pro shops in calgary picked up a half dozen 4.19 each
gonna give it a try.

I have tried lumanocks and in my experience they only worked about 20 % of the time
The easton lited nocks work a lot better and more consistantly but are $24 for a pack of 2

[Stéphane]

was in bass pro shops in calgary picked up a half dozen 4.19 each
gonna give it a try.

I have tried lumanocks and in my experience they only worked about 20 % of the time . . .

My point exactly. I bought one and I did the 3-D course at my shooting range and sometime it worked perfectly, then lit when knocked and the whole flight and then turn off. Then no light at all. That's why spending $10/each didn't entice me.

Well, that will be 3 of us making nocks. Hey, if they work better than lumenock, we could sell them for $12 a piece. :-D

[Slinky Pickle]

It looks like they use CR435 or CR425 batteries. If you've got the guts you can probably pick them up cheaper from China than from the U.S. I would bet that regardless of where you get them they were made in China so you may as well go direct.

http://www.alibaba.com/trade/search?SearchText=cr435&CatId=0&IndexArea=product_en&sq=y&fsb=y&tracelog=seo_product_direct_0820

Alibaba is my weakness.... anyone need a red dot sight.... I've got a box full :mrgreen: :mrgreen:

[Bow Walker]

Here's a link to one possible way of making these things...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hMqLT-4ezzk

[Stéphane]

Well, I've made 2. Easy enough to do. I almost screwed up the second one because the nock got hot and bent while I was drilling the inside to insert. Cut the bottom part and it seems fine. Now, time to try at the range and see how they fair.

Here are the batteries and some translucent nocks.
http://i218.photobucket.com/albums/cc77/yol68/DSC00851.jpg


I glued the end of a nock at the end of the battery.
http://i218.photobucket.com/albums/cc77/yol68/DSC00852.jpg


Testing, testing!
http://i218.photobucket.com/albums/cc77/yol68/DSC00853.jpg

Light off. . .
http://i218.photobucket.com/albums/cc77/yol68/DSC00854.jpg

. . . light on!
http://i218.photobucket.com/albums/cc77/yol68/DSC00855.jpg

[Bow Walker]

Perfect. They look just like the ones that bochunk makes and uses. Now to get some of those batteries.