Andy Ponce of Addictive Archery (https://www.addictivearchery.com) has created a 8-part Wood Arrow Making 101 series of You Tube videos:
Intro - Wood Arrow Making 101: Intro (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FLEAp0psp_U) EP1 - Shafts EP2 - Hand Straightening EP2.5 - Straightening With Tools EP3 - Tapering EP4 - Measuring & Cutting EP5 - Wood Stain EP6 - Crown Dips EP7 - Cresting EP8 - Sealers
These are high-quality videos that are full of detailed information for creating premium wood arrows. Andy covers it all from start to finish: from shaft selection & straightening to crowning & cresting. Andy provides detailed the “how-to” and his lessons learned from building1000’s of wood arrows. He also shows techniques that some would consider trade secrets. For example, the “Swirling” technique in the Cresting episode.
In addition the arrow making series, the “Young Feather Burner - How To” details techniques of buying feathers without damaging your arrows. A couple of other informative videos are “How to Glue a Broadhead to a Wood Arrow’ and he provides a alternative method on “Tying Cat Whiskers on a Bow String.”
Although some of the products that Andy uses are carried by Addictive Archery these videos are not a big sales pitch to purchase from his store. Andy recommends several products, paints, and sealers that you will have to purchase from other suppliers or distributors.
In summary, these are top-shelf informative videos that I would recommend to anyone (novice or experienced) that is interested in building wood arrows. I am not affiliated with Addictive Archery, nor I had heard Andy Ponce prior to them showing up during my Google search for making wood arrows. I haven’t built a wood arrow in over a quarter of a century, but Andy has definitely rekindled my interest in dusting off my spine tester, feather burner, and cresting machine. I highly recommend watching the series.
Ross