I see a lot of guys on here asking about making wood arrows. This is not a tutorial, but simply my thoughts on it. Some guys don't have any desire to shoot wood. Lots of newer guys haven't been exposed to them but are curious and would like to try them as part of their journey into traditional archery. Making wood arrows can be as complicated as you want to to be. If you are super anal about weights and spine, then maybe wood is not for you. I've been making wood arrows for myself for close to 40 years now and have collected the tools for the process. Spine tester, fletching jigs, taper tools, etc. My deal is that I really enjoy the process. I'm a carpenter by trade in my own business and I like wood. I do custom wood working, custom finished staircases along with general projects. So I'm a wood guy. So people are in too much a hurry. If you want arrows in an hour, this isn't for you. The process is part of my enjoyment of archery. I get a lot of enjoyment out of making and nice set of matched arrows and watching them fly. Sure I'll break some and lose some, but that only means I get to make more. I makje several dozen every year to donate at our annual UBM banquet. My process is to selct a dozen shafts within about 10 grains if possible in abouyt a 3# spine range. I stain them usually, let dry, them I dip them in sealer. I've been using Minwax oil based poly lately. I'll steel wool them between coats. Since I do this in my spare time this will take several days. If I want a crown dip I'll do that next. Last couple years I started using rattle can paint for that. But I don't do that very often. I will then crest them. Then I'll spine them again and mark each one for nock orientation. Glue my nocks on. Let set for a day so nocks won't shift when I fletch. Then I'll fletch them up. I mostly use full length feathers cut to my desire, then I burn them to shape I want. Since I know how I want them I'll now cut to length and taper for points. Select the points I want. Now I go shoot. This process is very rewarding to me. It will take a couple weeks but I enjoy the time spent on it. So guys, enjoy the journey. Nothing better than wood arrows out of a longbow!

dnovo X2. I've been making my own since 1988.

I like making pretty arrows.

Agree x10! Been making arrows since the early 80's. Lots of feathers from past seasons. Enjoy the process, just don't make them as fancy now..

Nice dnovo! I have some woodies we made up over 55 years ago, if my grandkids and sons haven’t shot them all up. Dipped black with four fletch yellow feathers and Bear broadheads or blunts. Holy cow for ugly, but they worked.

Like you, now it is a labor of love, along with tying flies. The more I make the more I can lose and break and the more I can make. Yours are a work of art. You “done good.”

That’s the cool thing. You can make them as fancy or plain as you want. For me I don’t do much crown dip anymore but I jazz up the cresting. Life’s too short to not shoot pretty arrows.

X2 with dnovo again. You can make them plain or fancy. Here are some of mine, some plain some fancy.

Dnovo, You sound just like me, been doing about forty years myself...just plain fun. I think everyone should try it. Adds so much to the entire experience.

Wood arrows. How can you not love them? Those are very nice by the way. Good job Dnovo. Nothing is as relaxing to me as working cedar arrows and getting a beak full of that wonderful smell!

Great looking arrows guys. I agree with all the comments.... nothing like wood arrows. All I shoot is wood and always have.

Like dnovo, I bought or made all the tools in the early 80's. Various species but cedar is my favorite by far.

I made these plain Jane's to a buyers spec and Mike Cook knapped the points.

These 3 arrows sold for $225.00 .

Ottertails and Jon Stewart. That's what I'm talking about. Some mighty fine work there!

Some folks make beautiful arrows, and I love looking at them, but I don't make those kind because I always seem to be in a hurry. I make arrows to shoot, mostly stumping, and I don't need pretty for that...so mine are rather crude when compared to some of the ones shown here. Bottom line is to make your own arrows, function is #1 anyway, and then work to how much foo-foo you like as you get into it. The best looking arrow is one in the gold, or one in the vital area of game.

Beautiful work, thanks fellas.

Nice job guys!

The arrows I use are feathers on bare shafts. I can't do fancy paint like most of you guys.

The arrows I posted above was a special order with Mike. Some woman bought them for her husband to put on his desk at work in a clear vase. Instead of flowers I guess.

Love making arrows.

Although I've been shooting a lot longer I've only been making up my wood arrows for about 25 years or so. It looks like I need a lot more experience. That is some really nice work folks. I wish mine were even close. Time to order some more shafts so I can try harder.

Den of the wood arrow addict

Nice write up/explanation. I really like the brown ones with yellow fletching. >>>----> Ken

Enjoy! Those are beautiful arrows. Jawge

Here are some I made up some years ago. I don't use any paint anymore--just make them to shoot. I do make my own spruce shafts and will say I don't think there are any better.

Mr. Davis That is what I am setting up for to make my own shafts and not buy some and paint and fletch them. I have a couple hand scraped shafts and I haven't found any arrow that flies as well as those two.

My most recent build. Its lots of work but very enjoyable.

I get a lot of personal satisfaction making my own.

Yes making arras is very rewarding and fun. I get a lot of satisfaction hunting with them. Great cure for late winter cabin fever.

cut it out- I really like those just stained ones different shaft stain and cap stain

classy looking I do them that way now

I marbled these. Other than that their just meat and taters arrows.

I’ve got my license for meat… But do you need a special permit for taters?

Some DFs

very nice guys. I shout wood for years then carbons. Went to ASL longbow last year and got back into wood again.

Great looking arrows guys. I’m going to try making some myself this winter as soon as I get the remaining supplies needed. Do you guys have a good website or YouTube you can recommend for someone just getting started?

No right or wrong way to make them, just some basics regarding spine, how to straighten and when to taper. It’s a fun and rewarding journey...

Primative

OH MY! Have to keep this thread going and going and going! GOOD HUNTING & BLESSED BE!

I’m back to making some tapered cedars after shooting aluminum and Carbon for the last 20 years. I used to take the time to crown dip, crest and splice feathers. Now I’m into a clean classic look. Making these up for a Javelina hunt in a few weeks. I hate when I break them but I love smelling the cedar :)

Last batch I made for one of my grandsons...with field points, Ace blunts and judos.

And his broadhead arrows.

Beautiful work everyone.

Hill inspired... bottom arrow is an original Pearson-made Hill for his Safari. 2/3 white dip.

You guys are too talented. Beautiful work.

I am a big fan of simple as well. Beautiful arrows from everyone. Great thread

But do dress them up a little bit when I am in the mood.

Those are very nice Saddlehill. Orange naturals are my favorite. Great job.

My hat is off to all you gents that can craft arrows that are a work of art. Simply outstanding. thanks for posting.

Nothing like a well-made pretty wood arrow. Looks good and shoots straight.

Wood arrows. I like everything about them. Making them is a great extension of the hobby. I think I will try someself-fashioned metal points and stone arrowheads this winter...just for Lookin at.

I am trying to do it the REALLY hard way. I am waiting now for the wood to dry after cutting an ash three and cutting the boards from which I will make the shafts to make the arrows. Why? because I need a ridiculous spine, out of the charts. I need spine of about 240 to 170 (carbon arrows). I had a guy in Oregon make some very heavy spine wood shafts for me , and the 120# spine almost blew up in the air. The 90# spine broke in half at about 3 feet in front of the bow in mid flight. That is what happens when your draw length is over 31" and shoot 70+ pounds . I will work the spine by starting at 1/2 inch diameter , and drop it down by 1/64" at a time , until I get close , and from there , taper the last 10 inches .

Good to have a lot on hand, for the day that new bow arrives. Then you can try different weights and spines...that’s the beauty for making your own.

Brad, nice slot car track!!! Arrows also.

Seeing a bundle of arrows is just,well, art that sooths the soul.

Sixty years old and still enjoy slot car racing, fun with the grandsons during our long U.P. Winters

Brad, Looks like you're running low. I have somewhere around 200+ fletched and with a variety of points here. Never know when you might need a bunch.

I’m laughing dnovo, we have a “sickness”...I have a whole shop full. I am down to about 40 or 50 dozen unfinished shafts, I might run out in the next ten or so years ??

Brad, we are from the same era and age, we had a slot car set like that when we were kids. Fun stuff.

Ha! That's a cool looking track. My HO track and cars are boxed up now since grandsons are into teens and vid games. Back in 65-66 I had 1/32 and 1/24 slot cars, and all us boys ran them on huge commercial tracks. Slot cars were at their peak and the coolest thing there was.

I make and shoot wood arrows exclusively since 2004.

Yes Bob, We ran the 1/32 cars at our local track too. Then cars, girls and bow hunting , kinda took over...not necessarily in that order

That's definitely one of the cooler home tracks, Brad. Thanks for photos. Nice bow and arrow stash too.

Nice. I had one of those too. wish I would have kept it.

Brad That’s me too. I have about 50 dozen cedar shafts here.

I might be a bit addicted to wood arrows. Most of these were made using Jim Davis's designed dowelling jig. I think I have 20 dozen right now and the tubes to the left are full of shafting waiting to be arrows. I'm not sure, but I think you can't have too many ready to use.

I burn all of mine

Burning all of mine, I cut them to the end length first then smoke them.

AK thet's some nice work there, dude.

AK thet's some nice work there, dude.

? hmmm...

Nice stuff posted and I too enjoy building wood arrows but my approach is more necessity than beauty. I've found using True-Oil gunstock finish give a very tough skin to arrows over all the poly stuff I've used. I fletch my fletching direct to bare wood. Then spray paint my cap. Let dry and work the stiffness out of the fletchings. This process adds a bit of water protection as well.

static, How are you getting that marble finish?

Interesting process you got there static, but it makes sense. Those arrows look really good.

If you have already registered, please

sign in now

For new registrations

Click Here