How Do You Make Simple Wooden Arrows?
Simple wood arrows can be made from pre-formed wood dowels or from sapling wood. Straighten the wood after it has cured and then add a nock, feathers and a point. Most arrows are about 24 to 36 inches long. The basic process of making wood arrows is simple, but additional steps can be taken to produce a professional result.
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Instructions
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Arrows are generally about 5/16 inches in diameter. Collect smooth, straight saplings about 36 inches long or longer and thicker than 5/16 inches so you can sand and shape them. You can also purchase wood dowels at the hardware store. Season saplings by tying them in a bunch with strings and let them dry for one to six months. Turn and re-tie them to prevent excessive warping. Typical woods used for arrow shafts are Port Orford cedar, Douglas fir, Norway pine or birch.
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Peel off any remaining bark and plane or whittle the shafts down to approximately 5/16th-inch in diameter. Sand the shafts smooth.
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Examine shafts for straightness and bend by hand until they are straight. Roll the shafts on a flat surface like a glass table top to see if they are warped or curved. For more control in straightening them, use an arrow wrench--a piece of board with a hole slightly larger than the diameter of the arrow shaft. Place the shaft in the arrow wrench and use the leverage of the wrench to straighten out the shaft. Apply flame or heat to soften areas hard to straighten.
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Cut the nock. Use a saw to cut a nock in one end of the arrow about 1/4-inch deep. Sand the nock smooth. Sand the diameter of the shaft down so the nock fits smoothly and snugly on the end of the shaft. Nocks can also be purchased.
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Sharpen the tip or apply a bullet jacket tip that can be purchased at an archery supply store. Sand the tip of the arrow so the bullet jacket fits snugly on the end.
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Fletch the arrow. The cock feather is positioned 90 degrees away from the angle of the nock slit. Straight fletching is the easiest--the feather is laid down parallel to the shaft. The other two feathers are positioned 120 degrees to either side of the cock feather. Attach the feathers or vanes with glue.
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Tips & Warnings
You can paint your arrows and add your own personalized design. This is called "cresting" the feather and adds a nice touch.
Archery is a potentially deadly activity and children should be carefully supervised when using a bow and arrow.
References
- Photo Credit boy archer three image by Paul Moore from Fotolia.com
