Most, if not all, archers purchase their first set of arrows, but it won't be long before you're ready to make your own. It's not a very hard thing to do, and it requires only a few parts and some simple tools. Plan on spending a couple afternoons on your first set; although the time will vary widely depending on how fast your finish and glues dry. Don't worry if your first set doesn't come out perfect. Like archery itself, arrow making is a skill that gets better with practice!
Thanks Dana for helping to refine these instructions!
Tools & Supplies
The Process:
First, taper the nock end with the appropriate tool for the nocks you're putting on. The Fletch-Tite is designed to bond well with the finish and not the bare shaft, so do this first.
Now apply finish to your arrows. You can use any sort of finish, but I used some of Bohning's arrow lacquer for this set, diluted 1:1 with lacquer thinner. It can be applied in any manner appropriate for your finish; dip tubes are especially popular for finishing arrows. You can purchase one from an archery shop, or you can make your own with PVC parts that are readily available at most hardware stores. Please note, that if you're using a lacquer finish, it will eat through PVC, so be sure and check that your finish and storage container are compatible!
After your first coat of finish dries, rub the shaft with some fine steel wool to smooth out the shaft so you get a nice finish. After that, repeat the dipping process to put another coat or two of finish on.
Now apply a little of the Fletch-Tite to the end of the taper and slip the nock into place. It should be aligned such that the string will be perpendicular to the grain. Nock alignment is important because the shaft will bend differently depending on it's orientation, thus affecting the arrow's performance.
Now Place a shaft in the jig, and place a feather into the clamp. Adjust the jig to line up the feather so that it makes contact with the shaft along it's entire length. Also, make sure that the cock feather is perpendicular to the nock.
Once everything is aligned and ready, apply fletching tape to the feather. Then press it firmly in place so it adheres as well as possible.
Now peel off the backing and carefully put the clamp in place. Press the feather onto the shaft so that it sticks to the shaft. Carefully release the clamp and slip it off the jig.
Remove the shaft from the jig and press the feather firmly onto the shaft so it adheres well. Now rotate the jig to the next position and do the next feather!
Once the feathers are on the arrow, apply a drop of glue to both ends of the feather so it doesn't peel off during use. Note that if you're trying to take a picture with one hand while holding the glue and arrow with the other; it will probably drip out of the tube of glue before you're ready and in the wrong spot, so if the glue placement in the picture looks a little off, that's only because it is.
Once the glue dries, you're ready to trim the shafts to length. I made a simple jig with a scrap of wood and a finish nail. My draw is 28 1/4", but I wanted my arrows to be 29". From the nail in the board, I measured out 29" plus another 3/4" for the tip taper. Different taper tools make tapers of different lengths, so check yours before you do any cutting!
This is also the time to do weight matching on your arrows. Weigh them with a grain scale, and if necessary, a hair more can be trimmed from heavier shafts to bring the weight grouping closer together. Obviously, you don't want to cut off a lot more of the shaft, but often tiny adjustments can bring the grouping closer together; especially when shooting longer distances.
Now light your flame source. An alcohol lamp is the preferred method, but many people use a torch. I had a small oil lamp handy, so I used that. Melt a little of the Ferr-L-Tite and put some on the tip. If the tip doesn't stay on, use a little more glue, and if glue squeezes out, use a little less. When you place the tip on, be sure it's seated well, and spin the shaft a little, straightening the tip if necessary. You can dip it in water to cool it off once it looks good.
That's it! Your first set of arrows is ready. Now go use them!
The first thing you'll likely want to do is to paint some form of cresting on your arrows. This can be done with any paint that's compatible with the finish on your arrows. If you're not sure, try it on the cut pieces from when you trimmed the shafts to see if the paint will adhere correctly. One suggestion given by Dana is to use a particular band of color on the cresting to indicate the weight group of the arrow; this way you can adjust your aim point as necessary. Other things you can do are self nocks, footed arrows, or staining the shafts different colors. You can also do a crest dip on the arrow when finishing the shafts, and use shafts that are tapered or have a barrel shape to them.
There as many ways to make a set of arrows as there are archers. Look at some of the things other people have done with there arrows, and as you use your new arrows, make a note of things you would like to try different next time to make them perform better.
