# Making Trad. Wooden Arrow Shafts at Home



## RobinHood13 (Jan 14, 2012)

Does anyone happen to use a doweling jig to make wooden shafts? If so what kind? Where did you get it? And have you gotten good results? 

I am wanting to learn to make my own wooden arrow shafts and would really like to learn how everyone may do it so if you do it another way besides using dowel please add info or a link! 


Any help is highly appreciated! 

Thank You


----------



## WindWalker (Jan 23, 2005)

If you are meaning that you wish to make wood arrows from square or round_ raw_ stock you just may want to do some extensive research on what is required to produce quality wood arrow shafts from raw stock. You don't just feed a piece of wood in one end of a dowel rod jig and have quality and matched spined shafts come out the other end.


----------



## muzzleloader50 (Mar 10, 2011)

I agree you have to have the correct spine or arrows will not shoot to light might snap to stiff will fishtail.
you have to set the nocks on the right direction with the grain.theres more to it than just fletching them
go to rose city archery alot of good info there i have been making wood arrows for 10 years love them


----------



## RobinHood13 (Jan 14, 2012)

Well i know all of that stuff but i was curious if anyone did use a doweling jig and what their technique was. But I am wanting to make good quality arrows and I know how to knock them and fletch them and make sure to check for bends and the spine. But was just curious on everyone elses techniques and ways of making arrow shafts.


----------



## kegan (Aug 28, 2006)

By hand is easier. I've tried making a number of doweling jigs, and so far the only actual dowel maker I saw was pretty pricey.

Just saw straight grained stock on a table saw 3/8" square. Placing the square in a "V" channel cut into a 1x4 plank of wood (or flooring) and run a sharp hand plane down. Set it to take thin shavings. Roll it and take off all four corners, then take off those eight corners. You can then chuck it up in a power drill and sand it perfectly round. Takes about an hour to do ten arrows if the grain is straight and the wood is easy to work (silver maple, pine, straight grained ash, spruce, fir, etc.) 

One idea I had but never tried was to try running the corners off using a power sander, like a belt sander. Might be easier for woods with tight grain like hickory. Toughest part would be to hold the small dowel in your hand without getting your fingers caught on the belt. Maybe use a small block with a "V" in it to hold the shaft against the belt and slide the dowel through, like a feather board on a table saw.


----------



## RobinHood13 (Jan 14, 2012)

@Kegan- Thanks Bro! That was a lot of useful info and I will deffmput it to good use! Do you make bows as well?


----------



## RobinHood13 (Jan 14, 2012)

Deff.****


----------

