Help needed: arrow rookie

[Shondy55]

Hey guys,
I've been making bows for a couple years and I have recently decided to start making my own arrows, I have a couple basic questions

1. Can you buy the round dowel sticks from hardware stores and make decent arrows out of them?
2. Do you need a jig to attach fletching?
3. What is the best shape to cut fletching for hunting and target shooting arrows?

Thanks!          -shondy

[RBLusthaus]

1- yes, but you should sort them for good grain - and only use those suitable for arrows.
2- no, but unless your hand and eye is real good, they will look better, IMHO, if you use a jig. 
3- whatever works for your eye, but dont use too much feather or the arrow will "become" a flu flu.  I suggest you cut all the feathers you need at once, so at least they all will look the same. 

Russ

[MartinHeZ]

Complete novice myself when it comes to arrows, but I might be able to give a little advice from my own ventures in this.

1- never used the dowels, although I have used bamboo garden canes you can get in loads of stores, worked well although they need a bit of work to get straight/smooth, the nodes can be a pain, and also be careful when you file/sand as they contain silicon, which isn't a good thing to breath in.
2- i haven't used one, and I think my fletch went on alright, like RBLusthaus said though, I can imagine it can only be a good thing to use a jig, a little tip in terms of what I found works. Grasp the arrow shaft between you knees and you have an easier job putting it on.
3- no idea as I said, newbie as well

[richardzane]

if you look in the PA archives..(use search). you'll find probably the best info you'll need right here.

Since you're making self bows from your own harvested staves, matching them with "self" arrows from your own harvested "shoot" materials is right on.
before starting just read as much as you can from the pros here who are willing to share their brains.
my opinion,  but if you're needn some shafts NOW, order some POC (Portland Oregon Cedar) or spruce shafts from Primitive Archery.
11/32" is a good overall dia. size, and you can specify "spine" to roughly match your draw weight.
buy a dozen just to get started. They aren't like shoot arrows, they're cut doesn't always follow grain and CAN shatter against something hard on impact
but I have some POC arrows still shooting fine after 20+ years.

you can eventually make a jig to fletch your arrows without much expense. mine is made from walnut scraps just laying around. didn't spend a cent.
two thin slabs of walnut backed with a leather strap(as hinge)hold the feather.

[uncleduck]

That is a pretty slick jig!

[Danzn Bar]

richardzane nice jig fixture..................how do you index your arrow (120 deg)?  Do you just use your eye??
Thanks
DBar

[richardzane]

i HAVE been using my eye to line em up...but my eyes lie sometimes!
BUT, I saw a youtube with a guy making a fletching jig for large warbow arrows and he slipped a little slice of wood in the nock
which acts like a little dial. all you need is to have lines drawn on the outside of the jig and use the "dial!"
so I'll try that for sure! He used a rubber band right on the arrow,but i found that isn't a good idea as an uneavenly pulled rubber band can cause the shaft to actually turn
without you noticing it. I use a small strap of very thin soft leather with slits on each end. this holds the arrow in place much better.
but rubber bands do make good clamps

[JW_Halverson]

Super easy to use, super cheap to make, super simple to operate fletching jig is posted in the sticky topics here in the Arrows section.  It's under the thread for the Primitive Jig. 

[Slackbunny]

Super easy to use, super cheap to make, super simple to operate fletching jig is posted in the sticky topics here in the Arrows section.  It's under the thread for the Primitive Jig.

+1. I've used that jig on all my arrows. It does good work, cheap as dirt, and I can tuck it right in the package that I keep the superglue and taper tool in. That way all my arrow tools are together.

[Dharma]

I've made a number of arrows from dowels and they shoot pretty good. They're good all-around arrows for flinging and stumping. I use a Jo-Jan fletching jog. I have a Bitzenberger but have not yet figured the thing out and the Jo-Jan is much easier to use for me. Can't figure out a Bitzenberger?? Well, I don't have a cell phone and probably couldn't figure out how to use one if I did. Shows you where I am at on the technology scale.