The

Dowel Arrow Handbook

A Pocket Resource for Building Arrows with Wooden Dowels

Published by Levi Dream, 2011
Levi Dream Publishing, P.O. Box 75203, Honolulu, HI 96836-0203
Distributed by Kindle
Copyright © 2011 Nicholas Tomihama
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any part, by
any means including but not limited to, mechanical, photographic, or electronic
process, or in the form of a phonographic recording, nor may it be stored in a
retrieval system, transmitted, or otherwise be copied without permission from
the publisher in writing.
This book is intended as an informational guide. The views expressed within
are solely the opinions of the author, based on personal experience. All
instructions within this book must be followed with caution, and the author,
publisher, printer, and all other parties involved deny any responisbility for
injury to both body and property due to the misuse of information contained
herin.
For Levi, my Little Arrow
Angela, my Life Companion
God, my Guiding Light
“He made me a polished arrow, in his quiver he hid me away.” -
Isaiah 49:2c,d
 One of my first sets of dowel arrows. I have all five original arrows. The
second one from the top ended up skimming a target stand and hitting a light
pole. The steel tip was smashed and the feathers sheared off. With a new tip and
new feathers, this arrow has performed faithfully since. I would take a well-
made dowel arrow over a factory wood arrow any day.
 Table of Contents
Preface
Chapter 1
Arrow Shafts
-Diameter, Spine, Arrow-Tuning
-Selecting Dowels
-Straightening
-Cresting
-Finishing
Chapter 2
All the Fixin’s
-Fitting Glue-On Components
-The Self Nock
-Traditional Steel Broadhead
-Hafting the Point
-Wood Blunt
-Fitting the Tip
-Fletching
Chapter 3
Putting it All Together
-Target Arrow
-Hunting Arrow
-Blunt Arrow
-Traditional Blunt Arrow
-Traditional Hunting Arrow
Chapter §
Bonus Track
-Cyborg
Preface
There are many reasons why I would write a book about dowel arrows.
Though of all those reasons, the number one is because I care about your safety
and well-being. I have heard so many stories of people being admitted to the
hospital because they got a splintered dowel shaft slammed through their arm. I
have personally seen what a hastily-made and poorly-planned dowel arrow can
do when shot. I myself have had many nearlyirreparable injuries due to dowel
shafts.
Every time I go to an archery range or somewhere with my archery tackle, I
always hear the same thing.
“Those are some really nice arrows you’ve got. What are they made of? Not
dowel rods, are they? You could hurt somebody. You’re not actually
SHOOTING them, are you?”
And honestly, I can’t blame them. Too many people have seen or
experienced the damage ‘cheap’ arrows can do. Arrows shouldn’t be cheap, and
when done right, are never cheap. A good arrow either takes your time or your
money, and in the end, that’s how it should be.
Now that I’ve scared you, I will explain myself. You are probably thinking,
“Man, I bought this book so I could make some cheap arrows and this guy says
he won’t do it, what a rip-off!” Don’t worry, I will show you how to make
arrows with dowels. But it will take time to do it right, and really, your life and
comfort is worth it.
Back to me, I originally didn’t want to make arrows. My first bow was my
dad’s 45 pound fiberglass recurve, and my very first arrow was a dowel rod with
a notch on one end, a point sanded onto the other, and duct tape for vanes. I had
cut the notch too shallow, and the arrow just slipped off the string when I fired it,
falling uselessly to the ground.
Looking back, I was very lucky. Chances are if the arrow had flown, it would
have blown apart, probably ending up in my arm, hand, or face. It would have
prematurely ended my archery career. That would have been no fun at all.
After that failed attempt, I looked up how to make arrows that worked. After
finding a picture of what a wooden shaft can do if it breaks, I decided to go
modern and bought all my arrows. Eventually I moved to carbon shafting, which
became my personal favorite until I saw one break. I looked it up and found
some pictures.
 Imagine thousands of razor splinters of carbon embedded in a person’s hand,
all of which are spread out on the exit end, making the wound that much more
horrendous. After that, a few splinters of wood didn’t seem so bad.
So I went and bought myself some wooden arrows. They were made of Port
Orford Cedar, spined for my 45 pound guava selfbow, and cost almost $8 a
piece, not counting shipping to my island state of Hawaii. At that price, they
were even more expensive than my carbon arrows, but I didn’t care. I paid the
high price because I wanted quality, and didn’t want to go through the carbon
explosion experience.
Despite my high expectations, they didn’t last long. Most started cracking
and needed to be trashed after a hundred shots or so, some simply snapped at the
target, and one exploded. Needless to say, I was quite dissapointed, and my wife
wasn’t liking the amount of money I was spending on bad arrows.
After some research and applying some of my experience making bows, I
bought some cedar shafts that I got to pick through myself. After some poor
fletching, I had somewhat innacurate but durable arrows. With that bolstering
my arrow-making bravery, I made more, and got better at fletching.
That’s when I started getting back into dowels. I tried picking through them
like the cedar shafts, but honestly, after looking at over four-hundred dowels, I
got lazy. I had a couple nice ones, and the rest were picked because they were
straight. I still have a couple with me today, and ten near-injuries.
After that, I realized that like lumber bows, there was no room for laziness.
There was no forgiveness. The smallest flaw and you could have lethal
consequences. With a renewed determination, I bought more dowels. This time, I
only got five out of a box of 500 that would do.
I still have all five arrows, despite having them hit target stands or being
speared by other arrows. They survived. Since then, all of my target shafts are
dowels. I also hand-plane arrows, but that’s a different book. It has been my
experience that a well-made and well-tuned dowel arrow will outlast any
commerical wooden shaft and perform just as well if not better.
That is a bold statement, and a far-cry from the ‘uselessness’ of dowels for
shafting. I am not saying that any dowel will make a good arrow. In fact, almost
all dowels made for industy or hobby/crafts will not make good arrows, nor were
they designed for that purpose.
But like in anything, there are exceptions.
If I haven’t scared you out of using dowels yet, (hopefully I have scared you
out of using carbon shafts if shooting off the hand) then continue onward. You
are the reason I am writing this book, so thank you and God bless.
Chapter 1
Arrow Shafts

Welcome to the Dowel Arrow Handbook! In this Chapter, we will go over

everything involved in selecting and preparing arrow shafts from dowels. There
will be some general arrow theory including spine and the archer’s paradox.
We will also go over the very important task of inspecting dowels. You will
learn what to look for as far as grain and growth rings are concerned, and how to
weed out any potentially dangerous arrow shafts.
And finally, we will go over how to straighten shafts by hand and how to crest
and finish your arrow shafts.
Diameter, Spine, Arrow-Tuning
One of the first decisions you will make in arrowmaking is how the arrow
works in relation to the bow it is fired from. If you are making arrows for
multiple bows, then all you need is an approximation of what will be discussed
in this section. If you want to get the most out of the symbiotic relationship
known as the bow and arrow, continue on.
Every bow is different and unique, regardless of how precision the
equipment or skilled the bowyer. Like you or I, each bow will vary slightly,
making a one-size fits all approach to arrows (which is how most commercial
arrows are produced) not as effective as matching each arrow to the bow it is
fired from. A good bow can fire any arrow reasonably well, but a matched arrow
will bring any bow to a new level of accuracy and efficiency.
When making arrows, one important factor is known as spine. Simply put,
spine is the stiffness of an arrow. Not so simply put, spine is also the ability for
an arrow to recover during flight, as well as its ability to withstand the forces of
flex that are imparted to it every time it is fired.
One of the easiest ways to estimate spine is by choosing your starting shaft
diameter. Dowels come in a wide-variety of diameters, but the basic four for
arrows is 5/16”, 3/8”, 7/16”, and 1/2”. 5/16” dowels usually spine anywhere from
30-55 pounds, 3/8” range from 60-80 pounds, 7/16” range from about 90-110
pounds, and 1/2 works for anything over 120 pounds.

In this picture above, the dowels from top to bottom are 5/16”, 3/8”, 7/16”, and
1/ ”. This is to give you a good idea of size differences. For most bows, 5/ ”and
2 16
3/ ” dowels are large enough.
8

The little chart on the opposite page is a good guide when looking at dowels.
This chart is to-scale and is a great way to find out what diameter of dowel you
have if they aren’t marked. If buying from most hardware stores, dowels are
usually color-coded red, blue, green, and gray. These correspond to 5/16”, 3/8”,
7/16”, and 1/ ” respectively. This may vary from store to store, so don’t rely on
2
color exclusively.
When dealing with diameter and spine, the weights given are for modern
longbows and recurves at 28 inches. For compounds, (yes, you can use wood
arrows in a compound, but it has to be a perfect shaft with no flaws) take away
fifteen pounds. So for 5/16”, it will be from 15-40 pounds. For self-bows and
older backed longbows, add five pounds, so a 5/16” dowel will fit a 40-60 pound
bow.
Length also plays a role in the diameter of shaft you choose. The weights
given above are for a 28 inch draw, or a 30 inch arrow. To find your approximate
draw length, you can take your wingspan (measured from the tips of your
fingers. You don’t actually need to have wings) and divide it by 2.5.
This will give you your average draw length, though depending on how you
shoot and where you anchor, this can go up or down a few inches. My favorite
way to determine draw length is to draw your bow with a long arrow nocked, to
whatever length is comfortable to you, and have somebody mark where the
arrow and bow hand meet at the front.
 Once you have your draw length, you can figure out your arrow length. The
length of your arrow will change the spine of that arrow. The longer the arrow,
the weaker the spine. For 5/16”, a 30” arrow will have a spine range of 30-55
pounds for modern recurves and longbows. At the same diameter, a 31” arrow
will have a spine range from 25-50 pounds. For further example, a 29” arrow
will spine at around 35-60 pounds.
Now all of the spine ratings I have given so far are approximate, and I
assume you do not have access to a spine-tester. In order to find a more accurate
rating, a spine-tester is needed. They can be purchased for around $100, and
most archery pro-shops will let you use theirs if you ask nicely.
Spine is important for two reasons. One, it establishes a safe zone for arrows
if you are making arrows for non-precise shooting. For example, if your arrow
has a spine of 50 pounds at 28 inch draw, it can be used safely in a bow with a
draw-weight of 50 pounds or less at 28 inches (35 for compounds).
The second reason is for accuracy. An arrow whose spine with all things
considered is matched to a bow it will be very accurate, as the arrow will be stiff
enough to recover from the flex imparted upon it, but not too weak as to flex
wildly and never recover. When testing an arrow, always err on the side of
caution. A stiff spine will push the shot off-target, a weak spine may cause the
arrow to explode.
The final variable that will affect spine is the weight of the tip of the arrow.
Basically, the heavier the point, the weaker your overall spine. So the heavier
your point, the higher spined your arrow needs to be to compensate. The reason
is that because the bowstring pushes your arrow from the back, the heavier the
point, the more the arrow will flex.
Taking all of these variables together, you can fine-tune your arrows. When I
am making arrows for a particular bow, I pick a diameter in the range of the
bow’s weight and length of draw, but don’t adjust for tip weight. After marking
each arrow so I know which is which, I then test-fire the arrows into a marked
target. I aim at the deadcenter of the target, shooting every arrow once.
Some will land to the left, some to the right. This variation is part of the
archer’s paradox. The arrow is constantly flexing once it exits the bow. While
not as noticeable in modern recurves and longbows, and almost negligible in
compounds, the archer’s paradox is most apparent in longbows and selfbows.
When shooting a longbow, the arrow needs to clear the bow itself. If the
arrow is properly spined, it will wrap around the bow, flexing back and forth
until it hits the target in a direct line from string to target. When shooting a
longbow, you should aim straight from the nock of the arrow, through the center
of the handle, and to the target.
If you are right handed and shooting mediterranean style, the arrows will go
to the left if they are too stiff, to the right if they are too weak. The reason this
happens is because a stiff arrow will not fully wrap around the bow, causing it to
launch to the side the arrow is placed on the bow. A weak arrow will wrap
around the bow too much, causing it to whip around to the right. Reverse all of
this for lefties.
If your arrows are too stiff, a light sanding near the center of the arrow can
adjust the spine down. Try those arrows again, adjusting accordingly. If the
arrows are flying way off to the left, try going down a diameter.
If the arrows are too weak, you can shorten them slightly, grind the tips down
or change them out to make them lighter, or just set them aside for a lighter bow.
If they are flying way off ot the right, try going up a diameter. If the arrows are
weak, any flaws in the wood will be magnified. Firing them too many times will
cause them to break.
Once you’ve established at least one arrow that lines up perfectly, you can do
a couple things that will help in sorting out future arrows. If you weigh the
arrow, keeping your other arrows in the same weight will bring them near the
proper spine. Another option, and one that takes a bit of practice and repetition,
is to spine by feel. Hold the arrow in both hands about ten inches apart. Flex the
shaft, and remember how it feels. Once you get a feel for it, you can get a good
estimate of arrow spines just by feel.
Now that we have an idea of how to choose diameters and how to adjust
your shafts to match a bow, let’s move on to the fun part: selecting the actual
dowels.
Selecting Dowels
The most important part of making dowel arrows is selecting your dowels. It
may sound obvious, but this is the part that will take the most time and patience.
When most people think of making arrows with dowels, they tend to look for the
straightest ones. The assumption is that a straight dowel is straight like an arrow,
and so it will be structurally sound like a good arrow should be.
The truth is, a straight dowel has less to do with its structural stability and
more to do with how it was milled, how it was dried, how it was stored, what its
moisture content is, and how elastic the wood is. Take these two dowels below.

The bottom one is obviously straight. The top one is obviously curved, and
pretty badly too. Which one will make a good arrow? The answer: the top one.
Here are the same two dowels up close and with the growth rings marked with a
pen.

It is clear that the top one, though curved, follows the growth rings closely.
The bottom one, though straight, actually has several areas like this one, where
the wood was violated. Imagine wood is a bundle of straws. The top dowel is a
bent bundle of straight straws, but all the straws are intact.
The bottom dowel is a bundle of bent straws that have been cut down to
make them appear straight. What happens is that there are areas where the straws
don’t even touch each other. It is at places like these where an arrow can easily
snap when fired.
The moral of these two dowels is that growthring orientation and grain is
much more important than straightness. A bent arrow can be straightened, but an
arrow on the verge of breaking cannot be saved. It will only be a danger to you
and others.
 Take a look at the dowel above. this is a reasonable dowel viewed from an
angle. You can see where the growth rings lift off from the shaft and dissapear.
This is called run-off. When run-off occurs, the overall strength of the shaft is
compromised. The more growth rings that can be followed from end to end
without run-offs, the better.
It is also important that run-off occurs in only one direction per side. Take a
look at the dowel below.

While there is still at least half of the wood intact through this little dip, the
dip causes run-offs to occur in two directions. Run-off is dangerous because it
can cause the wood to lift a splinter and catch on things. Some of the things it
can catch on are the bow, your arm, your hand, and the arrow-rest.
If the wood lifts, it can explode, shear off, or snap. If the run-off is all in one
direction, it can be positioned so that the chances of splinters lifting is
minimized. That is not possible if the run-off is in two directions.

So what should you look for? Take a look at the dowel above. While not
perfect, it is a good compromise. The run-off is minimal, and only goes in one
direction. While run-offs are inevitable, it is best to make sure that if there is any
run-off, it be at the ends of the arrow. And if there is run-off at the end of an
arrow, make that your tip.
 Once the arrow is fired, the tip has had no contact with you or the bow. The
worst that could happen is it breaks on contact with the target. If the run-off is
near the nock end, the nock could shear apart if it is a self-nock, or simply snap
if it is glued on. Either way, the nock end has to travel the full length of your
draw during flight, and the chances of any splinters linfting is that much higher.
Another thing to looks out for is the grain. If the grain is straight, the sides
perpendicualr to the growth rings will appear smooth and clear. Any knots or
dips should be avoided. Another thing to avoid is curl or figure. Curl is very
beautiful, and will seem to change color like tiger’s eye if tilted from left to
right. This is caused by the open ends of the grain picking up light differently.
This is what curl looks like.

It is very pretty, and in most types of woodwork is a very desirable feature.

In an arrow, it should be avoided at all costs. Curly grain should be looked at like
run-offs. They can cause the same damage. Make sure that each dowel is clear
and free from this type of figure.
Now that you know what to look for as far as grain and growth rings are
concerned, the next part to selecting dowels is to know what kind of wood you
are dealing with. There are many species of tree that are used to make dowels.
Many of them make poor arrows. Considering that dowels weren’t manufactured
for arrow production, it is lucky that some species are usable.
When buying purpose-made arrow-shafting (which are technically dowels
anyway), mostly softwoods are used. These shafts are slected for grain clarity,
lack of run off, straight growth-ring orientation, and are straightened. The shafts
that make it through are a very tiny percentage of all shafts made. This brings the
chances of finding good arrow stock in production dowels (which are made
without any real consideration for grain or growth-ring orientation) almost
impossible.
While softwoods are famous for use in arrows, they should be avoided in
dowel-stock unless a perfect shaft presents itself. Even so, softwood shafts are
typically harder to straighten without damaging the shaft, and crack and splinter
easier than hardwood shafts.
Most of the time, softwoods are lighter than hardwoods. Most lumber yards
and hardware stores will tell you what kind of wood is used in the dowel, or at
least if it is a hardwood or not. If made in the US, some common woods for
dowels are maple, poplar, cherry, walnut, red and white oak, ash, and birch.
Maple, poplar, and birch appear similar, the wood appearing creamy in color
with fine growth rings. Birch may have darker streaks running through it, and
poplar may be a light gray or even green. Walnut and cherry have a similar
texture, with cherry being more reddish-brown, and walut being more of a
grayish-brown. The oaks, as well as ash, have very distinct bands separating the
growth rings. Ash and white oak are creamy in color, and red oak is a creamy
color to a reddish-brown.
If made overseas, there are many species of wood that are possible. A couple
of the more common ones found in hardware stores are ramin, teak, and kwila.
Ramin looks very similar to birch, and is one of the better arrow-woods as far as
dowels go. If it was made in China, chances are this is that it is.
If the dowel came from Southeast Asia or the Pacific, any number of woods
could have been used. The most common are teak and kwila, which both range
from a gray color to a deep brown. They also vary in density depending on
where in the tree the dowels were cut.

From top to bottom, the woods here are laminated birch, poplar, teak, ramin,
red oak, and birch. Be cautious of laminated dowels as they have a tendency to
snap without warning. There are places where you can buy laminated shafting,
but those are made with better adhesives and controlled for quality. Most of the
commercial laminated dowels won’t pass the next test.
As far as exotic woods go, most will work as an arrow provided the grain is
straight and the wood is sound. Depending on the density of the wood, you can
get unusually high spines with thinner shafts. I have an ipe arrow that is only
5/ ”, but spines in the 90’s.
16
Once you’ve selected some shafts, and you know they are perfect, go ahead
and buy them. I do not suggest buying bulk orders of dowels, as most of them
(sometimes 99 percent or more) will be tossed. Now comes the final and crucial
part of selecting your arrows. This will usually give you a nice, 50-50 split. So if
you bought 12 perfect dowels, expect only 6 arrows. More, and you are lucky.

Start by holding the dowel between both hands, about ten inches apart. Make
sure this is centered over the center of where you would cut your arrow, as this is
the part that takes the most flex when the arrow is fired. Make sure you have a
good grip on the dowel.

With the dowel held firmy between both hands, flex it about this far. You
want the ends of you arrow when cut to be at least an inch away from the center
in deflection. This mimics the flex an arrow goes through when fired through a
bow. If the dowel makes any sort of cracking or creaking noise, return it. If
cracks start to appear, snap it and throw it away. If it simply keeps the bend,
place it in a dry place for a couple days and try again.
 If it snaps, throw it away. Even shafts that look perfect can snap. Better to
have it snap now than when it is coming off a bow at anywhere from 80 to 200
miles per hour. Once your shafts have passed every consideration, and this last
test a few times, you can now prep the shafts and get them ready for fletching,
nocking, and mounting points.
This last flex test should also be done every time you shoot your arrows. A
dowel, and wood in general, is very funny. It can hold on for a long time without
any problems, and snap for seemingly no reason. Check your arrows before and
after every shot.
If an arrow out of your quiver shows signs of cracking, is making noises, or
is visibly damaged, snap it in half and salvage the points and fletchings. If an
arrow out of the target shows signs of cracking, is making noises, or is visibly
damaged, snap it in half and salvage the points and fletchings. Just because you
know the arrow you put on the side is unsafe, doesn’t mean other people do. I’ve
had a good friend pick up one of my broken arrows and fire it. It exploded.
Never, never leave a questionable shaft intact. Snapping it in half lets
anybody know not to use the arrow. And don’t assume that somebody else will
notice a break even if it is obvious (the tip is hanging off or the arrow is badly
bent). Everyone assumes your gear is safe. Don’t give them a reason to doubt
that.
Now that all that seriousness is out of the way, on to the real fun part! Time
to straighten and finish up those arrow shafts!
Straightening
Like I said earlier, it is better to find perfect grain than to find a straight
dowel. The chances of finding a perfect shaft is very small, and finding a perfect
shaft that is also perfectly straight is really pushing the odds. Searching through
hundreds of dowels only to find a few is frustrating enough. A thousand dowels
for only a couple shafts? I’d rather learn to straighten.
There are many ways to straighten an arrow, and some methods for pulling
even really bad kinks out of wood. Now those techniques are better suited for
handplaning arrows from larger stock (boards, logs, saplings, etc.), and are
relatively useless for dowels.
Because of the nature of dowels and the nature of wood in general, if your
shafts are indeed perfect with any run-off in only one direction, you shouldn’t
have very complex bends to correct. For this reason we’ll only be using three
techniques for straightening arrows.
The first is simple hand-straightening. Unlike softwood arrows like port
orford cedar and sitka spruce, hardwood arrows will lose their straightness over
time. Sometimes it takes hundreds of shots, sometimes it takes a few minutes in
the quiver. For this reason, being able to correct a slightly warped shaft in the
field is very important.
The second is by burnishing against the curve. Burnishing the flexed side of
a warped shaft will compress the wood in that area, allowing the arrow to
straighten out. Burnishing can be done over large curves, but excels at
straightening small, tight kinks.
The final method we’ll be discussing is using dry heat. When wood is
heated, the individual fibers within the wood become slightly loose. This enables
the fibers to slide over one another, so that large or stubborn bends can be eased
out of the wood. Once cooled, the fibers will set in their new position.
 The first way to see if your arrow shaft needs straightening is to take the
shaft and sight down its length from the top like in the picture above. Even
apparently straight shafts can be warped. If the bend it slight, hand straightening
is usually more than enough to fix it. Straightening by hand is great for keeping
your arrows straight while shooting. Be sure to inspect and straighten arrows
after every shot. After a few times, it becomes very quick and easy to do.

To hand-straighten, start by holding the back of the shaft in your dominant

hand, and the bend against the heel of your other palm like in the picture above.
Wrap your fingers around the shaft slightly so you can exert force to counter the
bend.
 Next, use your fingers to pull the arrow into a flex counter to the bend in the
shaft. Then slide your hand forward, more or less massaging the dowel.

It is easier to see what to do from the front. Me and my evil robo-clone will
demonstrate. Start by loosely holding the dowel in your dominant hand, the bent
area cupped in your other hand. With a forward sliding motion, exert force while
pressing the heel of your palm into the bent area.
When done, check to see if the shaft is straight. The first few times you may
need to re-straighten the shaft. It is very easy to push the shaft too hard and bend
it in the opposite direction, or in a totally different direction. Straightening by
hand may take a few tries to master, but it is well-worth it and is a breeze
compared to selecing dowels. When finished, your shaft should now look
straight when viewed from the end.
The second method of straightening is best used for shafts that are warped in
different directions or are more kinky (not that kind of kinky) than curved. A
good example of this is the dowel below.

You can see the curve starts, turns back, then turns back again. By burnishing
the dowel, slight kinks like this can be pinpointed and removed. In order to
burnish a shaft, you need an arrow-shaft burnisher. Really, anything that is hard,
and with a nice polish will work. Having a rounded cross-section is a bonus, as
this helps increase pressure. Stainless steel rods, glass jars, bone, plastic, and
even other pieces of wood make good burnishers.
For really stubborn shafts, the end hole of a crescent wrench or similar hand
tool can be used to pull out bends. Whichever way you go, the process is the
same.
 Take your dowel and run it over your burnisher, applying downward force
against the kink. To exert more pressure, you can place the dowel on a semi-hard
surface like a leg or a floor mat and press the burnisher into it. To burnish the
surface, keep moving either the dowel or burnisher back and forth. The constant
pressure and built up heat will help compress and straighten the fibers in the
dowel, like the picture below.
If your dowel is especially troublesome and won’t straighten up by the first
two methods, heating it is the last resort. Heating also works for shafts that keep
returning to their curved shape, no matter how many times they are straightened,
like the dowel below. Because heating takes moisture from the wood, doing it
too many times will cause the wood to become brittle. If you need to do it again,
let the dowel rest in a cool humid place for a while.

To start, you will need a source of dry heat. Your average household has a
good one. Any stovetop, whether gas or electric, will work. A torch will work as
well, though it may burn the shaft so be careful. A heat gun and some high-
powered hair-dryers work as well.
 Carefully and quickly move the area to be bent over the heat source, or in the
case of a heat gun, move the heat source over the dowel. Don’t stay in one place
too long, as it may burn the shaft or at least cause uneven bending.

Keep moving the dowel over the heat source until it starts to droop very
slightly. That will tell you the wood has become semi-plastic and will move.
Now simply straighten the shaft out like you would with any other, by hand.
It helps to wear gloves or have a leather pad between you and dowel, as they can
get very hot. Sadly, my hands are already used to it.

Once straightened, make sure that the dowel stays straight while cooling.
Bundling it with some other shafts or even just watching it as it cools are good
options. Once straightened, it should look something like this.
 If the shaft has any kinks, go back and burnish it now. By using all three
techniques together, you can straighten almost any dowel that comes your way.
Now that you’ve got some straight shafts, we’ll go over cresting and finishing.
Cresting
Cresting is simply painting your arrow so that it can be easily identified.
Bright colors make a shaft easier to see in grass or foliage, and darker colors
help break up the arrow’s outline. Get creative.
There are cresting jigs that make this much easier. If and when I crest arrows,
(I personally don’t that often. I usually sign all my arrows) I usually do it all by
hand. If you want to crest arrows with some level of ease and repeatability, a
normal power-drill works wonders.

Simply chuck the nock end of the shaft into your drill. This is also a great
way to test how straight your shafts are. If the shaft does not spin evenly, it still
needs to be straightened. If the shaft does not spin true, the cresting will come
out uneven and sloppy.
What I usually do is set the drill very slowly, and apply the lines with very
light pressure, going over them a few times. When cresting, try and pick a
pattern that appeals to you. Cresting was once popular when everyone shot
wooden shafts. Nowadays, just having wood arrows distinguishes you from
everyone else. Hopefully that will change again.
 Once you’ve got your pattern down, you can copy it on other arrows. A set
of crested arrows is quite impressive.

As you can see, it will take practice to make even cresting. Practicing on the
scrap ends of dowels is a good place to start.
Finishing
When you’ve completed every other aspect of turning wooden dowels into
arrow shafts, all that is left is finishing the shafts. While there are many ways of
finishing and sealing an arrow shaft, my personal favorite for dowels is the
simplest.
I coat the arrows in oil, usually boiled linseed oil, though almost anything
will work. After a few coats of oil, I wipe off the excess and then burnish the
shaft with a glass jar.

By burnishing the shaft, you not only get a nice, polished appearance, but
you also strengthen the wood. Burnishing, unlike sanding or simply coating the
wood with a sealer, compresses the outer layer of wood, making it more resistant
to breakage. This compression helps keeps run-off from causing problems, as
well as giving the arrow a high-gloss finish that only needs periodic oiling to
keep it waterproof.
 Burnishing is also easy to do, and requires no sanding or dry time. Another
reason why I oil my arrows is because of the questionable moisture content or
dowels. Simply sealing an already dry dowel will make it brittle. Oiling a dry
dowel will give the wood some added elasticity, which is important for a flexing
arrow in flight.

Alternatively, you could simply sand and oil your arrows. Sanding the arrow
with ever-increasing grit will allow for a smooth surface that will resist breakage
and splinters.

Then just finish the shaft with your choice of oil or sealer. You can also sand
first, oil, then burnish the shafts for an extra-high gloss. Experiment and find
what suits you best.
Chapter 2
All the Fixin’s

Now that you’ve got your dowel arrow shafts, all you need to do is affix
points, nocks, and put some feathers on them. And then viola! You have a
finished arrow.
In this chapter, we’ll go over fitting store bought tips and nocks onto your
dowel shafts, making a tie-in broadhead for hunting larger game, a wooden blunt
for small game, cutting a self nock, and finally how to do an easy to replace
feather fletch.
With that said, let’s get started!
Fitting Glue-On Components
One of the best ways to minimize other factors regarding the tuning of your
arrows is to use factory made nocks and tips. Target and field points are fairly
inexpensive, usually not more than 50 cents each. As for nocks, most plastic
nocks are only a dollar or so for a dozen.
The benefit of using pre-made points is that each point is uniform. You can
play with spine by buying different weights of point. Having uniform points also
makes fitting replacements in the field a lot easier. Imagine having to re-file a
nock or re-fit a home-made point. Most times, the shaft will be ruined anyway.
As for nocks, the plastic variety has many advantages. One, if the nock ever
fails, chances are your arrow won’t fail with it. Two, if you ever do lose a nock,
another will easily fit into place quickly. Three, most plastic nocks snap onto the
string, a good quality that may not be safe to have in a self nock. In my opinion,
plastic nocks are a better choice for arrows that are going to be shot repeatedly.
And the time you save is usually worth the money.

Most store-bought points and nocks are tapered on the inside to fit onto a
tapered shaft. The set angle of taper is 5 degrees for the tip and 10 degrees for
the nock. Since the angle is fairly precise, I suggest buying an arrow tapering
tool like the one on the last page. They are plastic and can be purchased online
from 3 Rivers Archery or at most traditional archery shops. After trying to cut
the tapers myself, this is by far the best $5 I’ve spent.
 To use the taper tool, simply insert the arrow shaft and twist. it is exactly like
using a hand-powered pencil sharpener.

This is what the 5 degree angle taper looks like on an arrow shaft. This will
fit in all 5 degree taper points.

Here’s what a 10 degree nock taper looks like. If using a taper tool on larger
diameter shafts, the shaft will have to be filed and sanded until the tool fits.
 My favorite adhesive for mounting points and nocks is hot melt glue. Simply
heat up the end of a stick of hot glue, and smear some of it on the tapered ends.

When attaching your point and nock, simply heat up the end of the shaft,
melting the glue before attaching.

Glue on nocks and points come in many shapes and sizes. Pictured here is a
white glue-on nock with an indexer and a 75 grain steel field point.

To install a target or field point, simply heat up the shaft to melt the glue, and
push the point on.
 Before we install the nock, take a good look down the arrow. Here you can
see that there is some run off, going toward the tip.

Turning the arrow over, you can see that the runoff on this side is coming
towards you. This side should be angled towards the bow and you hand, as the
run-off is less likely to lift up.

Now that you’ve established where the run off is going, position the nock on
the end so that when on the bow, the run-off is heading towards you on the side
where it meets the bow and rest.
The Self Nock
The self nock is the oldest style of nock. In effect, all it really is is a slit cut at
the end of the arrow that holds the arrows onto the string when shooting. Self
nocks, with their elegant simplicity, make good nocks for primitive and
traditional arrows.
While not the most reliable nock, a good self nock will hold up to the
stresses of normal shooting. I like to shoot self-arrows when using my guava
selfbow, as they seem to match each other in feel and spirit. These nocks are also
perfect for Native American replica arrows, award arrows, and display arrows.
There is just something about them that brings out that primal energy of our
hunting ancestors.
This particular style of self nock is the most basic and quite durable. It does
not lock on the string, and should not be used on compound bows, as the added
force may cause it to split.

I have marked the end of an arrow for you to see the growth rings. Make sure
to keep the rings running horizontally.

Start the nock off by creating a little groove with a file. Make sure it runs
perpendicular to the growth rings, so that the nock is less likely to split.
 To cut the nock, take three normal hacksaw blades and tape them together.
This will give you roughly the size of a normal nock. For a tighter fit, only use
two.

Make sure to keep the blades going in straight, or the nock will be crooked.
Keep cutting until the back of the blades are flush to the end of the nock.

Once cut, make sure the nock is straight. If not, you can make minor
adjustments with sandpaper.

Here is the finished self nock. If you plan on gluing your feathers on, a little
thread wrapped just below the nock will give it extra strength and help prevent
splitting.
Traditional Steel Broadhead
While I stand by using precision parts for arrows, I do have to say that
nothing looks more impressive than a nice handmade steel broadhead. While
these are more than enough for large game, be sure to check your local laws
regarding what types of broadheads you can use.
Here in Hawaii, the only stipulation is that the blade be at least 11/4” wide. I
use 1/16” thick O1 tool steel, though even mild steel will sharpen up sufficiently
and hold up under use. I’ve also had success using bedframe angle iron, which is
a little under 1/8” thick.

This little template above is my favorite type of hand-made broadhead. Its

shape is based loosely on some glue-on broadheads that I use. It is to scale and
can be copied as-is for use as a template. The dimensions are 21/2” L x 11/4” W.
The little cross-line goes in at 17/8” from the point. The three blue lines are each
1/ ” apart. The inner blue lines are separated by 1/ ” in the center. If copying by
4 2
hand, your template should look like the one below.
 Take your template, trace it onto your steel stock, and cut your blanks out. A
hacksaw works well for this.

Once cut out, transfer the end and notch cut lines onto your blank.
 Make sure that the lashing notches leave 1/2” in the center. This gives the
broadhead maximum stability while still allowing for a secure lashing. Also be
sure to round off the inner sharp edges of the notches.

Using a file, grinder, or belt sander, flatten and true up all five sides of the
broadhead blank. Make sure to keep the back flat, as this is the part that contacts
the arrow.
 Once the edges are trued up, take a piece of 220-320 sandpaper and mooth
up both faces. This will also rough up the steel for the next step.

In order to protect the steel from rust slightly, take a small bowl and pour in
enough vinegar to fill up about half an inch. Microwave it for a minute, being
careful as it will be hot. Place your broadhead blank into the bowl. It should start
to bubble. Once it does, flip the broadhead over.
 Once the vinegar stops bubbling, remove the blank from the bowl and wash
it with some dish soap to stop the acid. Pat it dry, then rub some mineral or
vegetable oil on it to inhibit rust. Depending on the steel and strength of your
vinegar, its color will range from light gray to black at this point.

Begin creating your edge. I like about a 30 degree angle. This can be done on
a file, or with a grinder or belt sander.

Once your bevel goes about halfway down the edge, flip the blank over and
repeat on the opposite face. Do not completey sharpen the edge yet. That can be
done on a file or stone before its first use.
 This is what your edge should look like. It should be even, but not fully-
sharp yet.

Here is your finished broadhead, ready to be lashed onto an arrow.

-Hafting the Point
Unlike socketed, tapered points, the tie-in broadhead needs to be tied-in, as
the name implies. This process is time-consuming, but needs to be done right to
ensure that the arrow lives a long, healthy life and the tip doesn’t simply break
off of the arrow. Whenever you are dealing with life and death, you need to
make sure that you do it properly and with respect.
I lash my points with artificial sinew though silk, nylon, and polyester
threads all work well. If using cotton, linen, or hemp, be sure to soak the lashing
with a waterproof wood glue prior to wrapping, as it will keep the fibers from
weakening and coming apart.

To figure out where your broadhead will go, start at the nock end with the
string groove vertical. If mounting your broadhead horizontally, which is what I
prefer, the slot for it will be cut perpendicular to the nock. If mounting vertically,
the slot will be in line with the nock.
 Go to the other end of the arrow, keeping in mind where the nock is in
relation to this side. Check a couple times, to make sure you have this side lined
up with the nock.

Once you have an idea of where the nock is, mark your broadhead slot. In
the picture above, I am marking for a horizontal mounting.

To cut the slot for your broadhead, use two hacksaw blades for 1/16”, and
three for 1/8” thick broadheads.
 Cut the slot down one inch, checking often for fit. Make sure to go straight
into the arrow shaft. Once down to the bottom, make sure it is square, as this is
where the broadhead contacts the arrow.

With a file or belt sander, smooth the end of the arrow down. You want this
to be a nice, smooth transition. Not too thin, to keep the strength of the joint, but
not too thick as the wood may get sheared off when the point hits its target.57

Once the end is smoothed down, clean the slot up in preparation for gluing.

Fill the slot with either hot glue or epoxy. If using hot glue, make sure to heat
the glue up prior to inserting the point.

Once glued in, keep the tip secured and straight until the glue sets.

Get a five foot length of strong thread for lashing.

Place one end of the thread facing the tip of the arrow.
 Start wrapping the long end over the short end toward the point.

Once your wraps reach the bottom of the point, pull the short end of the
thread tight, then back and out of the way. Take the long end and slip it into one
of the lashing notches.
 Wrap the long end around and into the next notch up.

Wrap the thread across to the arrow shaft a few times, then wrap the thread
throuhg the notches in a crisscross pattern, ending up in the bottom notch.
 Keep wrapping, criss-crossing the thread between the bottom notch and the
bottom of the point.

Once the bottom wrap matches the top wrap, start wrapping over the very
first wrap you did on the arrow shaft.
 Continue wrapping for about 1/4”, then turn the arrow around so it is easier to
finish the wrap.

Hold the shaft with one hand, and lift your index finger. Wrap the thread over
that finger, creating a loop. Keep the wrap going in the same direction.
 Now take the end of the thread and wrap it up and into the loop, effectively
continuing the wrap in the same direction, but down towards the tip instead of
towards the nock.

Keep wrapping on the inside of the loop for about 1/4”. Then take the end of
the thread and lay it down towards the tip under the loop. Now take the loop
itself, and by winding the loop around the arrow, it will pick up the wrap you just
did and transfer it to the bottom.
 Once down to the end, pull on the loose end of the thread. That will tighten
down the loop you make, tucking the end of the thread under itself.

Once the ends are tightened, cut off the loose ends. A little bit of wood glue
or epoxy wiped over the wrapping will help strengthen it and keep it waterproof.
 Now that the point is lashed on, you can sharpen it up and you are ready to
go. While a file usually works fine, a really sharp edge can be made by either
using sharpening stones or some sandpaper on a flat surface.65
Wood Blunt
In addition to making arrow shafts from dowels, you can also use them to
make wooden blunt points. These wooden blunts are good for stunning small
game; whereas a sharpened point would go right through, merely injuring an
animal.
While not as durable as their rubber and steel counterparts, wooden blunts
still pack a punch. 3/4” wooden dowels work great for this purpose. Pick the
heavier species like maple and oak. If you want a good stump-shooting arrow,
lignum vitae and ipe are practically indestructable.
These blunts are good to make in large quantities as they may break with use,
but can be easily removed and replaced. These blunts can also be slipped over
most target points (this works best if a little padding is pushed in first), and can
also be used to extend the life of an arrow with a broken tip.
The easiest way to make these blunts is with a woodturning lathe. I wouldn’t
suggest getting a lathe just for making these, but if you don’t have one, chances
are someone in your area does. Ask around. Some community centers have
public workshops, and some universities will let you use their equipment if you
ask.
If you don’t have access to a lathe or wish to do without, a simple power drill
and a wood rasp is all you need.
 If using a lathe, you will need a drill chuck that fits into the headstock. These
are fairly inexpensive, and some old drill-press chucks will fit in a lathe. You can
also use a power drill instead of a lathe. On top of those, you will also need a 3
inch long piece of dowel the same diameter as your arrows to serve as a mandrel.

For the actual blunt, cut a piece of 3/4” dowel 2 inches long. Maple is a good
choice.
 Mark the center. One way to do this is to mark straight lines across the face
of the dowel.

If using a lathe, hold the dowel in the tailstock and drill a hole equal to your
arrow-diameter to a depth of 1 inch.

Once the hole is drilled, insert the 3 inch long dowel into the end.
 Chuck the mandrel in the lathe.

Cut the dowel down to this shape. You want the end to be flat-faced but
rounded slightly at the edges, and it should have a slight curve going back to
prevent splitting.

After roughing the shape, sand the tip until it is smooth. You can also finish
it on the lathe with wax or lathe-applied finish of choice.

Now the blunt is ready for attaching.

 If using a hand drill, hold or clamp the dowel and drill a one inch deep hole.

After drilling your hole, fit the dowel onto the mandrel and insert it into the
drill. Either lock the drill on and press a rasp into it, or clamp the rasp down and
push the drill into it.

Rasp the dowel down to this rough shape. Leave it a little large, as the rasp
leaves very rough edges.
 Sand the dowel down and apply the finish of your choice.

Your wooden blunt is finished and ready for attaching. Using a lathe and drill
press, I can usually make a batch of a few dozen in an hour or so. With a hand
drill, I can make a few in an hour. Either way, they are fairly easy to make, so
make a bunch and keep some on hand.
-Fitting the Tip
Because these blunts are really just wooden sleeves, they are very easy to
install. If you don’t want to, you don’t even need to glue them. Just adding a bit
of hot glue to the very tip, or inserting a piece of neoprene will help keep the
point from splitting.

Test-fit to see if the blunt fits over your arrow. You could just leave it as is.

For a more permanent point, smear some hot glue over the arrow, scraping a
large blob onto the tip for extra cushion.

Heat the glue on the arrow, then slip the blunt over the tip. Remove the
excess glue and you are ready to go.
Fletching
Fletching is the vital finishing touch on any arrow. Call it the spark of life, if
you will. Without it, an arrow is just a stick, but with it the arrow has direction
and stability. Mastering the art of fletching, especially by hand, is a long and
arduous process. It takes much practice to be able to affix feathers onto an arrow
properly.
I have spent hour upon hour perfecting my fletching skills, gluing each
feather to the shaft individually. While very pretty and impressive in its own
right, my fletching had one quality I didn’t like: it was stuck there.
Might sound counter-intuitive, but my cautious outlook on arrows has led me
to a mindset of trying to salvage what I can. If a shaft ever broke, I had a perfect
fletch on a broken arrow. If the feathers wore out, I would have to scrape them
off, ruining the finish of my arrow.
Eventually I looked back to early man, and found a simple and effective
method of affixing feather to a shaft. By taking a length of thread, one can
basically lash feathers onto an arrow. This gives three big advantages.
One, the feathers can be adjusted after attatchment, allowing even the
inexperienced to make accurate fletchings. Two, this method of fletching can be
done with little prep-work, and even works on un-ground, split feathers. Three,
since the feathers aren’t glued, they can be removed easily. Now if a shaft breaks
or feathers wear out, take the feathers off.

Start with five feet of thread. Artificial sinew and waxed dacron have
become my favorites.
 Take one of your feathers and measure so that there is an inch of space
between feather and the notch of the nock. Start your wrap 1/4” below the
feather.

Hold the short end against the arrow towards the nock, and wrap 1/4” on top
of the short end.

Once you’ve wrapped 1/4”, pull the short end tight and move it back and out
of the way.
 Before placing the first feather, look down the shaft. See how the run-off
points away from you? This is the side you want to put your first feather.

Tuck the front end of the first feather into the wrap slightly, then wrap the
string over to keep it in place. This will be your odd feather.

At about 1/3 of the arrow’s circumfrence away, place your second feather.

And again for the third feather.

 From the back, this is what your feathers should look like.

Once your feathers are on, secure them in place by tightly wrapping the first
1/ ” of the feathers with your thread.
8

Start wrapping into the feathers. Simply take your thread and place it into the
feather. It will separate.

One wrap per 1/4” is good. Any less and the feathers will be too loose. Any
more, and the feathers may get too ruffled.

Wrap the last 1/8” of feathers to secure the back end.

To finish up the wrap, hold the arrow in one hand and lift your index finger.
Make a loop like this.
 Take the end of your thread and pass it through the loop, as if you are
wrapping the shaft backwards, but in the same rotation. If you wrapped the
feather clockwise, keep wrapping clockwise.

Tuck the short end under the loop, then rotate the loop around the arrow,
transferring the wrap from the top to the bottom.

Once the wrap is done, pull the end tight to secure it.

The feathers will probably be crooked. The beauty of wrapping the feathers
is that you can fix this easily.
 Gently push the feathers around with a fingernail until all three feather line
up like in this picture.

And now you have a fletched arrow. It is all finished and ready to shoot!
Chapter 3
Putting it All Together
Now that you know how to go from dowel to arrow shaft, have a good idea
of how to put points, nocks, and feathers onto your arrows, it’s time to put it all
together.
This chapter is more of a quick overview in relation to building arrows. We
will go through the basic construction of five different arrows, each one referring
back to steps previously outlined in this book.
This section is mainly for you to get ideas for your own arrow creations. We
will be building a target arrow and hunting arrow with glue on components. We
will also be building a blunt arrow with glue on nock, as well as a more prmitive
looking self-nock blunt arrow. To finish it all off, we will be making a hunting
self arrow with a tie in broadhead.
All of these arrows are made for a 45-55 pound bow. The target and blunt
arrows are cut to 30 inches, the two broadhead arrows are cut to 32. These are
some good starter arrows to base your own off of. Go on, get creative, it’s your
time to shine!
Alright, let’s get to it!
Target Arrow
This little arrow is about as basic as you can get. It is fitted with 75 grain
field points and 3 inch feathers. These are great for target shooting, and with
glue on nocks and points, there is almost nothing to them.

Start by cutting a 30” arrow shaft.

Taper the ends and glue on the tip and nock.

Fletch the arrow.

Here is the completed target arrow, ready to shoot.

Hunting Arrow
When it comes to broadheads, there are a plethora of different brands and
styles of point. You have 2-blade, 3-blade, 4-blade, and even more variations.
The broadhead here is a Magnus 2 blade, 110 grain, and is mounted horizontally.

Cut your arrow shaft to 32”. It should be fairly stiff.

To line up the tip, hold the nock notch vertical...

and affix the tip horizontally.

 While the glue is still setting, make sure the tip is lined up straight.

Fletch your arrow. Orange and neon yellow are my favorite fletchings to use
for hunting.

Here is the finished hunting arrow. Tune it and sharpen the tip, and you are
ready to go.
Blunt Arrow
This little blunt arrow is almost the same as the target arrow except it has a
wooden blunt glued to the end instead of a field point. These make great small
game arrows or for shooting into grass.

Cut your arrow shaft 30” long.

Glue the nock and blunt tip onto the shaft.

Fletch your arrow.

Here is the finished blunt arrow.

Traditional Blunt Arrow
With a self nock and shortened feathers, this arrow looks quite primitive.
Combine that with a wooden blunt and you have an impressive little stump
shooter.

Start with a 30” arrow shaft plus 1/4” to make up for the self nock.

Glue the blunt in place and cut your self nock. Make sure to go across the
growth rings when cutting the self nock.

This blunt arrow is inspired by a Native American bird arrow. While not an
exact replica of any one tribe or nation, this arrow draws its unique appearance
from the feathers used.
Most Native American arrows were cut from fullfeathers, and so the
fletchings reflect the feather simply being cut on the front and back. This style
gives a distinct type of fletching that just screams, “I’m an Arrow!”
Start with a five inch-parabolic feather, and cut an inch off of each end. This
style of fletching works well for full split feathers, as well as whole feathers. Just
treat each feather as you would a pre-cut feather.
 Fletch the arrow an inch from the bottom of the nock. This gives a little bit
of room for the fingers, while touching feather. If you don’t want to touch
feather, measure an inch from the furthest tips of the feathers.

Here is the finished traditional blunt arrow. This arrow makes a great display
piece, as well as a practical arrow in its own right for hunting or stump-shooting.
Traditional Hunting Arrow
My personal favorite arrow, the Traditional Hunting Arrow, combines a self
nock, a steel tie-in broadhead, five inch barred feathers, and a kwila shaft into a
beautiful and deadly arrow. It is perfect for the selfbow hunter.

Start with a 32”, stiff arrow shaft.

Cut the nock and lash your point.

Fletch your arrow. For self nocks, wrap a little more on the end to prevent
splitting.

Here is the completed traditional hunting arrow. Just tune it and sharpen it
up, and you are ready to go!
Chapter §
Bonus Track

Welcome to the Bonus Track! Now if you’ve ever met me, you would
probably think I was a pretty neat guy, if perhaps a little strange. Then it should
come as no suprise that even though I am a bowyer and I love my selfbows, I
also shoot a compound (I hear it’s ancient. Come on, it’s at least thirty years
younger than my favorite recurve!) bow.
Now, I have often wondered if there was a better way. If I could have the
benefits of my wooden arrows and still have the modern features of a modern
arrow. Don’t worry, you will be assimilated. Resistance is futile.
Cyborg
Ah, the cyborg. A blend of organic and mechanic, the fusion of the natural
and the synthetic. I used to have some nice aluminum hunting arrows. After all
the vanes stripped off and the nocks fell out, I retired them.
Now that I have some nice aluminum tubes, I had the brilliant idea of trying
to breathe some life into that dead metal. If I took a wood shaft and somehow
attached some of the aluminum shaft to the front like a footed arrow, I could
have a wooden arrow with interchangeable tips!
It would also represent my embrace of both the modern and the primitive.
Without further ado, I present the Cyborg.

I started with my 2216 (that’s the sizing for aluminum arrows) aluminum
arrow shaft, a 3/8” dowel shaft, and a scrap 5/16” dowel. The 2216 is roughly
11/ ”.
32

Cut the dowel shaft down to 29”, the aluminum shaft down to 6”, and the
little dowel down to 2”. This is more or less how it will all fit together.

The 5/16” dowel fits perfectly snug inside the aluminum shaft. If there is
some play, a little duct tape wrapped around will take care of that.

Once you’ve pushed the dowel in as far as you can, take another dowel and
mark an inch on it. Tapering the end makes it easier to push into the aluminum.
Take this dowel and drive the 2”dowel in one inch. This should give enough
space for any basic insert and screw-in points.
 Take another dowel and measure the exact depth of the opposite side, so you
know how much you need to cut on your dowel arrow shaft.

Use the mark on that dowel to transfer the depth to your arrow shaft. Put the
dowel shaft on the side for now.

Mark two inches in from the short side of the aluminum fore-shaft. This
should place it right in the middle of the wooden dowel that’s inside.

Either take a nail and drive it through this spot, or drill a hole and run a nail
or soft steel or copper wire through.

Cut the nail about 1/8” on both sides, the hammer it down until it the ends
expand, locking the nail in place.
 With a file, bring the ends of the nail down flush with the fore-shaft so it
won’t catch or snag on anything when fired.

Now go back to the dowel shaft and cut a 5/16” tenon. You want a nice,
square-shouldered base that the fore-shaft can sit on.

Test-fit the fore-shaft. Once it fits well, remove it and sand the end of the
dowel shaft so that transition from wood to metal is smooth.

Once everything is nice and smooth, glue the foreshaft onto the dowel arrow
shaft.

Since the aluminum arrow I am using had its tip nocked out after hitting a
rock, I had to get a new insert. You could also just use the front end of an arrow
that still has its insert. I am also using a 11/32” glue-on nock.
 Glue in the insert and fit the nock on. If using a 11/32” taper tool, the and of
the arrow will need to be filed and sanded to a taper to fit. If using a 23/64” taper
tool, only a light sanding is needed, if that. (3/8” is 24/64”)

Fletch the arrow with the feathers of your choice.

Congratulations! You have your very own cyborg arrow. You no longer have
to choose between a target, hunting, or stump-shooting arrow! You now have
them allin-one! As a side note, this arrow is extremely tip-heavy so I suggest
using the lightest points available.
Well, that’s it for the bonus track. If you want more arrow stuff, go back to
the beginning. If you want to build your own basic bow, check out the Backyard
Bowyer : the Beginner’s Guide to Building Bows.