Building your own arrows

Willdorf

New member
Jul 30, 2018
39
I have been interested in starting to build my own arrows. So I was curious who builds their own arrows, and what the benefit is over ordering them online or getting them from a shop
 
I've done it. The benefit is you know exactly how every arrow is setup. You can really fine tune weights if you want to. But honestly, I think of it more as something fun to do than something that's going to make me any sort of a better shooter. It's an expensive hobby!
 
It does interest me and seems like a fun thing to tinker with. I have been trying to get a rough idea of the price of things to get started but there are so many options for fletching tools and arrow spinners and saws that it is hard to zero in on what to get to start
 
Since you have to buy the arrow shafts anyway, just get them cut to your length when you purchase.


Then its just a matter getting a fletching tool, glue, fletching, inserts and nocks.


Its fun to try different vanes/fletch colors, maybe some wraps, or paint. Totally customize.


Depending on your brace height [6"], you can only use short vanes/blazers. If its 7" you can do feathers too




So many options and fun to do





 
I do like the idea of being able to have arrows that are custom to me. Good point on ordering them cut and adding everything else myself. I have a 7 inch brace height on my Matthews Creed. i have never really messed with my set up at all just because I am a whitetail hunter in Michigan so having a heavier arrow and stuff never crossed my mind until i started hunting out west 2 years ago. Now I can't get enough of researching and wanting to play around and find that optimal to me set up. haha
 
Yeah, definitely save yourself the money initially and don't buy the saw. That's one of the more expensive components and isn't necessary. You can do a bunch of tinkering on your arrows with glue and inserts alone. And an arrow spinner would definitely be a good idea in my opinion. You'd be amazed at how that can change things.

I would start there and see how it goes. You can always start fletching on your own too. I actually prefer to order the fletching on my arrows now as it's easier, but it never hurts to have one around in case you bend or rip one.
 
I just got done rebuilding all of my arrows.


My new bow has a 6" brace height so I went with 3" vanes.
I also ripped out all my alum inserts and went with 50gr brass inserts.


With my added trimmer line inside the arrow, Im now 465gr total weight.


That is sufficient for anything I hunt in NA

 
Thanks for the tips. I have a few arrows that need new fletchings so that was what got me into looking into possibly just doing my own. and than of course I went down the rabbit hole of trying to get a heavier arrow and trying to figure out what exactly my arrows are weighing in at now and how I could make my current set up with heavier without just throwing a bigger broad head on.
 
The quickest and cheapest way to add weight to your arrow [ that doesnt affect the spine ] is to cut a piece of weed trimmer line, full length and put it inside the shaft.


27" is approx 40grs - depending on the diameter of the trimmer line.


Some dont like the line 'rattle' but if you kink the trimmer line every 3-4" it takes most of that out.


All the deer, elk, turkey Ive killed never knew I used trimmer line.


Sometimes the trimmer line will knock out your nock if the arrow hits something hard as the line bounces inside the shaft. So be aware of that.


Give it a shot



 
CNELK-That's the first time I have ever heard that trick. I will def have to try it. It makes sense on why it would work. What kind of speeds do you try and get with your heavier arrows?
 
I could care less about speed. I?m more concerned with bow tuning and arrow flight.


If I were to guess tho, I prob say they are in the 280fps range
 
Owned a shop for 12 years so it was part on the routine. There was never an arrow that left my shop that wasn?t built to order.
I do it for fun now and to know that my arrows are as close to perfect as possible.
I would add that you need to square both ends of your shafts. That?s something most people overlook.
 
I can't buy the arrows I want to shoot. Colors of vanes and nocks. Would cost much more to have them custom made.
I shoot 4 blazer vanes and use a 50 grain brass insert. I buy shafts cut to length then build it how I want. If you damage a vane somehow you can clean and glue another one on.
If you decide to glue your own vanes on, put a couple little drops of your glue on the vane and then spread it out with a toothpick or something similar. Keep it thin so none squeezes out the side of the vane. I used to put too much glue and it would squeeze out and look bad. I also do not think it was attached as well with excessive glue. I also clean the glue track with acetone before adding the glue to remove any factory film that is on plastic.
Good Luck!
 
I've been thinking of building arrows myself recently, but not sure.  On the one hand, I hate having arrows with torn fletching laying around that are otherwise fine as it seems wasteful to not fix them.  So I feel like I should buy a jig, some vanes, glue, etc.  At that point, I might as well build up my own arrows because, why not, but then I need to get or build a saw, yet another thing to buy and take up space... at which point the whole ROI thing really falls apart for the amount I shoot.  On the flip side, I can go to the local shop, buy arrows that shoot plenty accurate enough for me in any quantity from 1 and up and have them cut to size while I wait...


I feel like there's a parallel to reloading.  While you can make a spreadsheet that claims some ROI depending on how much you shoot, I've never saved money doing it.  While I do enjoy sitting down once in a while to build some loads, I'd much rather use that limited free time to just go shoot so I'm not sure why I still reload to be honest, but I do.


I'm sure I'm overthinking it, but it's my nature, and I'm sure I'll just end up building some arrows anyway  :lol:
 
Man, if you're not saving money by reloading your own cartridges, you're not shooting enough.


Plus you can get SOOOO much more out your gun when you find the right recipe.




Building arrows is no different.
All about personal preference I guess.


I use a Arizona fletching jig. They arent very expensive and do the job I need them to.
Easy peasy for a quick repair.
 
Yeah, reloading rifle loads for me saves a bunch of money, not to mention they are significantly more accurate than buying ammo. I wish I got that much more accurate with homemade arrows!

Again, you don't have to buy a saw to build the arrows. You can always have them cut to length ahead of time or at a shop. If I was just starting to get into building arrows, a saw would be the last thing I would buy.
 
Thanks cohunter, I was kind of thinking it would be smarter to learn to fletch and mess with point weights and what not before worrying about a saw when you can get them cut to the length you want right when you order them. I didn't really worry about weight my first trip just because i didn't know, but now that I have gone down the rabbit hole I see I am under-spined and a little light for total arrow weight.
 
For me the benefit of using an online arrow builder is cost effectiveness for trying new setups. Anytime you change point weights, inserts, fletchings, wraps, etc it affects the setup. I usually order in groups of 3 to test, same lengths but multiple spines and types. Have them cut, squared, and spined, sometimes completely built. I've gotten a call or two before asking what in the world I was going to shoot with this arrow???


  Once I pick an arrow I may order bare shafts or order them built. I've built a ton of arrows over the years but there are still guys that do it better.
 
I was also getting curious about what might happen if I change my spine on my arrows. Right now I am shooting a 400 spine gold tip hunter. In looking at the new arrows I have found out I should be shooting 300 spine. If I switch to the stiffer spine will it affect my tuning or should i just have to move my sights? I am shooting a Mathews creed 29" DL and 70 lbs if that helps. the 400's shoot well out to 50 with G5 montecs. Haven't tried out farther yet.
 

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