How to make an arrow for under $10

This Instructable gives you good instructables to make a goodworking arrow for under $10. The pictures should hopefully explain what the finished prouct should look like once you've completed it.

Step 1 Tools and Objects needed to make the arrow

To buy these objects you can find them in your local hardware shop:

1.Metre long wooden dowel.
2.Tape
3.Super glue
4.Thin string
5.Stanley knife

You can find the feathers needed in a carpark or you can buy official feathers from archery stores.(You need three feathers for one arrow.)

Instead of buying thin string something that is even better is the string found underneath the grip on the handle of a cricket bat, which I used in my instructable.

Comments

[ethiran]

cool!!!!!!!!

[SkidinDINGO]

i have a question and a recommendation my question is can i shorten these up and use them in my crossbow and also maybe use braided fishing line because 20 pound test braid will only be about as thick as a thread, wont stretch, wont rot, will make great knots, and is only like 15 bucks for 200ish yards

[aweis]

how sturdy are the shafts?

[StolenThoughts0]

You have to be careful when making arrows. Due to the archers paradox, if your bow has too much draw strength your arrows will explode before they pass the handle of the bow (riser) This could cause some serious damage and should be taken into consideration before using the arrows.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Archer%27s_paradox
The 'Spine' is what you should be looking at.

[skimmo]

i was thinking this morning could you make arrow tip by cutting a bullet sell in half and leave to projectile in the end then gluing the whole thing onto the end to make a field tip

[thebluemartyr]

(removed by author or community request)

[Notbob]

who cares how it looks? So long as it works, it fine by me. Also, im pretty sure what ever your shooting these at doesn't care very much..

[thebluemartyr]

i suppose, but the feathers all wrecked like that cant be good for the aerodynamics...

[crazykiddo]

ur right the way these arrows fletching looks really detestable it a whooole lot i made one even though i knew it wouldn't work properly and guess what did it work not even if i shoot from a foot away (i did i missed and i can shoot a bow btw haven't ever missed a bulls eye as soon as i got my long bow a year ago and ive been shooting for 2 years)any ways if u wont that way to work make sure u put the string right in between the feather-lets and refluf them

[thebluemartyr]

*** not to say i wouldn't make one or two** il take a cheap arrow any day, but i would def get laughed at for having funky homemade arrows

[dagyboy]

i am looking 2 buy a heap of arrows, do u sell them? regards steve

[Illamadi]

Hi steve ! Sorry no - don't this was just a small projectn did you finf this instructable useful ? Did you make some of your own ?
Regards

[dagyboy]

thanks 4 ya reply mate, no i havnt made any as yet. so where abouts ru from? regards steve

[Illamadi]

No problem! Yeah I'm from cheshire in the north of England, what about you ?

[dagyboy]

hey there, i was from yeovil sommerset. but now i live in australia. i have all my rellies over there still though. regards steve

[akoutdoors]

All im going to say about the feathers is to not use eagle feathers here in the us... nuff siad

[billbobaggens]

ok well i do archery i have 2 compound bows.. i buy my arrows for $4 AU.... so whats the point of this.. my arrows are pre set up and are fiberglass.. so im not trying to be mean i appreciate what you have done but it would be quicker and easier to just buy them.. but good instructable.

[greymatter21]

sum ppl may think this is sh*tty looking...but i like it:Dit reminds me of the arrows the goblins in lord of the rings used

[georion]

Why make an arrow 'Under $10"--can buy one between 4  and 1 dollars !!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[greymatter21]

its called im lazy...lol

[woohoman232]

yea a cheep one that breaks a good wooden arrow or a fiberglass arrow cost 9-11 dollars depending on size strength brand and materials. it might cost between 4 and 1 dollar/s at the dollar store but they break if you look at them wrong.

[Fender39]

i get aluminum arrows for around 2 buck each and not one has broke

[georion]

not so-----$4 at reputable store--reputable arrow $1 ?? 300 Great arrows for $300 from manufacturer Dollar store comment Not acceptable !!!!!!

[lebelt]

DO NOT SHOOT THESE! EVER!!! As a avid archer (300+ arrows a week) I can tell you that if you shoot these they WILL break and potentially cause sever injury. Using a dowl form a hardware store is bad, they are made of many different woods and the grain goes in every which direction. That causes the arrow to be weak. Real wooden arrows are made of ceader wood were the grain runs with the shaft of the arrow, these shafts cannot be bought at home depo or any other hardware store. If you want to make your own arrows get all your supplies form a archery shop, they will sell you everything you need. Also never shoot wooden arrows out of a compound bow or a cross bow.

[woohoman232]

hes right i sugesset ceder or fiberglass arrows with rubber or feather fletches( the feathers) with a plastic nock (the slit on the end)

[Cubie2]

never. though that is only because they have more zing than actual force. my 70Lbs. recurve shoots em fast and they just fracture on a rock if they go through the target. they split in half and it absorbs the shock... It is not like it is going to explode... That why I hate fiber arrows. (Carbon FIBER, FIBER glass, etc.) now THEY REALLY have a tendency to blow up- shrapnel in every direction. I am an avid archer as well. so don't use wood with a cross bow or a compound but seriously... High pound recurve are just fine AS LONG AS THE GRAIN IS THE RIGHT WAY!!! Get rid of the tip though- now THAT IS a hazard... get a real one.
RECURVE BOWS ROCK!!!

[woohoman232]

i like long bows recurve and compound but i use fiberglass and there just fine but i have a 50 poung compund so thats a difference there go COMPOUNG LONG AND RECURVE BOW!!!

[gnose]

A compound bow can shoot wooden arrows as long as the arrow's spine is slightly higher than other wooden arrows, and the grain is straight, clear and intact.

[NRen2k5]

"Slightly higher than other wooden arrows"? Arrows are supposed to be spined specifically for the bow and archer they're intended to be shot by.

Sure, it's possible to shoot wood arrows from a compound bow. You just need to be sure they're of the correct spine.

[gnose]

Sorry for the misunderstanding; I was just suggesting that it is possible to fire wooden arrows from a compound bow without damage to either piece of equipment, as long as the arrow is stiffer than one meant for a recurve with the same poundage, for example.

Unrelated:
Besides, you could pick up half decent carbon-shaft arrows for a bit over $10 anyway. Most likely will be below match grade, but definitely a lot better than hardware store-bought dowel.
Anyone who makes this for actual use will probably have more luck using it to stab stuff; I played around with these a lot before I became involved with proper archery

[MasterBowyer]

Cedar is not the only wood used for making steles (arrow shafts) I could name 20 or so different woods used for the application, -do a google search- tell me why is it not safe to fire an arrow from a crossbow? Quarrels or bolts are made from heavier gauge wood 23/64"++ or are you one of these people who listen to know-it-alls that no nothing at all about arrowsmithing and fletching - maybe you should read a little medieval history on archery before making extreme subjective comments.

[Cubie2]

Ha! now this guy knows what he is talking about. Also use a recurve compound bows SUCK!

[lebelt]

10 bucks a arrow is expensive for wooden arrows, however you get a mid range carbon fiber arrow for about this. High end arrows run form 15$-40$ per arrow. arrows are almost all sold either by the 6 or by the dozen, this is to make sure you have a matched set.

[thebigone48]

Yo they work it awesome and my feathers looked like crap to

[15zhangfra]

to make liife easier ,do an aproxammate length of your pull. then add 1ft

[NRen2k5]

1 ft? Woah, 2 or 3 inches is enough.

[15zhangfra]

then again, I'm pretty short. my draw length is around 23-25 inches.

[NRen2k5]

I make wood arrows myself, with the parts (e.g. feathers, nocks, points) bought pre-made from archery shops and with glue from the local hardware store or even Wal-Mart.

Total cost for me is a little under $7 CDN per arrow. That's about $6.70 USD or £4.10 GBP. That's including the cost of glues and varnish and even the shipping from online stores.

I'm working on an instructable of my own, actually.

[Notbob]

is it possible to replace the feathers with a reletively stiff plastic? (like the stuff milk jugs are mad from?)

[NRen2k5]

Possible, but not advisable. A stiff plastic will probably scratch the heck out of the bow or your hand.