Bow arrows

[Rich2484]

Been asked if it is possible for me to make someone some arrows for there bow.

 

I think I can do it and it would give me a bit of a project. Never done it before so always willing to give new things a go I said I would try.

 

One thing I need to know is what wood? Got a cedar job coming up so was looking at using that!

 

What is the best method for making them?

 

Was looking at turning on a lathe.

 

The arrows need to be 3 feet in length to go with the bow.

[s.varty]

I think yew is the best wood for arrows.

[treequip]

I think yew is the best wood for arrows.

 

If we are talking English longbow then taxus is for bows and hazel is for the arrow shaft

[treequip]

Been asked if it is possible for me to make someone some arrows for there bow.

 

I think I can do it and it would give me a bit of a project. Never done it before so always willing to give new things a go I said I would try.

 

One thing I need to know is what wood? Got a cedar job coming up so was looking at using that!

 

What is the best method for making them?

 

Was looking at turning on a lathe.

 

The arrows need to be 3 feet in length to go with the bow.

 

What sort of bow?

[agg221]

3ft is very very long. You want them the length of the person's draw (they should match the person, as should the draw length of the bow as the draw weight of the bow depends on the length). You need to allow for the nock on the back end and then have them just long enough that the back end of whatever form of point you're fitting will just not touch the bow when at full draw.

 

You want a very clean, straight grained timber and cleave them out. Yew is good for bows, but not for arrows. Port Orford Cedar is reckoned to be the best, but Douglas Fir is good. Silver birch is traditional but i can't comment on how good it is from experience. Once they're cleft you round them up. They'll usually bend a bit but you can straighten gentle bends by heating over a small flame and working with fingers. If they go crooked, scrap them!

 

There's a book that's worth borrowing from the library (get it on loan) called The Archer's Craft by Adrian Eliot Hodgkin which gives really good detail on this. There's also Toxophilus by Roger Ascham who was archery tutor to Elizabeth I. The latter is surprisingly practical, although limited content on making equipment, and has the added distinction of being the first book published in English.

 

Alec

Edited May 11, 2012 by agg221

[Sam Thompson]

I think yew is the best wood for arrows.

 

Why? Never heard of anyone making arrows from Yew.

 

The king is Port Orford Cedar. However ash, Douglas fir, Maples and sweet chestnut are good too. Ash was the medieval choice according to RH.

[treequip]

The medieval warbow was a long range ballistic weapon, a good archer would have been capable of keeping three arrows in the air at any given time, with that rate of fire I immagine they weren't too picky about what the arrow was made of as long as it had a head, half way straight shaft some fetching and a knock.

[Rich2484]

Ok. I will pop down my library tomorrow and have a look. Got some seasoned yew in the store. Also got some hazel aswell.

 

I've never tried it so suppose it will be a bit of trial and error.

 

Not sure what the bow is but it's a compact one, modern metal with a pulley system on the draw. He found it while doing a house clearence and wanted to know if I could make some arrows, I said go buy some as they are cheap enough but then I thought I would try a challenge.

[RobArb]

a compound bow then?

 

will that not shatter wooden arrows? especially if they are not straight?

[agg221]

If it's got a pulley system then it's a compound bow. They give a very efficient power transfer and allow you to pull over the maximum draw weight before you reach full draw length. That means there's a smoother transfer of load, but you are still looking at very high forces. I'd be inclined to use a fairly 'fat' arrow, of about 5/16". What are you going to fletch them with? Traditional is obviously feathers (see book referenced above on how to do this) but plastic fletchings, nocks and bought-in points from an archery supplier would make life a lot easier.

 

Alec