What is the best dowel size and type to make a homemade arrow with?

Question

i'm learning archery for fun and possibly eventually hunting small game and am considering making my own arrows. please tell me the best dowel length, circumference, weight, and type of wood to use.

Answer 1

There is no "best" size/length/circumference/weight/etc when it comes to the wood dowels available at most hardware stores; if the dowelling is of the proper flexibility for the bow you intend to use, then it will be the "best" dowelling for that bow -- no matter what kind of wood it is or how long/strong/heavy/thick it is.

In general, what you want to look for is 5/16" to 3/8" diameter birch dowelling -- "birch" being a rather generalized word in hardware store dowels (it often isn't birch at all, but a variety of pine or other conifer wood). When acquiring your dowelling, if you don't have a portable spine-tester you can take to - and use at - the store, start with as close to 3/8" diameter as you can find (a spine-tester will make things a lot easier); determine beforehand your actual draw-length, and cut your dowelling to the required length, keeping in mind the need for "extra" length for things like the nock and the point (my 29" draw-length means my arrows are cut at 29 1/2" AFTER the nocks are installed/cut; arrow length is measured from the bottom of the string slot on the nock).

Also, look for dowelling which is free of bends, cracks, and does not have the wood grain running of "sideways" (the grain should run the entire length of the dowel, if possible; with the grain running off the "side" of the arrow shaft, it is more likely that shaft will break).

Starting with 3/8" dowelling, make a few arrows and see how they work with your bow, whether they fly well and true or if they skitter and gad about. Experiment with the actual length of the shaft, cutting 1/8" off if they don't fly well (start with shafts which are about 2" too long to begin with); if your arrows won't fly well from your bow, try dowelling either smaller or larger -- or both -- in diameter. Keep those arrows which do fly well, and remember the diameter of the dowelling used; it will generally be of the same "sttrength" as other dowelling of the same diameter (there are always exceptions, so make sure to note the actual kind of wood the dowelling is made from). Keep in mind, though, that without a spine-tester getting the proper flexibility in hardware dowelling is mostly guess-work.

Good luck with your arrows, and may they all fly true!

Answer 2

5/16"  ash if you can find it.

Go and measure arrows at store and get some idea.

Answer 3

Try this link:

www.grandpappy.info/wbow.htm