A Crazy Idea

[McDave]

Originally posted by Bill Carlsen:
If you are not willing to give up hunting time, scouting time, etc. you  may become resentful of this endeavor.  Been there, don't that.

What Bill says is very true, in a more general sense.  Making a business out of a hobby will always change the way you look at things, sometimes for the better, sometimes for the worse.  If you're already making a decent living doing something else, it's probably best to just keep making your money one way and have your fun some other way.  I think the way you're approaching it is wise.  Make a few dozen arrows, sell them, and see how that makes you feel: happy, rewarded, frustrated, underpaid for your efforts, stimulated, or what?  That way, if it turns out that you're not getting the rewards you hoped for, both mental and monetary, it's not too late to go back and do it as a hobby again before you lose the joy of doing it.

[JohnV]

You need to decide if you want to make real money at this or just make this a hobby business and break even.  If you set up a business, you are able to take advantage of business tax codes such as attending a shoot, setting up a booth, and deducting most of the costs as a business expense.  Also, you may be able to purchase arrow building components at a lower wholesale cost.  You also need to keep accurate records and pay taxes on your sales.

[Sota]

You should start an "Arrow Of The Month" club...every month send out 3 new arrows intricately designed with a nice description

[Crittergetter]

I used to make all my own arrows. Now I despise making them!! I especially hate straightening them!!  So I'm an arrow makers best friend.   Point being there is always gonna be a market for them. But I will say this, you either gotta be cheaper or better than most. That will be hard to do!!
Good luck whatever you decide!

[Hummer3T]

not as a discouragement, but remember taking something you love and making it a business where you are dealing with people, deadlines, demands, etc.  May eventually turn your love of something into less of a passion.

Keep it on your terms and you will do ok, focus on just the profitability and your outlook on a loved activity may change.

[WVGrizzly]

Maybe I'd be better off just doing it as a hobby and per request. I would like it if I could continue to crest fairly consistently one reason being to perfect the art, my problem at the moment is I've run out of materials of my own and a man can only keep so many arrows at one time, and then there is the cost of new materials to work with as well. So far I've crested everything ive had laying around, many aluminum arrows I've had since I was a kid have been ressurected,  several old woodies too, I think to keep it fun I'll forget about making profits and simply focus to break even at best. Do it as a favor of sorts for folks just to stay in practice and maybe get the occasional donation of leftover fletching or shafts they don't need or the occasional vintage broadhead for my budding collection, I have always liked to trade over cash on hobbies. Maybe it's an unreasonable expectation to think bartering still works but a man never knows, there's bound to be someone out there who would be interested

[Adirondack Bowman]

Post a pic of some of your work.

I had a home archery business when I was 13.  I wanted to make enough to buy a motorcycle.  I got Earnie Root to send me some bows COD, I scrambled and got buyers to pay me for the bows ahead of time, so that I would have the money to pay the COD charges.   Made enough to buy the motorcycle.  A Bridgestone 90cc huntin' machine and knee cap freezer.

[WVGrizzly]

Easton 2115 Platinum shafts, 7.5" cap dip, Black, Silver, and Gold Cresting

 
Easton Legacy 2020 shafts, 7.5" cap dip, Red, Siler, and Gold Cresting

 
Tru Flite 2117 shafts, 8.5" cap dip Blue, Gold, and Silver Cresting

[longstiks]

McDave said it well as usual!
Denny

[Kenny Henderson]

Let me tell you my story, slightly different but the moral is the same. I saw the ad "if you love to hunt and fish you need to pursue a career in taxidermy!" So I went to a school for taxidermy, bought my tools, started into it part-time, I got to where I HATED IT. If I wanted to make money at it I HAD to be at my shop in November to take in the Whitetails, I found that I didn't have time to go hunting myself, I was stuck in the shop, I gave it a go for about 7 Years and finally said enough. I have a pile of my own personal antlers that I can't bring myself to mount. I wish I had just learned taxidermy for me, friends and family, and not tried to make a business of it, it just didn't work for me.

[crazynate]

I've been making and selling custom wood aluminum and carbon arrows crested and all do 4 years. Just my opinion but there isn't a market good enough to make  enough money.to justify it. I spend 5 hours on 1 set of arrows to only make 20 dollars profit. Plus the cost of every thing is so high for materials. I've sold arrowsno. **** Craigslist sporting good shops ec 1 one thing I learned is that to many people just want to low ball your hard work. They don't want to pay whAt they should. Just like when you go to trad shows or Compton you see many vendors selling really fancy arrows but you don't see people buying them . Just being honest but it's not worth it. If u get materials real cheap you end up with a lower quality arrow that looks fancy but doesn't perform. And nobody wants them. Hope it works out for you though. Good luck

[WVGrizzly]

Crazynate, that's the same problem I faced in cabinetry, I'll just keep my endeavors for family, friends, and myself, if it works out to a trade with a potential new friend over some other archery supplies that's great, but I don't think I'll look to doing it for pay, trade and barter seems to me to be the way to go for me, never liked putting money between friends and family

[BAK]

The only suggestion I'd have is to get connected with an archery shop.  Most build arrows but don't take the time to finish them.  Build a partnership with them.

[KentuckyTJ]

Ive been through this dilemma many times with some of my archery related website customers. The answer is make stock sets of shafts in your spare time and sell them don't take any custom orders.

[Mark R]

Yes I think to a certain point selling your own custom stock arrows already made up instead of taking orders for the way someone else wants them crested is less of a headache, you can always make exceptions,keep it fun keep learning and you will keep your passion alive, and barter away my friend,I love to barter, hey money's king of barter town

[crazynate]

That makes sense. One thing I like to do is hunt down old aluminums at sales adn sometimes online. Most of the time you can get them for a dollar a piece. That brings the cost to you down for building them. Also I dont know if you buy bulk feathers or what but i highly reccomend a feather burner. I can buy a bag of 100 full length and get 200 4" feathers any cut I want with it. I have noticed more guys are liking 3-4" feathers now when I get orders for arrows. Plus it adds a custom look too and thats the whole point really.And to what the guy said a few posts up about 600-700 spine arrows. Hes right. I sell alot more arrows in spines weaker than 530 then I do the rest. Hard to please everyone I guess. Good luck

[monterey]

The suggestion by Kentuckytj to NOT take custom orders is excellent advice.  Try to anticipate what will be in demand and offer them for sale with the least marketing investment possible.

That will allow you to have your life the way want it and enjoy your hobby.

Take a look at Etsey.  Even consider the E place.

[Crooked Stic]

Into archery anything to make much money you need to have more than one thing going. such as having other things for sale. I make a sell my line of bows. Mostly just stay enough ahead to support the habit and buy a new tool now and then. Most bowyers that do it for a living have expanded into more of the market.

[WVGrizzly]

I'm taking notes guys, and I appreciate all the sound advice I'm getting from this post. I have actually linked up with a few local fowl growers for my feathers, I like using local goods as much as possible, I trade them an arrow here and there for them to display for the feathers. I have been scouring the used shaft market myself lately and have been buying what I can when I can find something within budget. Keep the advice coming, it is helping