Wood arrows?

[camoman45]

gonna make some, was wantin to know how big around should they be? Also, i'm using goose feathers for fletching which feathers and how do i attach them, i'm not trying to sound like an idiot, i'm learning

[George D. Stout]

Well...to attach the feathers, you need a fletching jig...and feathers...and glue 8^).

Order shafts according to your set-up.  If you shoot 50 pounds with a fast flight type string, you will probably want to start with 60 to 65 pound shafts.  If dacron you will probably be good starting with 50 to 55 pound shafts with a 50 pound bow.  

You may want to take a view of the video on 3Riversarchery.com/   it will help you get started with arrow making.

[The Whittler]

I think George D covered it quite good.

Alan

[camoman45]

how big around should the arrows be?? not trying to sound rude, but i am not an amatuer woodworker and i really don't need to order anything, thanks for the video link i'll check it out,  thanks for your time

[Orion]

There's a lot more to building quality wood arrows than making dowels.  I suggest you get a copy of Traditional Bowhunters Handbook or Traditional Bowyers Bible, Vol. III.  Either will take you through the entire wood arrow building process.  And, look at some of the tutorials in the archives on this site.

[geno]

11/32  I believe this is the answer you are looking for..This is a start for paralel shafts. some are tapered from larger shafts to this size..
But you still need to come out to the right spine wt. for your bow..

[Aeronut]

George covered it pretty well.  Shafts come in three basic diameters of 5/16", 11/32", and 23/64".  The most commonly used size is 11/32".

Dennis

[TonyW]

"How big around" sounds like the circumference to me. Do you mean to make primitive arrows? Arrow shafts were made out of shoots, such as dogwood, wild rose, ash, birch, chokecherry, and black locust. Reeds from common reed grass were also used with some frequency throughout North America with the exception of the Plains where
reeds did not grow. Shoots were shaved, sanded, or heat and pressure straightened. Tools made of bone or sandstone were used to straighten the shaft wood. Because they are hollow and light, reed-shaft arrows typically have a wooden foreshaft and sometimes a wooden plug for the nock end of the arrow. If a foreshaft was used, it could be glued to the main shaft, tied with sinew, or fit closely enough to not need glue or sinew.
That seems like a lot of work, so I would probably take George's advice. Even Ishi was  impressed with early 20th century glue, and he would have been first in line for a Bitz, fletching tape,and mass produced shafts.