Arrows on the cheap

[Petrichor]

The world of arrows seems pretty confusing.... Well It has only been a week since diving back in and I have already broke an arrow with another arrow.... Anyways I am thinking ahead.. I do not mind doing my own fletching but dont really have a lot of other tools.. What is the best way to do arrows for the cheapest and easiest??  I see aluminums seem pretty cheap, carbon seem expensive but easy to figure out.. And then there is wood... Yeah I would love the idea of wood but seems like more work... and more tools than I have.  What is the cheapest easiest way to do arrows? OR am I asking the million dollar question.

[bunyan]

I don't think its any more work or expense than an individual wants it to be. That's the beauty of this sport. Theoretically you could make everything from scratch if you needed to, building your own bow and planing your own arrows. You can even make your own broadheads like jay Massey did. It just takes more time and knowledge! Of course most don't go to those extremes! I don't, although I wish I had the time and skill to! I'm in a similar situation to you. So I mostly shoot aluminum for cost and convenience but even wood arrows are as simple as you want them to be. Spliced feathers and multi crown dips are beautiful but so is the simplicity of a simple stained shaft. Arrow saws and spine testers and Broadhead spinners and cresting machines are nice and make things easier but aren't necessarily needed to make a good arrow. If you do some searches on wood arrow building there are lots of good tips on using hardware store stains and lawyers to make arrows; no dip tubes needed! So find the path that works for you and get started building arrows!

[bunyan]

I meant lacquers, not lawyers!! We'll leave them out of this!

[Pat B]

Bamboo garden stakes are relatively cheap, very strong and make great arrows...if you don't mind the time consuming labor part of it.

[Jim Wright]

A bow of marginal quality will shoot well made consistent arrows pretty well. A bow of superior quality will shoot cheap, poor quality arrows not well at all. If you are trying to do something on the cheap, don't do it with arrows

[Jakeemt]

For aluminum to start the only tools you need are a little automotive pipe cutter, a little file to clean uphe cut, and some hot melt. For wood you only need a sharp pocket knife, a taper tool, a couple of rags, some tru-oil, and some hot melt. All said you can start building your own aluminum or wood for under 20 bucks.

Now carbons are a little bit different. To cut them your need a cut off saw. I bought a little one from harbor freight for 30 bucks. You can also use a cut off wheel on a dremel tool. Finally you can just leave your carbons full length and tune with point weight.

P.S. This assumes you already have a fletching jig.

[Matty]

BUNYAN SAID IT WELL....
over the long haul, carbon is the cheap and easy way to go.
 Want to do it yourself all the pieces are easy and modular.
I just paid $200 for a tool to help me with my wood arrows. And all it does is make point and nock tapers....necessary, no. Helpful and fast....yes.  carbon doesn't even use tapers. Wood you have to straighten...carbon is as straight as it gets. Stains, laquors. Blah blah blah....carbon for what it is however has gotten way expensive however for what it is...it's hard to find a dozen carbon arrows under $100.

[Terry Green]

What Jim Wright said

[Bladepeek]

".it's hard to find a dozen carbon arrows under $100. "

Big Jim currently has GT Trad blem shafts for $53/doz.

You said you wouldn't mind doing the fletching yourself.

Granted they may not be Olympic match quality, but I've been shooting them for many years and they still shoot better than I do. I'll be hunting with them this year again - GT3555, 29.5", 200gr single bevel 2-blade.

I do think the quality issue is the same as it was when I got started with "HI-FI" back in its infancy. It doesn't make sense to spend $1000 on an amp and $50 on speakers. I believe in keeping my equipment balanced. Buy the best you can, but keep things in perspective. Arrows are somewhat expendable. When you reach the point where you are shooting better than your arrows, you're p0robabloy about ready to buy new ones anyway. Mine have an insane desire to escape captivity by burrowing under grass or brush, or on a really good day, committing fratricide.

[Cavscout9753]

I only shoot wood arrows anymore. I can get a set of plain janes done up for well under $100 a dozen. I break them, lose them, straighten them, spin test them, its unending. But.... For me the argument for the traditional bow is the exact same argument for the wood arrow. Of course there's easier ways out there, thats the point. I've built my own in the past, and I will again in the future, its only hard if you're going for fancy. I keep mine plain and simple so when they break theres no heart ache. As far as tools needed for wood arrows, its just a fletch jig, a taper tool, and a knife or small saw. I use a 2" pulley wheel to straighten mine but your hand works just as well. I have an alcohol lamp for doing tips with hot melt but a candle does the same job. Its all what you make it to be. If you try wood try doug fir. A lot less straightening and very tough.

[Archie]

If you look around, you can find aluminum shafts cheap.  I rarely pay more than $3 apiece for them.  I've amassed about 5-6 dozen of the sizes I use, so I've got enough to last me a long time.  My most recent find was 2 dozen shafts for $40 shipped.  

I hardly ever ruin arrows, but that's because I'm pretty careful about where I shoot.  And I've got no interest in carbons due to the cost and the if-it's-bad-it-busts-and-impales-your-hand factor.

[M60gunner]

Personally I do not think  "cheap" arrows are available anymore. From your orginal post I do not think wood is for you. You should look at carbon, Big Jim's blems are a great deal. He even has some fletchs at a great price. You just need to like brown or green. Get a stick of his hot melt and a tube of NPV glue to fletch. As for cutting them, I have used a Exato model's saw and miter box, ( about $12 at Michaels). Take your time and cut around shaft not straight through. It is what I use at the range for tuning, no electricity to run saw. Same as above for alum shafts.

[hitman]

Anything you can get to shoot great should be fine.

[BigJim]

I don't ever worry about breaking or even loosing  arrows anymore. I'm too busy having fun shooting to worry about such petty things....Consequently, I rarely every break or damage them anymore..funny how that works out.

Now I will lose them in the grass occasionally, but it seems that every time I lose one I find another and with carbons, you can step on them in the grass or remove them after they have been there a year and refletch and use again. Not so with wood.
Right now we are having a sale on gold tip blems. These are just as good as the non blems as the issues are cosmetic. With a set of nugent carbon shafts and regular priced "trueflight" feathers, you can fletch your own and have them read to go for as little as $64 per dz!!! plus shipping (another $9+-) that's pretty cheap.

I'd leave the aluminums for those guys who like to shoot around corners    just kidding..maybe.

BigJim

[Terry Green]

throw all of your field points away and use judo points you won't hardly ever lose and arrow to quote " the grass"....

   

[Walt Francis]

Originally posted by Jim Wright:
A bow of marginal quality will shoot well made consistent arrows pretty well. A bow of superior quality will shoot cheap, poor quality arrows not well at all. If you are trying to do something on the cheap, don't do it with arrows

2X - Well said!

[Fastltz]

I just switched from carbon to aluminum. I love aluminum. I shoot 2219 and they are very tough. Super straight and best of all spine consistent. Normally not a big deal but my 30.5 dl gives me a 32" arrow, my carbons varyed spine too much for me aluminum fixed that. I use a saw blade to trim the arrow down then not melt and fletch tape. It's enjoyable to build your own arrows. Give it a try!

[wjk]

harbor freight has a 2" cut off saw for $35. I've used it on carbon and aluminum. I can recommend it.

[SCATTERSHOT]

Well, you asked about cheap, here's cheap. American Woodcrafters Supply birch dowels, about $50.00/100. Self nocks, no charge. Feathers pinned on to dry with Duco cement, minimal expense, and whatever point you care to use.

This will make a basic arrow very cheaply. Of course, you can go up from there to about as much as you want to spend.

Good luck!

[Sixby]

Cheap and last longest for me and shoot best are xx75 aluminums and xx78s. I have killed most of my animals with them and then next with woods. If you do much stumping you will break and lose a lot of tips with woods.
God bless, Steve