Oh and to pre jump the gun arrows?
To make an arrow, simply get a straight stick, if not completely straight There are a couple of methods that you may use to straighten your shafts. The first method is straightening them by hand and is referred to as the green method because it is used on saplings or any wood that is fresh and still moist. Basically you straighten the shafts as they dry. As soon as the bark is removed you take the shafts and bend them until they look straight. This bending process should be rather slow and gradual. If the wood does not bend the way you would like or if it feels like its going to break, then the next method may be better to use
First thing to do is apply grease to the area of the shaft that needs to be straightened. The grease will keep the wood from burning and scorching. Next you take the candle and heat the area until it becomes flexible. Be careful not to over heat, because this can cause the wood to become brittle and weak. If it is a long gradual bend you can straighten it using your hands or maybe bend it over a knee. Once you think that all the shafts are straight let them rest for two weeks. If bends still appear you may repeat the heating process and attempt to straighten them again.
They can be worked down to the desired size. You should always leave a few extra inches in length so that you have some room for error. Most arrows are 26"- 30" in length and 10/20mm in diameter. The size may differ depending on what the arrow will be used for, the person using the arrow, and the bow in which it will be shot from.
Once you have you shaft completely straight you can start fletching the arrow. This is applying the feathers to the end. These feathers should form a triangle around your arrow, like this:
Once you have the feathers it is time to prepare the vanes. Preparation of the vanes is basically the separation of the vane from the quill. There are two ways of performing this separation. The first one is stripping. It takes some practice to get this down so it might be a good idea to try it a few times on feathers that are damaged or low-grade. Stripping is done by holding the feather vertical with its quill in your left hand and your right hand holding the vane as close to your left hand as possible. Then separate the two at the very tip. Once you have it started you continue by pulling down with your right hand. This pulling action should allow the vane to split from the quill nice and clean. The other method of separation is paring. This method is more time consuming and can be more difficult than stripping, but some archers believe that this method has better results. Paring is done by the use of a razor to cut the vane away from the quill. You need to start at the thick part of the feather and work your way down. Take your time when doing this, because you need to cut it as close as possible to the web without actually cutting into it. Once they are split the feather is then the ends are neatly cut and prepared to attach to the shaft. Finished feathers are usually 5" in length
hope this helps...sorry its a bit lengthy
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p.s excuse the poor image, it was done on paint
