Arrow Making 101: Lord Janyn Fletcher
Arrow Making 101: Lord Janyn Fletcher
Arrow Making 101: Lord Janyn Fletcher
University, 2011
CLASS AGENDA
• Introduction
• Advantages of Arrow Making
• Components Review
• Spine Explained
• Forward of Center Explained
• Arrow Design and Creativity
• Lets make some arrows!
ADVANTAGES of MAKING
YOUR OWN ARROWS
• Increased accuracy
• Ability to weight match shafts
• Ability to spine match shafts
Snap Nocks: Snap nocks are also good nocks, but they
lack the index tab on them. Also they are designed to
“snap” on your string.
Arrow Designs
Arrow Designs
ARROW SPINE
Arrow Spine Explained
Static Spine is basically a measure of the stiffness of an arrow shaft. More
accurately, it is a measure of the deflection a shaft exhibits when a two pound
weight is suspended from the middle of the shaft when the shaft is supported at two
points 28 inches apart and the shaft is rotated so that the grain of the wood is
vertical. This measurement is generally made with a device called, surprise, a spine
tester. It is important that the grain of the shaft be oriented properly since a grained
material exhibits different stiffness with and against the grain. Arrow shafts are
measured to determine the greatest stiffness and that measurement is across the
grain.
Archers Paradox
Arrow Spine Continued
The spine of an arrow is important because of a phenomenon called Archer's
Paradox. Archer's Paradox is essentially the process by which an arrow shaft bends
around the bow and shoots straight. Note the word bend. The force of the bow
string on the arrow causes the arrow to bend during the process of accelerating the
arrow off the bow. The amount of bend affects the flight of the arrow and the
accuracy and consistency of the shot. This is particularly important where the arrow
rest is significantly offset from the path of the string such as with longbows shot off
the hand. It is less important in center shot bows where the motion of the arrow is
essentially along the path of the bow string upon release.
Selecting arrow shafts for your bow is a little more complicated than simply buying shafts with the same spine rating as your
bow weight. There are a couple more things that affect the effective spine of a completed arrow. The first is the weight
(mass) of the arrow head or point. The heavier the point of an arrow, the lower the effective spine of the shaft. This is
because of the increased inertia provided by the greater mass. With a heavier point, acceleration of the arrow will be slower,
and more energy will accumulate in the arrow shaft reflected in greater bending and a lower effective spine. All other things
being equal, an arrow with a 30 grain target point on it will act like a more heavily spined arrow than the same arrow with a 125
grain field point.
The second thing that affects the effective spine of an arrow is the efficiency of the bow. All bows of the same draw weight
are not created equal. Certain bows will put significantly more of its stored energy into an arrow shot from it than someone's
else bow. Once again, more energy in means more bending during acceleration and a lower effective spine.
One more thing to remember is that spine is measured over 28 inches of the arrow shaft. If your draw length, and
consequently your arrow length, is significantly different than 28 inches, the effective spine of your arrow shafts will be
different. The rule of thumb here is that you require about three to five more pounds of spine for every inch increase in arrow
length over 28 inches. You require two to three less pounds of spine for every inch decrease in arrow length under 28 inches.
Stiffness increases faster as a shaft is shortened.
FORWARD OF CENTER
Forward of Center Explained
What does weight forward of center mean?
The common answer is: FOC represents how far forward the arrow’s balance point
is from the shaft’s midpoint … or the mid-point of the arrow’s total length. FOC is
specified as a ratio of balance point to shaft’s (or arrow’s) mid-point; in percentage.
Static spine tells nothing of an arrow’s dynamic spine. From it one gleans only an indication of relative stiffness. What
it does do is provide a reference point. This helps when one needs to move to a stiffer or softer spine. It allows
comparison of shafts; relative to each other.
This is why tuning arrow to bow is important. No static measurement or calculation contends with the myriad variables
encountered when one shoots an arrow from a bow. That’s why, besides charts, Easton publishes 35 instructional pages
on attaining “the right arrow”. Charts provide no magic number saying; “Pick me. I’m the right one!”
Forward of Center Explained
How do I change my FOC?
Once you have calculated your FOC for your arrows, you can easily change your
FOC percentage by increasing or decreasing your point weight. Please remember
that changing your point weight will also change your spine of your arrow to some
degree.
SELECTING YOUR FINISHING
COMPONENTS
Component Selection
Making the right choice: Now we need to put this all together so you
have safe and nice looking arrows to shoot.
Run-out gauge
Step 2: Prepping Wood Shafts
Making the nock end of the arrow
Period Traditional
Step 3: Starting your design
Either staining or “Crest Dipping” your shafts.
Questions?