Im new!

[stickshaper23]

Hello everyone I am new to this site. I have been an avid hunter for most of my life but my brother in law who is stringman recently got me into primitive archery and Ive been hooked since. I am now living in Florida and have just started making my own arrows. They fly really well and I think I am on the right track but I would very much appreciate tips on improving my design. Also if anyone is from the Ocala/Goethe State Forest area I would really appreciate some tips on the best wood to use around here and all that. Look forward to talking to everyone. This one is 31" not sure of the weight or the wood.

[Scallorn]

great arrow! it doesn't matter what wood it is, as long as it flies good does it taper front to back, or back to front?

[PrimitiveTim]

Right on!  Another Floridian!  I probably live like two hours away.  I've been working with hackberry and I really like it so far.  The best wood is the wood that is available... my opinion. lol.  Twistedlimbs is another Floridian that has made bows from all kinds of native wood.  ...15 minutes later after drooling over his bows, here is the link:  Gill's Primitive Archery.  Many of the woods he uses on the bows he makes are in a forest near you!

[stickshaper23]

Thanks Scallorn, I really am impressed with how well it flies. It tapers from back to front.

[stickshaper23]

I just checked out the webiste all I can say is WOW! Those are some beautiful bows!!

[ionicmuffin]

Hey, just a thought. If you wrap the front of the feathers you put on with some kind of string you can keep them from ripping off. It also keeps it from ripping your hand up if you shoot off the knuckle. 

[Ringeck85]

You're asking about woods good for arrows, right?

Rivercane (a native kind of bamboo grass)
Bamboo,

Sourwood (if it grows that far south, i just discovered it in the woods in north florida)
Tuliptree or yellow poplar (also available at lumber stores, usually what they sell as poplar, and if you take a tree they usually grow tall and straight, and the wood is light and straight grained)
Ash (green and white ash grow in fla but i don't know how common)
Dogwood,
Oak (water oak, southern red, white oak, and variants, there's always red oak dowels at lumber places if you can't find anything else)

All of these would make good, heavy hitting and durable hunting arrows i would think, though how you make them into shafts depends on the material. Cane, once seasoned and straightened, is definitely a favorite for its durability.

You can also try bald cypress, eastern red cedar, longleaf pine, slash pine, maple, or just about any hardwood (unless someone says nay to those mentioned lol), basically if it's seasoned and straight, the diameter that will work for you and the wood, if it's flexible and hard, ans durable enough to last for hunting arrows, it's gonna work

I'm not positive all the woods i mentioned grow as south as ocala, i think sourwood maybe not but most of the others do. Double check the ranges on wiki or a tree id book
And of course, if you see some shoots/branches that are straight enough or can be easily straightened, try them out! And if you're not sure on the wood id, take pics with what you got and ask people on here!

[crooketarrow]

  Once you go primitive theres very little chance you'll go back. Once speed will make you go back. once you find out you can live with out speed you'll be ok.
  Then your hooked for life.

[Stringman]

That's awesome, buddy! Glad you finally took the plunge!! Your arrows skills are gonna grow so much over the years, you won't hardly recognize them after awhile! The more you learn from reading and experimenting the more you will try different ways of making. It's just a matter of putting in the time and being willing to work at it. Nothing wrong with your first, but they will definitely get better!

I'm trying to save up some turkey feathers to send to ya so you can start using the real thing. (They fly so much better than vanes.) Also I have some extra cane laying around so I might just make it a care package.

You giving any thought to meeting me at the classic?

Scott

[Pat B]

Generally shoot shafts are made with the big end out front and the smaller end for the nock. This gives you a weight forward arrow which generally flies better. There were however NA tribes that made arrows with the nock on the big end.
 What material is your arrow made from? 

[Scallorn]

Pat B made my point for me  Mounting the point on the large end, will not only give you a weight forward arrow, it will also clear the riser earlier, making it not have to flex as much. Also making it fly better.

[stickshaper23]

Thanks everyone for the help. I have to get back to learning my woods ( I didnt pay near enough attention when I was younger) I honestly didnt think about putting the weight on the tip. My theory was to put the weight/strength in the rear to handle the force of the bow on the string. I will definitely try to flip and see what happens. Thanks again for all the advice I look forward to plenty more as I progress. I will post pictures as soon as i can get the file size right.

[stickshaper23]

Here are my first batch of finished arrows. They are 31" Im no sure at all of the wood or weight. I used plastic fletching with a bunch of dfferent designs to see what flies best. They all fly really good. They taper from nock to tip. My next batch will be flipped. Let me know what you think again any advice/criticism would be great.

[Pat B]

If you have self nocks on those arrows be sure to wrap just below the nock to keep them from splitting when shot.