How to Make a Fellwalker-Style Crossbow Bolt

I am not an authority on making Fellwalker-style bolts (not by a long shot), but people often ask me how I make mine.  If you want the real deal, be sure to visit HL Morgan Fellwalker's excellent bolt-building pages.  Also, the Estrella XX combat archery rules have a very detailed description for building Fellwalkers.  For the final say on the requirements for Fellwalker bolts, visit the "Arrows and Bolts" section of www.combat-archery.com.

The slightly different way that I build bolts is distinguished from others mostly in the materials that I use, and in a few of the assembly techniques I employ.  For example, I like to use Foamies™ for fins and side wrap, and I use vinyl tape for covering.  I also use the 'two cage' system to secure the APD (Anti-bounceback Protective Device), which is not explained well in other places.

Nevertheless, the bolts described here do meet the definition of Fellwalker-style heavy UHMW crossbow bolts, which are currently the only shafted bolt that can be fired from a 1000ip crossbow allowed under SCA missile combat rules.   

Please check your local kingdom regulations to see if they are allowed for use in your locale.

General Guidelines

 
I use 1" high-quality strapping tape and high-quality vinyl tape.  3M™ and Scotch™ 35 work well for me.

Consistency is important. I usually do one or two steps to all my bolts at the same time.

Personally, I think neatness counts when making bolts. I'm not normally a neat freak, but I think wadded-up duct tape slows down the bolts and makes them fly inconsistently.

Securing the Blunt and APD

  
To begin, you should have procured 1.25" dia x 2" UHMW blunts, .25" x 12" solid fiberglass shafts, and 1.25" dia x .5" UHMW APDs.  See www.combat-archery.com for a complete description and required dimensions of the individual pieces.  You can get these from Sun Lu-Shan, or from Surefoot-Fellwalker Boltwrights, or from Hightower Crossbows, among others.

Do not make any material substitutions.  Do not change the length of the shafts.  Do not use hollow shafts or wood shafts or aluminum shafts.  Do not use 'light' blunts.  Just use the right stuff.

After the APD and blunt have been seated in place with a non-marring mallet, I lay one length of strapping tape lengthwise down the shaft. I trim it to length while one end is attached to the shaft, so that I can use the APD as a guide to trim it exactly to the correct length.

     
I use three pieces of strapping tape, forming a hexagon over the front of the blunt, to build a strapping tape cage for the blunt, bringing the ends of the strapping tape down the backside of the blunt, then onto the shaft for at least 1". 

Then I tightly wrap a collar of strapping tape round the shaft right next to the blunt.  I don't cut the strapping tape away from the roll until the collar is formed, so that I can use the roll to help pull the collar tightly onto the cage, cinching it down a little and tightening the whole thing up.

I do the same for the APD. It is important to run the strapping tape down the backside of the APD and then onto the shaft, so that you can make a tight strapping tape collar right next to the APD.

I then make a *second* strapping tape cage for the APD, but run the strapping tape diagonally off the APD onto the shaft so that it forms the airpace "tipi". I tightly collar it just in front of the first collar I made on the APD.

By this point, your blunt/shaft/APD should be really tight, and have almost no 'twist' at all.

Padding

       
For the front padding, I buy 1/2" closed-cell camping mats. I have some blue foam from WalMart, and some nice springy rubbery army surplus stuff. I cut it with a short length of 1-3/8" I.D. pipe that has been sharpened on one end, so that I simply have to twist it through the mat to get nice circles, quick as you please. 

Remember, SCA rules call for 1-3/8" diameter foam -- NOT 1-1/4".

I take one layer of blue foam and two layers of the springy stuff, with the blue foam closest to the blunt.  It comes out to about 1.25" thick uncompressed.

 
I build a cage (three pieces of strapping tape) over the front of the foam circles, down the length of the blunt, onto the shaft for 1", and put a collar on it. It is important not to pull the tape tightly over the padding. 

You need to have a strip of tape wrapped around the joint between the tip foam and UHMW blunt, before the sidewrap is put on.

Actually, taping the padding all the way down to the shaft is not required at this step, as long as you do tape it down the shaft and collar it after you get the side wrap on.

   
For the side wrap, I use 2mm self-adhesive Foamies™, found in the craft section at your favorite WalMart.   The side wrap is intended to keep the front edge of the UHMW blunt from striking your target directly, which could cut the tape, or make your target yelp in pain.

The foamies are 2mm thick, which is slightly less than 1/8".  I like it better than doubled-up mailing foam because it adds just the right stiffness to the padded tip and makes it hard to find the blunt edge.  To get to a thickness greater than 1/8", a minimum of 2 layers of foamie are required..

I take sheets of the foam and cut them into strips that are about  2" inches wide (each sheet makes four strips), then wrap a single layer around the head of the blunt. It is important to keep the side wrap back from the tip of the bolt by about 1/2" so that you don't end up with "cookie cutter" bolt tips, which really ramps up the sting factor. 

It is also important to use the self-adhesive variety, or the side wrap will slip around when the padding compresses, making for an unsightly-looking bolt (and who wants that?).

      
After the foamie is on, I put strapping tape around it. Single layer wraps, layed neatly around the bolt, and pulled tightly.  I then add another cage around the whole blunt.

Viola!  Your bolt is ready for covering.

Covering

You need to cover your bolt with colored duct tape or vinyl (electrician's) tape.  The head of the bolt must be brightly colored and be of a different color from the rest of the bolt.  The rest of the bolt, including the back end, must be a single solid color.  Fletching marks should be kept close the blunt.  All of this is to make it obvious to observers and recipients which end of the bolt is the business end as it flies through the air.

For my bolts, I use a red tip with a yellow body, and a wrap of black tape at the back of the tip.  You should find a color scheme that works well for you, so that it is easier to find your arrows between and after scenarios, and so that the people who inspect your arrows between scenarios can throw all your arrows in a pile for you..

       
To cover the APD, I use four pieces of vinyl tape (yellow for me) over the end of the APD and down onto the shaft for 1" to 1.5". 


         
I use as many pieces as needed of contrasting tape over the front as well (red for me).  Then I carefully put red vinyl tape rings round the padding and down onto the blunt. Don't pull this tightly.

       
Then I spiral-wind yellow tape starting at the back third of the blunt (covering the ends of the contrasting blunt tape), down onto the shaft, and finishing up over the ends of the tape that went across the APD. 

 
To finish up, I put a strip of black tape where the yellow and red come together, just for aesthetics.  

At this point, your bolt is fully functional.  If you wish, you can add fins to your bolt, which I find dramatically increase stability and accuracy. 

Adding the Fins (optional)

   
For the fins, I cut a bunch of 1.5" by 2.25" rectangles of foamies (non adhesive). I make a diagonal cut to get two right triangles. I trim away at one edge of the triangle to make it fit over the APD. 

Taping it onto the bolt takes a little practice. I use two points of the hexagon formed by the strapping tape to mark two opposite attachment points in the back. I use strapping tape to attach the fins to the bolt. 

The trick is to place the fins on the shaft so that the bolt will spin in flight.  I do this by attaching the back of each fin to its place on the APD, and then, instead of running the fin down the shaft aligned with the rear attachment point, I move the fron of the fin up to one edge of the shaft, making it 'spiral' its way up slightly.

      
I start by laying a piece of strapping tape across the APD a little too far, then pulling it back off the APD till it reaches one of the attachment points.  I try to pull it back at an angle that will eventually make my fin spiral slightly along the shaft.  Then I stick one of the fins on the tape I've just pulled up.  I repeat for the other fin, using the other end of the same piece of tape (with the spiral position shown most clearly in the third photo).

After the fins are attached with the first piece of tape, I switch to the front of the fins.  I use two pieces of tape (one for each surface) to secure the front of the fin in its spiraled position.  You should strive to keep the tape either on the fin or the shaft, with no air gaps.

Now that the fins are relatively secured in position, I use a few more pieces of strapping tape to cover all the sides of the fins, trying to avoid any air gaps.

       
To finish up, I trim to the final shape with a pair of scissors.  I usually have some strapping tape stick out in front of the fins.  Rather than trim it back, I put a small vinyl tape collar to help secure the front of the fins.  

Here is nice shot from the front of the fins showing the resulting spiral.  This will make your bolt spin in flight, fly much straighter, and be more accurate.

Don't Forget the Labels

     
Labels showing your SCA name, kingdom of residence, and the month/year of construction for the bolt are required in most kingdoms. I use Avery 5267 return address labels and a $5 label printing program I picked up in a bargain bin at Staples. I type in the Avery code, then fill in the text I want. Setting up and printing out a sheet of 80 self-adhesive labels takes 3 minutes. They don't stick well to the vinyl tape, though. You have to cover it with a collar of transparent packing tape.

Job done!  Now make 39 more!

Last updated: March 11, 2004.