I'm starting to build wooden arrows and I am having trouble with the straighting piece.  I know how it is suppose to be done but I am having a hard time seeing where the shaft is high.  I guess my old eyes aren't as good as they once were.

Do any of you experienced arrow builders have any tricks for straighting the arrow shaft that might help me?

Only a few years of experience building woods for me, but I found a spin tester the only way to see and work the bends. Then some practice to get a feel for where to apply pressure ( which tool or method do you use?), and how much.

I bought an old used Ace spine spin tester, but it's also easy to make a simple one yourself with a piece of scrap board and a couple of rollers or bearings from the hardware store.

I found it was easier using a spin tester to check for straightness then just eyeballing.I would spin it and then use a hook straightner.I have tried a few different straightners.But like the hook straightner I got from Woodchuck.After I would get the as straight as possible I would dip the arrow in clear to seal it from the atomosphere.Just take some practice.

Certainly a spinner helps to see it is or is not straight.
Many years ago I built a,straightener with a dial indicator it was for aluminum shafts. I also use it for wood and bamboo shafts.

I just roll them across a flat surface, stop and hold with crown up, then use an ace roll-r-straight.
http://www.3riversarchery.com/Ace+Roll-R-Straight+Arrow+Straightener_i5901_baseitem.html
Then seal.

This may help a bit.  I'm pretty ana! about straight.     :D  

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LF19jShVbsw

Mr. Green makes it look pretty simple!

...and it works too.  

Maybe this will help:   http://tradgang.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=2;t=000060  

I spin the shaft with a fieldpoint on the palm of my hand to see if it spins without wobbles, but a spinner might be easier.
If it wobbles, I roll the shaft on a 100% flat surface (like glass), to see where the bends are.
If you are having difficulties seeing it, put some light behind it, so the light will shine through between the curve and the glass, making it easier for old eyes to detect      

Take the shaft, curve up and strike it gently with a screwdriver as in the link.
Once you get the hang of it, it should be real easy!

Hope this helps

Straightening a wood shaft is the easiest part of arrow building. Look down the shaft from both ends then hand straighten it. See how easy that is?

Go to the hardware store and buy a rope pulley with a groove slightly larger than your shaft size. Lay the shafts on a flat surface with a light behind it so you can see a gap under the high spot. Roll down the high spots until straight.
Chuck

Thanks for all your help.