Making Your Own Wand
Making your own wand is the most powerful thing you can do. Making your own tools invests them with your personal energy and therefore can work better for you because from its' conception it is imbued with your vibrations, your energy; it can become a part of you.
Choose a length of wood - I use tree branches that must be pruned anyway. For me it is a 18 inch length (measured from point of elbow to tip of middle finger, your measurment may be different) and about 5.5" in circumference. When selecting the wood I refer to the magickal vibrations/properties of the different woods. Mine is oak. There are some woods that carry a negative energy and should be avoided. One such wood is Blackthorn. Blackthorn is a winter tree. It is black barked with vicious thorns and grows in dense thickets. The wood is used in the cudgel shillelagh and Blasting Stick. Its thorns are used to pierce waxen images. Magickal Aspects: Indicates strong action of fate or outside influences that must be obeyed. Those who do a lot of dark magick are most likely to use this type of wood as it attracts negativity. If one were to choose this wood, I would strongly advise the novice or early practitioner of Craft Magick to consider another wood. It is more suited to one who has been practicing for a long time, because he/she is more likely able to control it. Its magickal qualities usually demand a high price for its use. I have used its thorns to make serious protection amulets for a few people, and have paid the blood price it demanded. (It is very easy to stick oneself with the thorns.)
You will want a quartz crystal point or any other gem that is shaped into a crystal point, or fits the hole in the tip of your wand. The stone that you use is of your choosing. My teacher once told me it could even be a rock you find on a hike. Quartz crystal is white light and a universal power source.
Carefully gouge a bit of wood out of the tip of the wand using a sharp wood knife or use a dremel; to help hold the crystal or stone - glue with high temp hot glue gun or a strong hold glue - let set. (This is optional) Now use glue on bottom sides of crystal or stone and top inch or so of wood, wrap with leather strips or cord or embroidery thread in a color that goes with the purpose of the wand. That helps to secure the crystal or stone.
Now, if you choose, you can wrap the base end of the wand by gluing wood and wrapping with leather or yarn to make a hand hold. Use the same color as on top and cover about 4 inches. You may decorate the shaft of the wand with symbols that relate to the purpose of the wand, such as runes and other symbols that have meaning for you. You can use a knife, water proof marker, paint, woodburning tool, etc. You could decorate the end of the top yarn with gemstone beads, metal beads, wood beads and tip it with feathers if you like. etc., attached. As you will see, the designing is endless. The important part is that it reflect your energy, magick, and desire.
Take time and be patient with creating your wand. Only work on it when it moves you to do so. Mine took me a year to finish. It took "forever" to find the crystal that the wand wanted. Actually, it has two crystal points, because the wood I chose had a small limb protrusion about 3 inches from the tip pointing outward. They are natural crystal points with imperfections inside, but the wand chose them and I accept them. When I use my wand, I can feel its vibration and it is right."
Cleanse and consecrate as with any tool. It is now ready for your use in your rituals.