For all intensive purposes you cant change the spine, but you can. The groove in your nock must run perpindicular to the shafts grain, in other words it makes a cross. The shafts grain needs to run horizontal while the string groove run up and down. The feathers are all one color, that makes it easy. One feather, the cock feather, faces outward away from the bow. Tips are dirt cheap. Get yourself a bag of 12 for $3.50. 11/32, 145 grain will work fine, any hot glue will hold them.