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This is just a FYI. Between a friend and I, we have ordered 5 dz wood shafts in the past few months. All shafts ordered were 80-85 spine. These shaft were ordered from 5 different suppliers. They were Cedar, Hickery, Sitka, and Ash. Out of 5 dozen shafts ONLY ONE dz were 80-85 spine. Most of the shafts spined in at 70-75 spine. Shafts were tested using 3 different testers. I will not tell where these shafts were bought, not going to bad mouth anyone. Just a note, all these shafts were tapered. My understanding is that, tapering takes off a few pounds of spine. I have always trusted that the spine was what I ordered. Is 80+ spine that hard to come by?
-------------------- DesertDude >>>----->
US Navy (Retired) 1978-2008 Posts: 3039 | From: Fredericksburg, Texas | Registered: Oct 2004
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I don't think your experience is terribly unusual. Shouldn't be difficult to get hickory and ash in those weights in 11/32 shafts. Very hard to come by in cedar and sitka spruce in that diameter. Usually need to go to 23/64 in those woods to get that spine. Tapering will reduce spine by 2-3#, but not 5-10#. Have you checked the weight of the shafts you bought? I've often found greater variance in weights than advertised as well. I try to buy my shafts where I can hand select them (including weighing and spining)at major shoots and rendezvous.
Posts: 5853 | From: Wisconsin | Registered: Feb 2004
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Did you check them on 26" centers or 28" centers.Wood shafts are spined on a 26" centers and aluminum and carbon on a 28"center,just a question? I haven't made wood arrows in a few years,I used to buy my shafts from RRA and they were pretty good shafts.But the sold the business to I believe Wapti Archery.
Posts: 5080 | From: ohio | Registered: Jun 2003
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I know 80-85`s used to be hard to get. When I shot that 80 pound Black Widow in the 90`s I had a hard time finding woods. I did get some tapered shafts from Custom King that spined correct. That was dogs years ago now. Why so heavy of a spine may I ask?
Tom
Posts: 582 | From: San Diego, Ca. | Registered: Apr 2005
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Good to hear from you Tom. I'll see you on sunday. I shoot a RER recurve 57# @ 29" draw. I want a 30" arrow with 160-190 head. As per the many shaft suppliers I have talked with, add 10# of spine for modern recurve FF cut past center. Plus 5# of spine for every inch over 28". then +5# for the 190 point. I shot a 75# spine shaft this past weekend at the shoot cut to 29" BOP w/125 point that flew well. We shall see Tom....
-------------------- DesertDude >>>----->
US Navy (Retired) 1978-2008 Posts: 3039 | From: Fredericksburg, Texas | Registered: Oct 2004
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One supplier of tapered cedar has 11/32 70-75 hand spined as the max; but also has 11/32 factory spined 75-80 as the max. That suggests to me if you order factory spined they are likely to be lighter in spine than the ones hand spined by the seller.
Posts: 8752 | From: Los Gatos, California | Registered: Jun 2005
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What it boils down to sometimes and this is fairly common is a difference between spine testers, we for example use an Adams and we have two here to double check spine , but some using an Ace will notice a different spine by a few pounds, same with Schieb or flight mate. Probably best to order five pounds heavier than what you need and sand just a bit to get the exact spine you want or have the dealer write on the shaft for the exact spine , then note the difference between yours and theirs.
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I think what Ted says is likely the reason for so much variance.
Many years ago I bought an Adams and when I spined shafts from suppliers they were consistantly higher spine than what I'd ordered. The tester uses a "2#" weight....hmmm...I got to thinking about that and had the butcher shop next door to my office weigh it. It was exactly 13 quarters under 2 pounds. I taped 13 quarters to the lead weight and it has worked great since. That was 24 years ago.
Happy Trails, Chad
-------------------- Happy Trails, Chad Posts: 341 | From: T. Falls, Montana, Western Wilderness | Registered: Mar 2003
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Jim Curlee in MN should have what you are looking for in a tapered cedar shaft. The last he built for me were 31" to BOP and 85-89 spine. They weighed 610 gr. with a 125 gr. field tip. I sold them on this board and wish I had them back as I now have a bow that would be perfectly suited to the arrows.
Posts: 1076 | From: Minnesota | Registered: Nov 2007
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What Ted said is true: I bought an "Ace" to back-up my "Adams" (which my electronic is calibrated with) and the Ace was 6-8 lbs lighter!!... Ace's standards (ie 26" centers and 2 lb weight) have been altered to their own specifications/scale , so they can't even be checked to see which is out of proportion. I'm assuming the weight is heavy and have been tempted to drill it out untill the numbers come in line with my Adams so it is at least usable as a back up. Different manufactures of spine testers do very, and if yours is set up for 26" centers, check your weight. Your local post office will be glad to weigh it for you. stump
Posts: 80 | From: oregon | Registered: Jun 2007
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