? Shoot carbon arrows first then wood

[Traditional-Archer]

Does it make sence to build a good form by shooting the straightest arrows posible, buy the way I'm still working on that. And then when you feel you have worked out most of the bugs go to wood. Can I be making it harder than it need be.    

[Terry Green]

Yep......that's exaclty what I did....when you shot a set of arrow all the same....like carbons or aluminums, you take the arrow out of the equation.

Once you KNOW you are 'on target', you can shoot woods, and you'll know which ones are 'flyers'.

[Traditional-Archer]

Thanks Terry,
O.L talks obout bare shaft shooting arrows. If you shoot the shafts and they are as straight as can be up down side to side. At this point have I accomplished my gole. I have been told when you robinhood an arrow your bow has to be perfectly tuned is this true. The second time I shot the arrows after bare shafting with this setup I did that very thing am I there.

[Roger Norris]

It sounds like you are on the right track.

I have often said that for new shooters, wooden arrows add a variable that you just don't need...I love wood arrows, but use aluminum and carbon often.

I usually start out a season with wood, but by time December comes around, I'm using carbon. Wet weather, cold, bouncing around in a truck...I just have more faith in carbon.

[Traditional-Archer]

Thanks Roger,
The smaller the miss The better the hit. I like carbon arrows for this reason. I have a problem getting past its a recurve I should be shooting wood. And then I wonder if I should shoot off the shelf. Where will it stop,maybe a self bow made with all the material I collect and build from scratch. Bow, string ,arrows and the list goes on. Some day maybe I have time God willing.

[Orion]

Nothing wrong with the approach you plan to take, but it isn't necessary if you ultimately want to shoot wood.  However, if you start with wood, it's critical that you shoot good wood arrows.  That means they must be straight with straight grain and closely matched in spine and weight, and matched to your bow, of course.  If they meet those criteria, there won't be fliers.  They'll all fly the same.  The problem is that a lot of wood shafts and arrows are junk.  So, if you can't make or buy good wood arrows, you're better off with carbon or aluminum

[Traditional-Archer]

Orion,Can you tell me where I can get good wood. I understand this is the problem with shooting wood. I have heard you can go through a dozen arrows to just find one good one is this true.

[BleekLight]

I've been shooting wood arrows for 3 years now and I always go to three rivers. There shafts are made of port orford cedar. I've never had any problems with them. I just recently start fletching and tapering them myself but still haven't had any problems with the shafts.

[Traditional-Archer]

Thanks Bleeklight,
I like 3-Rivers a great place to shop.

[Orion]

I get my shafts by going to large traditional shoots and rendezvous.  There, some of the suppliers will let a person pick through their shafts.  It's not uncommon to go through a couple of hundred shafts to get a dozen or so that meet my requirements.  I'm usually lucky to come up with two or three dozen really excellent wood (cedar) shafts a year.

When you buy from a mail order place, the spine and weight will usually be matched pretty good.  The grain can be pretty bad though.  If they culled all the shafts with bad grain, they couldn't make any money at all.  

The best over the counter/mail order cedar shafts I've seen recently are offered by Jim Curlee out of Minnesota.  He also pays attention to the grain.  A little more expensive, but well worth it.  Don't have his number or address, but I know he advertises in Traditional Bowhunter.  Also used to get very good shafts from the Cedarsmith in Colorado.  Don't know if he's selling retail anymore though.  Good luck.

[30coupe]

Try The Footed Shaft. Lamont is a good guy and I have never had a problem with his shafts.

 http://www.users.qwest.net/~footedshaft/

I think woodies are much more forgiving and easier to tune to your bow than carbon. I have yet to find a carbon arrow I could make fly as well. Maybe I just have too many bad habits, but carbons fishtail like crazy out of my Kota. Cedars just fly to the target.

I have also had good luck with aluminum (2016's fly and hit in the same spot as my woodies). As far as carbons being more durable, I have my doubts. I have Robin Hooded 4-5 of them and they didn't hold up well at all! Usually a Robin Hood just knocks the nock off of aluminums. I have three 2016 Bear arrows that I bought in 1974. They have some dents, but still fly straight. The woods ate the other three or I'd still be using the original half dozen I bought back then. Once you bend them though, it is tough to get them to fly.

The interesting thing with cedar arrows is that they fly well even when they are not straight. Mainly, I guess I just like making and shooting my own arrows! I'm working on a set right now, waiting for the cresting to dry as I write this.

[Traditional-Archer]

Orion,
Thanks for your help,if I had the confidence to pick my own wood that surely would be the way to go. In time I will have the confidence to go that rought. But for now I will have to depend on mass of information on the Gang. Thanks to all for helping me develope my mind for I have mass shortcomings in this new shooting system I have chosen to use.

[Traditional-Archer]

30Coupe,
Thanks for your input. Unfortunately this all sounds good on paper or at least on this thread. But with all due respect to you. I think the art of setting up a bow and arrow and I reemphasize art. Its all about what the bow likes to shoot and the propper arrow spine, weight distribution and . Well I think you know this already it comes down to what do we want to shoot .with all the different set ups we can use its a matter of choice.