Split timber arrow shaft material.

[macbow]

Chris that would be tough to accomplish I think.
It would be easier just using a little plane.

I did the set up last month from the utube and I finally got it working pretty good. But the cost of finding good boards turned out to be too expensive.

If I decide to do thjs again it will be with the varitas tool.

I really like the bamboo and cane shafts better right now.
Ron

[monterey]

Originally posted by briarjumper12:
I just got the high dollar dowel maker from Veritas and the arrow making set of inserts.  It works pretty good.  I've been finishing up the first 3 dz hard maple shafts I turned out.  I got some hickory shafts waiting in the wings.  I also got a 8 ft 6x6 popular seasoning out.  Lots of arrows in that popular post.  I like the doweling machine real good.  Sure faster than hand planing and almost as fun.

Briarjumper,  What are the arrow maker inserts??  Have been contemplating one of these types of tools as well.  I end up making arrows for a lot of family and that's a lot of planing or shaft purchasing.

Do you start with the 1/2" blanks?  I see you are making hard maple shafts.  You may not know the answer to this but here goes;  If a guy footed D fir blanks with a hardwodd before running through, do you think it would create a problem in the operation?

[Don Stokes]

SEMO, yellow poplar is not a true poplar. True poplars (cottonwood, aspen) are not so good. Yellow poplar is in the Magnolia family, and has different properties.

A doweler is a machine that makes dowels. There are several available, and they feature a cutting head with a hole through the center where the square is fed. The blades point inward and round off the corners as the square feeds through.

[Art B]

I would agree with Don about the poplar being an excellent choice for arrows. Runs from light to medium and tougher than you would expect.

I've made a few of the aspen, and there are some of the finest shooting arrow I ever seen. Not for the beginner, and perhaps not well suited for dowelling. But by hand planing, where one has better control and feel for quality, excellent shafts can be had.........Art

[Chris Grimbowyer]

Is yellow poplar just a nickname for some othe rkind of tree then? What is the actuall name for this tree because there is no "Yellow poplar" In my tree identification book.

[Art B]

All kinds of info abound by doing a google search Chris.    

 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liriodendron

[Roy from Pa]

I got me a great piece of yellow poplar from a guy in British Columbia. Very nice looking wood. Or was it yellow cedar? Geeze:)

[mississippidave]

Yellow Poplar (Liriodendron tulipafera) also known as tuliptree.

[Pat B]

Probably yellow cedar or yellow birch Roy.
I have one of Art's aspin arrows(with black walnut four point footing and BW 4 point footed self nock. One of my prized possessions!

[Don Stokes]

Chris, if your book doesn't call it yellow poplar, you need a better book. That's the "official" common name for Liriodendron tulipifera, AKA tulip poplar.

Yellow cedar comes from British Columbia and other Canadian provinces. Most of it has been bought as standing timber by the Orientals, who prize it. Yellow poplar is a species native to the eastern US, and is very common.

Yellow birch is also an eastern species. It has coarser grain, and is heavier for the spine you get from it.