Select or Premium shafts

[Bear Heart]

Is there a real difference between premium and select cedar shafts?  Thinking about switching completly over to wood.  Aluminum is getting too expensive.

[macbow]

I think it usually is the difference of hand spineing and the weight match is added in. For the bigginer the select is a better choice.

Have you looked at the price of wood shafts lately. I was always a wood guy due to the cheapness not anymore. I know you can still build them for less but they don't las as long.

To shoot wood arrows you have to love them. I still do and will be making mine again in the near future.
Ron

[Bjorn]

Supposedly for a shaft to be 'premium' the grain must be parallel to the shaft for a minimum of 22 inches before hitting the surface.
I always buy the best available in 100 lots; good arrows take a lot of time.
When it comes to making good arrows nothing is more expensive than a cheap shafting!

[Fletcher]

Premium and select are generally graded by the manufacturer.  Premiums are what you want.  Today's "select" aren't much more than hardware store dowels.  As Bjorn hinted to, cheap shafts are no bargain.

[Bear Heart]

About what should I expect to pay for 100 premium shafts?

[Fletcher]

It depends on what kind of wood and where you buy them, but around $230 to $260 retail.  These are some of the best I've seen in a long time:  http://surewoodshafts.com/      

TG member Dave D also has matched dozens.

[SlowBowinMO]

We're also believers in the Surewood shafts, they're as good as it gets in wood shafting.  We have matched dozens also.

 http://www.braveheartarchery.us/new_page_26.htm

[wingnut]

Raptor Archery has some of the best wood shafts I have run into in the past 10 yrs.  I've been very pleased with the quality I've recieved.

And they are also a sponsor.

 http://www.raptorarchery.com/

Mike

[Kelly]

For absolute top shelf wood shafting use Sitka Spruce from Hildebrand's.

 http://www.hildebrandarrowshafts.com/index.html

[Paul Mattson]

I have Sherwood, Allegany, and Rose City shafts.  Sold by the dozen.  Premimum, wt matched +/- 10 or +/-20 grns.