Arrow Woods

[Tinkergnome]

I am looking at turning some of my own shafts. I do have the tooling to make them, and the knowledge of using pre-turned shafting and finishing them out to proper arrows.  I would like to use some of the more tried and true woods to make my arrows but unfortunately I do not have access to nice lumber yards with those particular species of wood as I am in NW Florida. Any lumberyard for that matter I am stuck to your typical big box.  That being said is there a particular species you guys go for when you go to the big box stores. Other than straight clean grain with little to no knots what are some of the prerequisites you look for when choosing. If this is in the wrong thread location could you point me to the proper location that this thread should be in.

[macbow]

They are a little light but popular boards come pretty straight grained. Also pine.

[Magnum in Ms]

I have used popular boards from Lowe's. Just look for one clear of knots with straight grain. I don't know if it is cost effective with your time involved and the price Lowe's wants for popular lumber , but if you enjoy it that is what matters.

[George Tsoukalas]

Poplar and white pine make fine shafts. I hand plane them from rectangular stock. Jawge
 http://georgeandjoni.home.comcast.net/~georgeandjoni/shafts.html

[monterey]

I have used Doug Fir and cedar.  The cedar actual species I'm not sure of but was left over from some trim used when I painted my house.

The Doug Fir makes a nice arrow and clear straight grain is not hard to find at the big box.  The cedar had a bit of a tendency to tear out and was quite light in spine but made some good 20 to 26 inch shafts for the grand kids.

There are eight blanks of pine on my bench ready to be put through the doweler when time permits.  The blanks stayed straight after cutting from the board but that's all I know so far.

So, just from my own experience I'd say try some Doug Fir.  No reason the poplar would not work, just don't know anything first hand.  It did seem pricey at my store and was actually higher $ than the maple boards.

[halfseminole]

Doug Fir isn't available this side of the country.  Spoke to people at Lowes and Home Depot, they both are not planning to bring it (or anything decent) in at all.  You can special order it, with no input on grain or the like, but buying sight unseen isn't my idea of wood shopping.

[cunruhshoot]

I use Douglas Fir and Poplar. I pick it up from a local company. But will also use both wood from Lowes when I can find a straight grain piece. Every time I go I cruise through the wood section and check for a nice piece of wood.

[Pat B]

Well seasoned woods will make the best, most stable arrows.

[scars]

Tinkergnome,
Try probuild, go to the dry shed. They should have spuce pine red cedar. Yellow pine will work also just be careful. A lumber salvage shop will have rercycled lumber but may be pricey.

[john fletch]

Poplar is as strong and light as cedar but it will tend to go out of straight more often.  It is also easy to hand straighten.

Conifer woods make good arrows if you can get straight grain and natural dried wood.  I have seen that kiln dried wood will tend to warp a LOT worse than natural dried.

Of all the conifers I prefer Lodgepole Pine (also called Chundo)The wood is lighter in weight for the same grain and spine as other woods.  I like the light arrow for speed.

I know a lot of guys like very heavy wood and heavy points to get mass for penetration. We can argue physics all day long and most will not change their point of view anyway.  I go back more than 50 years with Port Orford Cedar as THE premium arrow wood - but as the supply and quality diminishes and the price goes up - a lot of folk are going to alternative woods.

Much as I prefer things made and grown in the good old USA - the newest strain of cultured Bamboo for arrows shafts from China is amazing.
If you get the shafts from the best supplier, the shafts are very true, the nodes are clean and the nock end is cut at a node making cutting in a self nock very strong and far less likely to split.  They are very tough.

A whole lot depends on the source of wood in your area.  Some shoots like Rosewood, Dogwood, Ocean Spray and others make fine arrows if cut in the fall and dried natural.  A good book or two and you can be on your way.  Making a good shaving and straightening jig will be worth your time and I regret not having bought my Veritas dowel making tool many years sooner.