First wood arrow build and tune - question

[EHK]

I think I already know the answer to my question, but just to make sure I don't do anything silly...I just ordered up a surewood test kit.  This will be my first time making and shooting woods.  I'm guessing that I need to stain/seal, fletch at least a couple of each spine in order to see which fly best and tune them up, right?  Or is there some minimal assembly you can do in order to "test fly" them before finishing.

[Orion]

It's a toss up.  Can do it either way.  If you don't stain and seal first, you do need to keep the shafts dry during the tuning process.  If you stain and seal first, you'll probably want to match subsequent arrows to the colors you chose initially. If you don't, it's fairly easy to strip off the nocks and feathers and start over.

[lpcjon2]

Just seal them with Minwax wipe on poly and fletch.You could probably sell the test kit when finished testing on the arrow classifieds.JMHO

[EHK]

Thanks for the input guys.  Anyone else care to chime in?  Does staining and sealing have a big impact on spine?

[lpcjon2]

Not any impact that you would notice at all.

[magnus]

You could maybe stain each range a different color so if you bareshaft tune you can know the difference. You don't have too but I would recommend at least putting a coat of poly on them. Humidity alone can affect a shafts straightness.

[Rob DiStefano]

all the shafts definitely need to be completely sealed, finished, cut to YOUR preferred length, nocked and pointed up, before any testing.  

the idea is to find a spine that works with yer draw length, so i just cut 'n' point taper to the arrow length that works best for my draw length, allowing for the point taper. iow, i don't play with different arrow lengths - don't want or need that since this is why i'm testing out a fair range of different static spine shafts.  

i bracket at least two levels of stiffness above and below the bow's holding weight.  i typically get a dozen with 6 different spines, and all at the lowest possible mass weight per shaft.  

i leave one shaft bare and another fletched.  this becomes a 'woodie kit' that can be used with lotsa bows (at my draw length).

also, and very important!  a selection of field point weights is required - i use 125, 145, 175, 200, 250.  all points are hot melt glued for easy on/off.

final arrow weight is gonna be based mostly on raw shaft weight and point weight.  yer finished arrow length is a constant.  fletch and nock weights are minimal, as is finish weight.  some woodie shaft vendors are very accommodating with regards to raw shaft weight ranges.  i get them as low in mass weight as possible (for any given static spine) in order to use as much up front weight as possible.

i do not care much at all about foc - with woodies, there is much less versatility for tweaking unless yer holding bow weight is at least 60# or more and you find lighweight raw shafting.

[EHK]

Thanks, all.  Appreciate the input.