3/8" wooden dowels for ARROWS?

[Shawn Leonard]

You cannot really tell, I have bought some that spine over 70#s and in the same batch(I bought 100)I had some that only spine 45#s. Either make a spine tester or flex and shoot to see what flies well. Shawn

[woodystyle777]

For everyone using 3/8th dowels, where or what do you use for the field points or broad heads?  I want to make my own arrows and use field points but can only find them in the traditional arrow diameters of 5/16 9/32 11/32.  What do you use on 3/8 shafts?

[Grey Taylor]

Use a 23/64" tip and don't worry about the difference.

Guy

[SELFBOW19953]

Several years ago, just before I retired, I bought a "shipload" of 3/8" ramin dowels.  They spine anywhere from 45 to 120+ #s.  I built a gadget that lets me knock the diameter down to 23/64".  That dropped the spine down a maximum of 20 #s.  I have used them for small game using large fletch out of 55-60 # bows.  

I used to buy dowels from a hardware store to use with my 60-65# selfbows-never spined them, but used 5 1/2" highback feathers-and took quite a few deer.

[M60gunner]

What Greg said. I went the Ramin dowel route years ago. I even have a 3/8 nock and point taper tool. I got it from Don Brown, late 1980's I think. I used 23/64 points also

[ChuckC]

3/8" ramin shafts spine anywhere from 80 - just over 100#.

I have a case of them.  

They shoot OK anyway for skwerl arrows and that is what they were bought for.

CHuckC

[Paul/KS]

Last night one of my poplar dowel arrows punched through the basement bag and hit the concrete wall. Broke the nock off in two pieces and pushed the field point back a bit. The shaft seems fine...
This was out of a 40+ pound bow BTW.

[Charlie Lamb]

I bought a bunch of 3/8" years ago and this tool.
   

By reducing the diameter of the shafting you have some control over spine of the shaft.

Just chuck the shaft up in a drill and run it through the dowelmaker.

Further clean up with sand paper helps the process.

I'll usually put a rear taper of 10" on the shaft. Then grind the nock and point tapers...you really do need to be set up to grind tapers if you go this route.

Dowel arrows are as good as the amount of labor you put into them.

[JamesV]

5/16 poplar dowels will shoot good out of a 45# bow with light points.