Internal point weight or woody weights? Opinions?

[Russ Clagett]

I need some help from you heavy wood shooters...

I love Doug Fir, and want to make up some heavy arrows for a Hill style longbow. By heavy I mean I want my arrow to weigh 800 to 900 grains finished, with a 190 tip.

Using Stu's calculator I can get 100 pound spine shafts and add a 75 grain woody weight, or...

I can load up the weight internally with the footing jig. The problem is obviously the woody weight will add ALOT more weight than I can with the jig, and the jig weight is permanent.

Can any of you who have messed around with this share your experiences? I already did a search and read the how to's........I just want to know how it worked out for you......

I have a 81 @ 28 longbow and want to shoot the heaviest quiestest arrow possible using Doug Fir....so help me get that done...

thanks!

Russ

[Steve95]

I used woody weights last year and like them. Will buy and use them again. So many variables and your set up is alot different than mine. Sometimes you just have to do your own experimenting.  As I have learned and I think Fred said, it is easier to change bows to fit your arrows than to fit your bow. Good luck.

[Orion]

Haven't used woody weights, though they no doubt work.  Have used  internal footings, and you're right, can't really get as much weight into the arrow that way. If memory serves, I got about 40-50 grains with a couple of inches of 3/16 brass rod.  2-3 inche length is about the practical limit for internal footing material.  They seem to strengthen the shaft a bit behind the head.  I like the internal foots because they look nice, i.e., you don't know they're there.  Not visible at all.  I'd say give each a try.  Then you'll know what works best for you.

[centaur]

I use woody weights and like them. Give them a try.

[Mark Baker]

I don't know anything about Stus calculator...Jerry would know more about the tuning process, but I do like a heavier broadhead on my woodies, and have used the woodyweights for a couple years.  Good product and a simple solution to adding weight up front.

[Russ Clagett]

thanks for the info guys.....part of my problem is deciding between the two......I'm not sure I could get enough weight into the front with the internal jig to make it worthwhile. Or I could buy a crazy spine like 100 then load it with a heavy tip and a woody weight, plus soak the arrow in oil for a week....

[m midd]

I could get 40 grains with the internal footing. The 3 arrows I footed broke at the end of the nail.. I use woodyweights on all my hunting arrows. Have had very good results with them

[hvyhitter]

For that heavy of an arrow you might try laminated birch or maple shafts to start with. I tried the woody weights and they work OK but wood seems to recover too slow for EFOC so my arrows seemed to not be as "forgiving" as wood normally is and with that much weight up front not as consistant from shaft to shaft. ...........YMMV

[dnovo]

I have messed with internal footing a bit and can get up to 100 grains in the end with the right nail. I like it as it strengthens the shaft right at the back of the head where it is prone to breaking.
The woody weights go on the taper like the head and can break behind them.
The woody weight will affect the spine more than the internail footing. Thw weight being on the end versus being inside the shaft changes the dynamics there. I don't notice much spine change with the internal footing.

[Mike Vines]

Foot the shafts with some ebony, and if that's not enough, insert an internal footing, if that's not enough, use a woody weight, if that's not enough, get a heavier woody weight...ect.

[Canyon]

Russ, I think you are on the right track with the woody weights. It may not be as simple as plugging into Stu's calculator but it should be tunable by playing with length or different size weights. You can also combine the internal weight with the woody weight to really bump it up on the front end.

[Russ Clagett]

I had not thought about the internal weight not changing the spine........and I had no idea you could get 100 grains in there........best I ever did was 30 or so.......

I do like the idea of strengthening the shaft behind the tip though......so I may try doing one or two arrows each way and see which works out best........

Canyon brought up a good point yesterday....what about the extra length once the woody weight is on the arrow....what spine changes does that make? Have any woody weight users seen the spine change due to the length, or was it mainly hidden as a result of the weight that's now on there?

[flint kemper]

Russ, Rick Stillman(Fletcher) on here has done extensive testing with internal footings. He calls them his heavy heads. He is on his way back from Hog hunting in Texas right now but send him a PM and ask him. He is more than willing to help you out. Flint