Carbon to wood...help please

[aim small...release]

Hell all I hope everyone's doing well. I've been at trad now for about 4 years.  Shot many different bows but always carbon arrows. There's Somthing that intrigues me about wood arrows I shot one today I found that I received in a trade. It flew farely well. My bow is 50#@28 inches. I'd like a arrow at 29". Can anyone help me out where to start? Type of wood what spine etc. Thanks as always and I appreciate the help. Brandon

[aim small...release]

Would like to try to get a 500gr arrow

[FlintNSteel]

Here is a link where you can download a Dynamic Spine Calculator.  I have found this to be pretty accurate for selecting arrow shafts based on all the factors that affect Dynamic Spine.

 http://heilakka.com/stumiller/

Most arrow shaft or finished arrow dealers will make a "variety" pack of different spines you can try if you aren't sure what to get.

I have crafted and used wood arrow shafting for many decades.  Also aluminum, fiberglass, and carbon.  Wood shafts can be very accurate.  If you are making them yourself, be sure to straighten them before staining and finishing the shaft.  I use the hook straightening method and find it to be the best at keeping the shaft straight and not having to constantly keep re-straightening it. Youtube has all kinds of videos on straightening wood shafts. I also prefer a tapered wood shaft 11/32 with a 10" taper to 5/16.  These just seem to fly better for me.

I'm  not sure that if you are shooting 50#+ that you will end up with a 500 gr total arrow weight.  My finished tapered cedar arrows with 125 gr heads for my 46# longbow are just above 600 grains and are 31".  So if yours are 1 or 2 inches shorter, that will take off some weight, but not 100 grains.  But I wouldn't let that stop you from trying some.  My Douglas fir arrows are about 40 grains heavier and still fly with authority!

Good luck!

[M60gunner]

Cedar is the old standby but these days Doug fir is a good choice as well. There are a couple sponsors here that sell both shafts. As for spine, at least 55-60 maybe 60-65 if bow is cut to center, or heavy broadhead or both.
Example, I use 60-65 shafts, 29" long for my 55# R/D LB.

[fujimo]

i love spruce- tough- light- get the hunting weight up by using a heavier point- improve FOC- get better flight!!
strongest weight to strength ratio  wood!

[Fletcher]

Doug Fir has been my favorite arrow wood for many years and Sitka Spruce is a close second.  I really like how the fir recovers and shoots.  Sitka is light but very tough, making it great for heavy points.  The bows depth of cut makes a big difference in what spine a bow will shoot and a good set of test arrows is a huge help in finding the perfect spine range.

[MO Bow]

For my BW 52# @28", I shoot 70# spined arrows cut to 29" (I match my own spine).  I use 125gn points and total weight is around 560gn.  Spine will depend greatly on how your bow is cut (center, past center, etc), length and point weight.

The dynamic spine calculator will get you a rough idea where to start.  I always tell folks to get a test pack of shafts from somewhere...lately I've been getting all my shafts from Surewood.  Their shafts are really consistent and are straight as can be.  If any need to be straightened, just a little adjustment is needed and I've never had to re-adjust.  In your case, I'd recommend a test pack with 4 spines...60-65, 65-70, 70-75 and 75-80.  Yeah, you have to spend some extra bucks figuring out what works best, but it's worth it in the long run.

Douglas Fir is a great wood for arrows.  Cedar is good too and it'll be a bit lighter, but it'll be tough for you to find a wood arrow that'll fit your setup to come in around 500gn.

Carbon arrows are inherently lighter than wood, so don't be afraid to shoot something a little heavier out of that bow.  I have a 45# longbow that I shoot 550gn arrows out of.  You can barely hear a thing when I release.  I get a lot more drop out past 30 yards, but I don't shoot animals that far.

If you have any more questions, feel free to PM me...more than happy to help.

Adam

[Orion]

aim small.  In addition to your draw weight at your draw length, which from the info you provided, I'm assuming is 50#@28 inches, need to know the kind of bow you're shooting, the depth of the side plate ( i.e., cut proud of center, to center or past center) and the type of string (fast flite or dacron). With that info, most of us will be able to give you a spine range that will be very close.

If you want an arrow in the 500 grain range, you probably will need a softwood shaft -- Port Orford cedar, Sitka spruce or Douglas fir. Hardwood shafts will be too heavy.  Even Doug fir, which is heavier, vis-a-vis cedar and spruce, may be too heavy, or at least more difficult to find in that weight range (about 350-375 grains for a raw shaft).

[Biathlonman]

Or what shoots good out of it with carbon?

[Cavscout9753]

My approach to things have changed over the years - for the better, and thanks to this place! If I were you, I'd save myself the trouble of the guess work and contact one of the wood arrow craftsman who are sponsors here. If you give them the info of your bow and what head weight you want to use, they can set you up with exactly what you are looking for without a lot of trial and error. I have found that with anything other than an ASL or similar bow, the spine can be tricky to nail right out the gate your first time. Thats not to say that all of the above advice isnt spot on, just that sometimes talking to the source is the best bet. I have a pile of arrows and other hard learned lessons to prove it.
Good luck with the woodies! Its all I shoot, and they are addictive!

[aim small...release]

Who do you guys reccomend?

[SELFBOW19953]

With wood you add 3 lbs of spine for each inch of arrow length over 28", add 5 lbs of spine for each 25 gr of point weight over 125 gr, add 5 lbs of spine for center shot, add 10 lbs if past center shot.

[Cyclic-Rivers]

I'm in agreement with Cavscout(if you do not like tinkering).  spend a little up front and get a custom set.  then you know what spine shafts to get in the future.

For me, with wood arrows, I am not really concerned with arrow weight. Generally they come in between 6-800 grains depending on the wood.

I am not concerned with length unless they are too short.  I know it will be somewhere between 30-32 inches.

[TRAP]

PM me your address and I will send you a few wood arrows that will match up perfectly with your setup. I have more arrows around here than I need.

[Bud B.]

Originally posted by TRAP:
PM me your address and I will send you a few wood arrows that will match up perfectly with your setup. I have more arrows around here than I need.

   

[LostNation_Larry]

I ran a quick calculation on a 500 grain arrow, 29" long with a 125 grain field point and you would need a 386 grain shaft, provided my math is correct.  The fudge factor here is the weight of the finish you put on the shaft.  I've allocated 25 grains for nock, feathers, and finish which is probably just a bit light.  Basically the shafts you will need will be 370-390 grains and it shouldn't be too hard to find those in 55-60.  If you end up going stiffer, they will be harder to find.  I would need to know more about your setup to make a recommendation.

[TSP]

Orion gave some good advice.  PO Cedar is a good bet for the weight you are looking for.  Kind of bow, type of string and actual draw length all make a difference.  Tell us and we might be able to help.