Sealing Staightened Shafts

[Rick James]

After you have straightened wood shafts how long do you wait before you seal them--do you do it imediately or do you wait a while to make sure they hold their staightness?
thanks, Rick

[Aeronut]

I usually straighten one and dip it then grab another.  After the first coat is dry I will wipe it with steel wool, check and fix the straightness, and dip the second coat.

Dennis

[macbow]

I take a different path. I go through the whole batch maybe 6 or 12 shafts. If I'm in no hurry I wait a day and check them again. Then go through the sealing process. If the shafts required little correction it probably won"t matter.

if compression or considerable force was used they might try to remember where they came from after the first lession.

I have heard of folks needing to restraighten shafts after they become arrows. I've had a few bad ones but usually after sealing they stay straight, about plus or minus .005 for the worst ones.
Ron

[AkDan]

normally I'll check them a couple of times, straighten, band straightne band....to see how bad or good they really are.   Trying to sort out the socially unacceptable to my grousen arrows and the holier then thou's to my big game broadhead/practice arrows, obviously saving the best of the best for bh's.  

One thing I've noticed amongst those who shoot wood and complain about it is there abuse in handleing them.  Mostly pulling out of a bale.  Pay attn to how you grip your shafts as well as how you pull them out.  It's not rocket science, dont bend it when you grip it and pull it out straight...

Lastly.... Check them often, they are wood afterall.  Wood will warp over time due to gaining or loosing moisture.  Hopefully the sealer you choose allows this to happen sloooowly to minimize how badly your arrows warp.   Not all sealers are created equal as is not all wood is created equal.

[Shawn Leonard]

I will say this, I get mine staright and check them and strighten again than seal, but I noticed that unless they are real bad they all shoot pretty good. I mean have you seen some of the arrows of cane and bamboo and guys kill with them every year. I say this in comparison to al. and carbon. Shawn

[AkDan]

I've seen bamboo that will rival carbon.