? for wood arrow shooters

[Russ Clagett]

Sometimes when I need a particular spine or weight I just contact Surewoods directly and they have been able to sort me out so far.

Great guys.

[OkKeith]

Aaron-

In making POC and DF wood shafts, I have found that what you use to seal the shaft can have some effect on durability as well. I have several sets that I dipped in inexpensive water based poly. I have several other sets that I used good (not inexpensive) spar varnish on. The water based poly gives a good coat and seals the arrow well but doesn't seem to provide much protection or added durability whereas the spar makes the shafts pretty tough.

I use a piece of PVC pipe (about an inch or two longer than my arrows, glued cap on one end, tight fitting cap for the other) to soak the arrows. I have a piece of PVC I can get three, straightened, nock and point tapered arrow shafts into. I drop them in and then pour in the spar. You could use a bigger piece of PVC and do more arrows but that takes a correspondingly larger amount of the finish to fill up. I cap it off (smear some Vaseline around the inside of the cap or it will be hard to get off and you might spill the whole thing trying... lesson learned) and let it sit for 30 minutes or so. I have a rack I banged together out of scrap wood with a row of finishing nails spaced across the top. I use cheap wood clothes pins to reach in to the tube and pull out the arrow shaft, let it drip for a moment and then hang it on the rack to dry.

I can do a dozen in a couple of hours and they are usually ready to fletch the next day. Just as a note based on experience, I put them in the tube nock end down and grip the point end with the clothes pin. As the arrow shaft dries where the pin is it makes a slightly less than perfect finish. Since I re-sand the point taper to get a good glue bond for whatever point I use the finish is removed in this area.

You can vary the soak time. Really dry, warm arrow shafts need less time (soaking on a warm day or in a warm workshop makes it go faster as well) to vary the coat. Using a heavy finish adds some weight to the arrow shaft but I have not seen a big change in spine. I have some spar varnished POC shafts that I have been shooting for ten years that look as good the day I made them and I am hard on my arrows.

Hope this helps.

OkKeith

[trad_bowhunter1965]

I started making and shooting wood arrows about two years I broke some and repaired them as well. Once I break a wood arrow I get out my Arrow Fix and repair it great tool. 

[zwickey2bl]

OkKeith, I use a similar method but instead of the spar varnish, I've been using Watco Danish Oil. I have a PVC tube made up that will hold a dozen arrows, and went on and bought a gallon of the Danish Oil. It is way cheaper by the gallon, anyway. I leave the shafts submersed in the oil for 24 hours or longer, allowing them to soak up as much as they will. It adds a little weight to the shaft and the finish is in, not on, the wood. When I take them out I let them drip back into the tube for a minute then just wipe off the excess. After they dry thoroughly, I top off with a little spray or wipe-on poly, makes them pull out of the target butt more easily. 

[fujimo]

Doug fir makes for excellent shafting, too me its only downside is that its a bit heavy, Sitka spruce on the other hand( not the "german spruce " mind you- its a completely different specie) is incredibly tough, and its quite a bit lighter.
I find that this allows for a higher FOC arrow, without getting an overly heavy arrow.

from what i have used, and measured: using lighter weight shafts for my #50 RD bow

with a 125gr point i get an FOC of 13% with an overall  mass of about 530 gr- still 10gr + per #
however if I
taper back 8” to 5/16, it will give an FOC of 14.3% and a mass of about 500 gr ( lighter than the parallel shaft setup)
Taper back and add 200 gr pt =FOC of 20 % and a total mass of around 580 gr.
20% to 30% FOC is considered an  EFOC!
And for heavier hunting arrows, For when I go hunting back in africa regularly- i just use heavier Sitka shafts to get my overall weights up.


Sitka has an exceptionally long fiber, longer than other woods,  and thats what really hold it together well- Sitka is considered to be the strongest wood for its weight in the world ( but of course they can still break on a glancing shot).
I guess thats why it was the preferred wood for airplane frames and for masts and spars on traditional sailing vessels!

I get many thousands of stumping shots from sitka shafting, but like mentioned above, premium shafting is the key. Nice clean shafts , minimal runout!

[slowbowjoe]

I do a lot of stumping, all with wood arrows. Doug Fir is my first choice, though even  the lightest sets of shafts are just a bit heavier than my ideal preference. I don't doubt the hardwoods are tougher, but I know I just wouldn't like the trajectory, due to their weight.
The firs are tougher than cedar or sitka spruce, both of which I've used on occasion. I also find I break less arrows shooting Judo's than blunts.

[Petrichor]

Bear paw spruce shafts. 28 bucks a dozen weight matched from kustom king. Toughest wood I have used..

[Captain*Kirk]

I normally use cedar. Had a buddy gift me some Douglas Fir shafts and those things are tough as nails! Many hard stump hits while roving and like a Timex, they keep on ticking!

[Wheels2]

    I would go back to woods except I don't like the 23/64" diameter.  I need 79# spine so no other option for me.
    I am afraid that the good old days for wood are gone.  Unless someone starts compressing shafts again .