Is Wood really the most forgiving arrow choice?

[Mo. Huntin]

After reading some stuff on here I am really starting to wonder if I may see some accuracy advantage by using wood.  This is just an in your opinion post for a guy who has never used wood arrows.  Can you just buy them and put a couple coats of sealer on them? What I am saying is do you really need Dip tubes and things like that?

[ron w]

I stain, then hang them and spray them with clear lac., 3-4 coats-then fletch. Never had a problem yet. Have used Poplar,cedar,spruce,pine and laminated birch.

[George D. Stout]

Accuracy, my friend, comes from consistency, and duplicating good form, shot to shot.  It is not inherent in any arrow.  The most accurate arrow, will be the one leaving the bow in the most consistent manner, and the tubular arrows will be tops in that department, when talking shaft to shaft...shot to shot.

If you want to use wood, you can make dip tubes from pvc, which is fairly cheap at the local hardware.  Get caps for each piece and you have dip tubes.   You an also use wipe-on poly rather than dip tubes, or you can put on spray acrylic. Wood arrows can be extremely accurate, but they must start from good stock, that is consistent from shaft to shaft.

You can be as simple or complicated as you like.
But I will say again....the shaft doesn't make accuracy...the shooter does.

[Mo. Huntin]

I am shooting aluminums now and have some carbons and I am very happy with my accuracy.  I just have read some posts where some people thought they were more forgiving.  I have also talked to a guy at work who said in his experience he thought he got better penetration with wood.  I know I know their are so many variables with penetration and tuning and such.
I am sure you are correct George it just makes sense.

[George D. Stout]

Mo.Hunting, I doubt that wood penetrates any better than anything else.  And, it would be my guess that guys that tell you they are more forgiving, are witnessing the heavier mass that woods have over most tubing. That would make them react less radically to things like bad realease, etc.  That goes away when weight is added...normally.  But we soon find out that nothing is really normal in archery 8^).  The sport is so dynamic that one has trouble really putting a finger on what is really what, from shooter to shooter.   Try all three.

[RaybowTx]

In terms of forgiving; I don't think is a term that defines any arrow as materials can't make up for bad shooting.  I luv wood shafts, but they are the hardest to build (correctly)and maintain after they have been built.  But they are the most fun to shoot.  That is the material of choice for a thousand years.  

Oh, I should warn you though.  If you ever make shafts outa port orford cedar, the smell you will never forget and will remind you of fall and the change of seasons and of years gone by.  Its a smell that if God gave me a choice of what heaven should smell like, it'd be port orford cedar.

Good luck to you Sir.  Making and shooting wood arrows is never a waste of time...Enjoy....

Ray.......

[Bowferd]

In respose:
Yes
No
No
Sure is fun playing with those little stems that fly, isn't it?

[Bucksnort101]

My personal experience is this. I can usually get a wood shaft tuned pretty easily, Carbons on the other hand give me fits at times. Have tried Gold Tips, Beman MFX'es, and Arrow Dynamic Trad Lights and for some reason I do not have as good of luck getting them to fly as well as the breasted Cedars I usually shoot. Go figure.

[Mo. Huntin]

Guys I really appreciate your opinions.

[Fletcher]

Stick bows will shoot whatever you ask them to, but they are happier shooting wood.    

[Don Stokes]

Wood is different. It is a solid material rather than a tube, and because of that it doesn't have to be as straight or perfect to shoot well. Something to do with rotating center of mass...

[Steve B.]

I'm not sure what 'forgiving' means but from my experience I would say that not only is wood more inconsistent but it does not penetrate as well when shot into foam.
I've been shooting carbons, wood, and aluminum from longbows this summer and comparing.  

With non-centershot bows I have found that unless a wood shaft is very concentric, regarding its spine, it will not be consistent if it is nocked 180 degrees on the string.  So each arrow is like two arrows, depending on which way it is nocked.  I have some shafts that will completely miss the target bale, especially if my form is not perfect.

I then shot big FOC carbons and aluminums into foam and then normal FOC woods and found the skinny carbons went in at least 10% deeper with the aluminums coming in second.  

The woods are nearly 23/64".  I think the foam is more easily grabbing the wood shaft sooner, vs. the thinner shafts that have big field points.  So the big field points are plowing deep into the foam before the foam can close around the shaft.  So I am not convinced that on flesh that we would see these same results.

The wood arrows are more quiet coming off the bow.  
The key for me, then, is to find which orientation each wood arrow works best from my bow and always nock it the same way.

[rg176bnc]

I shoot carbon but have to say man made materials are so "lifeless" compared to wood.  Once you shoot some you'll see what Im saying.  If you have the time wood is a great choice.

[frank bullitt]

George,so what your saying it's the person behind the bow? Well I'll say after shooting  wood for many years, God made cane or bamboo shafts that are more forgiving and durable!

  The most important basis for good wood is straight, proper spine match,and some say grain weight, proper nock and point alinement and good sealer. I have seen pretty, awsome artwork, wood arrows,that were'nt matched or straight, simply worthless arrows. Shoot what makes you happy and try em all, good shootin, Steve

[Bjorn]

I think it is definitely true that a skinny shaft will penetrate better than a thick one.
No idea about the forgiving part.
Wood is exciting, it is quiet to shoot-no clanking and banging and no whining from loose points like you get with screw ins. And when it breaks that's when you are in for a treat-ahh! No carbon or alu shaft smells like cedar.

[Red Armed Panther]

I perfer wood POC to any other arrows.An old arrow maker once told me "you can do a hell of a job with a foam brush". A quick easy, cheap way to go.

[Don Stokes]

Matching wood properly requires some attention. Shafts that vary much in spine when rotated are easily identified in the straightening process, and should be trashed. Straightening is simply a matter of sighting down the shaft and bending the shaft across the heel of your hand in the opposite direction of any bend you see. With a little practice it's not difficult.

A spine tester is a must, and the shafts will normally shoot together if the sets are within 5#. Weight is important, but not as important as spine. Weight groups within 20 grains are fine. A set of quality wood shafts that spine within 5# and weigh within 20 grains will be more accurate and consistent than most archers can detect, if the finished arrows are properly made.

Nock tapers must be perfectly straight. After quality matched wood, this is the most important thing to get right. A nock that's off even a little bit will make an erratic arrow. Point tapers are not so critical for target shooting, but if they're to be used for broadheads, they must be perfect too.

Practically any wood finish that you can imagine will work with arrows. I've made sets that I only used a penetrating stain on, and they held up fine. Your fletching glue has to be compatible with whatever you choose.

Pay attention to these critical variables when you make them, and you can have wood arrows that shoot as well as anything you can put through your bow. I strongly recommend starting by bare-shaft matching to get the correct spine and length.

When you're done, you'll have a personal attachment to your arrows, and a pride of accomplishment that you just can't get from any other kind of shaft.

[DWT]

My personal opinion is that yes in foam skinny shafts will penitrate better than thicker ones it is pure physics as far as surface area drag. But in the case of animals who are flesh and fluid you will get a lubricating effect and then in my experience there is little real world difference.

[sagebrush]

I think some of the penetration issues with wood arrows in foam are caused by the finish heating up and locking the arrow in place. Kinda like the coating on nails. Gary

[Don Stokes]

Penetration in foam does not apply at all to penetration in animals. Apples and oranges.