Douglas fir or Sitka spruce?

[1flyfish]

Was looking for some input as I have not shot wood arrows for a really long time.I am shhoting a James Berry Morningstar that is 51@27 and was wonder what people like for that weight bow.Fir heavier so alittle slower,Fir lighter flatter trajectory.Thanks for any input.Lou

[LBR]

Been a while since I shot either, but they were pretty close for me--I'd shoot either one, but I still like POC better.

[gringol]

Fir is heavier, but also a lot tougher.  Spruce is lighter.  Really it's just what you like.  Both are good choices.

[fujimo]

i have used both, but i prefer sitka, its incredibly tough, and when i want a heavy hunting arrow- i can use heavier broadheads, and still get up to the fir arrow weights- yet have a far better FOC percentage.
my stumping arrows are spruce, and i usually lose them before i break them   :D  


another great thing about spruce is that it has a very pronounced "inter fiber connective tissue"component.
in other words, transverse micro fibers that connect the longitudinal fibers of the wood.
it is classified as having the highest strength to weight ratio,i guess thats why they use it both  for spar wood in the boating industry, and as aircraft framing wood!

[slowbowjoe]

Flyfish, sounds like you know the differences well, so like gringol says it's just what you like.
While the weights with spruce are easier to match for what I want, I
mostly go with doug fir. Reason is I think they hold up better for stump shooting, which I do a lot of.

[WESTBROOK]

Agree with Fujimo...I've had great luck with sitka spruce...its just as tough as fir. Just depends on how heavy of an arrow you want. I have spruce shafts that weigh 400g bare so a 600g arrow is easy to make.

[Zradix]

Originally posted by fujimo:
i have used both, but i prefer sitka, its incredibly tough, and when i want a heavy hunting arrow- i can use heavier broadheads, and still get up to the fir arrow weights- yet have a far better FOC percentage.
my stumping arrows are spruce, and i usually lose them before i break them    :D    


another great thing about spruce is that it has a very pronounced "inter fiber connective tissue"component.
in other words, transverse micro fibers that connect the longitudinal fibers of the wood.
it is classified as having the highest strength to weight ratio,i guess thats why they use it both  for spar wood in the boating industry, and as aircraft framing wood!

...what he said...  

[Jock Whisky]

Fujimo has it. Sitka Spruce is very strong when it comes to impact resistance. I've used and like both but I kinda like the spruce a wee bit more

[Blaino]

Who sells the best spruce?

[Zradix]

Hildebrand

 http://www.hildebrandarrowshafts.com/

[akbowbender]

I like Sitka Spruce better because I use a True Center taper tool, and I get a nice clean cut with the spruce. I had problems with chuncks tearing out of the DF.

Now that I think about it, I had the problem with a different tool, so maybe it was the problem, though have read other reports about this problem with DF.

X2 on Hildebrand.

[Rob DiStefano]

surewood doug fir for hunting, always.  heavy is good, heavy is yer friend.

sitka spruce for really lightweight trad bows about 40# holding weights, or lots less.  mostly, these bows and arrows will not be for hunting, but for target or newbies or kids.

[Zradix]

I don't wholly agree with you Rob.
I agree that heavy is your/our friend..within reason of course.

I truly feel that spruce makes a very fine hunting hunting arrow.
There is the nice benefit of being able to get some more foc out of your setup when using spruce.

I shoot lightish draw bows..45-50#. And close to what you say, the spruce is a good choice for those bows as the lighter shafts can get you a more reasonable grain/#.

I feel spruce is a great way to go even with heavier weight bows.
If I were shooting them I'd just add weight to the front to get my grains/# reasonable and go from there.

Now obviously, shooting an 80#ish bow would require such a great amount of tip weight to get to an acceptable grain/# finding a suitable spined spruce shaft would be difficult if not impossible.
For such bows D.fir would be an excellent choice...maybe something even heavier..

[fujimo]

i hear what you say Rob. for me i like to get the hunting weight arrows up there too, weight is surely your friend- but i just like to put it all into the broadhead-
and i shot spruce out of my #60 bows- and never had a problem with either spine or longevity. i now shoot #50 bows.
cheers        
wayne

[fujimo]

x2 Zrad man!    
you beat me to the draw!   :cool:

[Rob DiStefano]

it's all good, i have nothing against spruce shafting, have used it, will continue to use it, but for me i find doug fir a more durable and easier to get in the mass weight ranges i like.

[Zradix]

And I have nothing against d. fir...or you Rob..lol

Just wanted to give a "newly returned" wood  shooter both sides of the coin.

and yes..It's all good!

         

[Surewood Steve]

The question is not which wood is better, all wood arrows are great.  I have some 40 year old cedar that are the best.  Every traditional archer should use wood at some point in their career, if not all the time.  Obviously I use Fir and have shot Cedar, and have seen Spruce that I would not hesitate to shoot.  What ever wood you shoot, all good quality wood makes wonderful arrows.  Make, shoot, and enjoy.  Steve

[fujimo]

amen to that brother steve!!!!
yer right, any wood is good wood!    :D    
must admit, i did buy a doz carbons once- but they're still setting there- 4 years later!

i concur with your footnote!          

[LBR]

I don't make wood shafts, but I figure it's similar to making strings.  The material you use is only part of the equation.  What you do with that material can make as much or more difference than the material itself.