Hey guys, just wondering if anyone has tried running any surewood shafts through a compression block and any pointers would be greatly appreciated. I've done a few cedar shafts but seemed to twist off pretty easy.... thank for any imput
Do you heat the block before spinning the shafts through? Helps a lot. Given the different grain structure, my guess is that Doug fir won't compress well.
Yes, I heated the block just like the instructions said and followed exactly what they said to do. I managed to get 3 good ones out of 10.... that was the poc. Gonna try the Douglas fir tomorrow and see what happens
I don't believe that Douglas Fir is a very good candidate for compressed shafts, if I am not mistaken it does not stay compressed. Cedar has natural resins that that keep shafts compressed after the process. There may be other woods that work, the only one that comes to mind is a hemlock that was used in Alaska for awhile with the Sweetland Machinery but it must not have worked too well as they went out of business years ago.
Why don't you just call them before you waste some already good and tuff shafts. I bet it's been tried and they know more about there arrows then anybody. :dunno:
Can't hurt!
Tracy
I am gonna guess that if you can design a tool ( machine) that guides and pushes the shaft thru a progressively narrower hole, instead of twisting it thru, the whole gig might work better.
For sure you will lose less shafts just twisting apart. I have one of those heat blocks, tried it, I don't think it works worth a darn myself.
ChuckC
the Fir should stay compressed- the hemlock sure stays compressed- and they are very very similar woods- in fact the hemlock is a true fir and the "fir" is a false fir- go figure!
guess its the trend- we have goats that are antelope and antelope that are goats :knothead:
Why would you want to compress a shaft anyway?
If i remember right, compressing wood will make the spine go down and with some woods it can actually make them more brittle. If anyone finds that Surewood that I punched through that doe last late season, I would like to have it back.
I have five or six doz. of the Alaskan compressed hemlock and I can assure you they are beautiful. 5/16- foc already in the shaft as the front is three times more dense than rear according to the brochure.
I have only broken one in 15 years and that was due to a car engine in the way of the arrow, don't ask.
I went through a few dozen of the originals way back when. 80 pound spine. I gave my last six away, as new arrows. I would have lost them all shooting at pheasants and rabbits. I did manage to break a few. But like was stated those were compressed from taper cut flat sided pieces, that gives a different result than spin compressing an already made shaft.
Compressed Maples are the toughest arrows I've ever owned. Never heard of such making them brittle...then then again, I'm talking about maple.
I know the originals were much much tougher than cedar, I can imagine that compressed maple would be tougher yet. I shot a deer along side a pond once with an 89 pound Big 5. I heard the arrow go 'schloop' as it hit the water. Forgewood arrows don't float so good.
Great imput fellers, love to read the different options and ideas. Keep it coming !!! Where would a feller find those compressed maple shafts at ??
Great imput fellers, love to read the different options and ideas. Keep it coming !!! Where would a feller find those compressed maple shafts at ??
If your lookin for a skinny, heavy wood shaft, check out Forrester wood shafts.
I got some 5/16 Red Balau that spine 68-70 pounds and weigh 550g PLUS the point
There's "burnishing" and then there's "compressing". What you are doing with a compression block is actually burnishing the shaft. To truly compress a shaft like Mr. Sweatland did with Forgewoods (by the way I believe the compression block idea came about in hopes of having people think they are one and the same thing) you have to hydraulically compress wood flitched under high heat. I believe Sweetland used 220 deg. Then, still under compression, allow them to cool. Then you make shafts from. Taking any wood shaft and trying to compress it is merely burnishing the shaft. Not worth the time or effort in my opinion...
x2.
theres a man who knows!