Howdy all, long time lurker-first post. I am finally making decent wood shafts using a table saw, planer and drill (with sanpaper). I go from .380" squares to .380" octagons to .370" rounds (plus or minus). Using poplar and ash so far. Most spine at .500-550 or do after I sand them a bit more. Have a bunch of clear cherry and some eastern black walnut. Would these make a decent arrow? Cherry seems brittle and walnut too 'doughy' . But they would been great looking !! Any input is welocme.
The cherry should do OK, but the walnut will be sluggish out of the bow. Poplar is my favorite.
Havent tried either of those but zebra wood didnt make an arrow shaft. Leopard wood made a heavey dense shaft but was brittle and broke eaily. So far Doug Fir comes out gr wieght too low for me but makes a good shaft. Ash has been my preferred wood. Hope it helps with some woods not to try.
Hey Tim,
The thing to think about is whatever woods you try need to have the "springiness" to recover from paradox quickly in order to be as accurate as possible.
There are a lot of dense woods around that might make a heavy shaft but shoot poorly because they recover slowly, or not at all (this is what Don is saying). I have seen some experimental shafts actually take a set after the first half dozen shots.
Outside the traditional softwoods for shaft making (POC, DF, spruce, etc.), any hardwood that makes a good bow could make a good arrow (ash, hickory, elm, maple).
I have alway wanted to try and make a dozen osage orange arrow shafts. To fairly match weight and deflection of some of my other heavy arrows I bet they would be as thin as carbons. I just haven't been able to dedicate good bow wood to anything but a good bow.
Good luck on your search.
OkKeith
So is that why my oaks don't shoot well. I have good luck out of pine but kinda light.
Hey Tim, finally took the plunge and posted! I know the feeling. Took me a while too! Use those walnut blanks for footings, they look real purrty. Welcome, and good shootin, Steve
THANKS for the input nad thanks for the Welcome.
A lot of misconceptions here about different woods. If your arrows feel kind of sluggish then your wood isn't properly season. Most woods you buy at the lumber stores are probably dry but still green. It may take several more years for the hardwoods to lose their sluggish properties. Bet if you bought a POC board that's only been cut for a year or so and made some shafts from it the wood get a bad rap also. I've made arrows from most of the woods mentioned here and a lot of 'em displayed sluggish properties at first but as time went by they all made very good arrows.
Poplar is hard to beat for arrows. As mentioned above, it may take 'em several years to show up. Osage will make arrows, but better suited for bows in my opinion.
ART B
Sitka Spruce