Does anyone use poplar arrows to hunt with? If so pros and cons. Thanks for the help :)
I made up some poplars fir my girl friend. They are good shafts but had the darndest time with straightening them and keeping them straight. Maybe just me, I don't know. If I have a choice I will never make poplar arrows again! That being said they shoot great but I don't have any experience hunting with them. A lot of people do though. Just my opinion.
Keeping the Faith
Magnus
Make and use 'em all the time. I buy all the straight grain ones I can find each trip to the lumber store. I cut them, straighten them, spine and weigh them, and then bundle them in groups until I'm ready to finish them. Here's some pics of the one's I've done recently using poplar. They're all within +/- 10 grains and +/- 1 lb of each other:
(http://i984.photobucket.com/albums/ae321/isaacscr/Arrows%20and%20Quivers/HPIM4064.jpg)
(http://i984.photobucket.com/albums/ae321/isaacscr/Arrows%20and%20Quivers/HPIM4066.jpg)
(http://i984.photobucket.com/albums/ae321/isaacscr/Arrows%20and%20Quivers/HPIM4067.jpg)
(http://i984.photobucket.com/albums/ae321/isaacscr/Arrows%20and%20Quivers/HPIM4091.jpg)
(http://i984.photobucket.com/albums/ae321/isaacscr/Arrows%20and%20Quivers/HPIM4090.jpg)
(http://i984.photobucket.com/albums/ae321/isaacscr/Arrows%20and%20Quivers/HPIM4078.jpg)
(http://i984.photobucket.com/albums/ae321/isaacscr/Arrows%20and%20Quivers/HPIM4076.jpg)
I have had good results with poplar!!!
nice arrows !!
If they are so Poplar, how come I haven't heard of em yet? :biglaugh: :laughing:
Seriously, I shot Ron's once, they flew fine. No real experience though.
All the poplar shafts I've dealt with were terrible quality.A bear to straighten,and none of them were straight when they came to me.Not even close.I've never had not one striaght with any other shaft wood.I would never use them except for stumpers/bunny arrows.
I got mine from Twig archery in Ohio,smooth and straight out out the box and all matched,excellent shafts!!!
I got mine from Twig archery in Ohio,smooth and straight out out the box and all matched,excellent shafts!!!
Twig archery!!! The poplar shafts I got from him were just like the ones Ron W got. First class all the way!
SuperK is right Twig shafts are epicly awesome my last 3 sets are poplar they are the best hands down.
Don Stokes Superceder shafts, are tapered yellow poplar. About the best wood arrows I've seen/made/shot. Sadly, he no longer makes them. Much tougher and heavier than cedar. Very straight and they stay that way, even those that hide from you for a couple of weeks when practicing.
Thanks, Phil. Yellow poplar is one of the most stable woods when properly dried, which is one big reason we used it for the Superceders. The trees tend to grow straight and clear, so the yield is good when sawing. In properties, poplar is slightly stronger and much tougher than POC. I think it is the best of the hardwoods, strong, stable, and heavy enough.
I have almost depleted my supply. The only shafts I'm interested in selling now are 70-75#, 32" length, and some 45-50# that are 29" length. Anyone interested can PM me. I only have a few odds and ends left except for these, most of which will be my personal lifetime supply!
Troy Breeding used to make some might fine poplar shafts. Unfortunately he dropped off the radar when he moved from Bama to Mo. After he moved he changed the focus of his business from traditional archery to wheelie stuff, a great loss for us traditional guys.
A third positive vote for Twig Archery out of Ohio. Only a few of the 4 dozen straight shafts I have ordered from John were not striaght enough to be shot right as they came out of the box. Even those few only required a minor amount of tweaking. Poplar has good weight (450-475 for the bows I shoot) and take a good beating. I like em.
I have to agree with some of the others. Poplar shafts, if done up right, can make some of the finest arrows that you can get you hands on. ART B
MIne come from Lowes or Home Depot It takes a bit to find ones that are straight and the grain does not run off too much . Spine is usually heavy but IT can be reduced . I buy a few ( 6 to 10 ) everytime im in one of those stores and then take them home and bundle them up in groups . For SELF NOCK arrows you can't beat them .
hey,
that was the arrow wood of choice for English Longbowmen and fletchers in the Hundred Years War--> i am sure they knew their trade^^
Cant go wrong with Poplar.
++M
If you buy some at Home Depot or Lowes, what spines can you expect to get and what size are yall buying?
Can anyone tell me? I'm thinking about getting some dowels this week.
Tex, the spine will vary. 5/16 will spine relatively low, probably in the 40# range, and the 3/8 may spine double that. But, like I said, they will vary quite a bit. If you want a specific spine it's better to buy them from a shaft supplier.
You have to be VERY careful with dowels. There is no quality control at all relative to defects and grain runout, and grain in yellow poplar is not as easy to see as it is in some species. Moisture content of the wood makes a big difference in spine, too.
I buy the 1/2" craft boards from HD or lowes for less than $4 bucks and can get 10 shafts from them. I have found the craft boards have better grain on average so there is less wast even if they cost a little more. Feed them slow through my jig and they come out with a perfect compressed finish. Most often they require little or no sanding. I like them for practice especially because they are way more durable than Cedar. Forgive the picture they were taken with my phone. Here is some I just finished. (http://i126.photobucket.com/albums/p86/2manydogs_photos/DSC00109.jpg)
(http://i126.photobucket.com/albums/p86/2manydogs_photos/DSC00108.jpg)