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Main Boards => PowWow => Topic started by: WILL CAROTHERS on April 26, 2012, 11:14:00 PM

Title: Arrow making woods
Post by: WILL CAROTHERS on April 26, 2012, 11:14:00 PM
Hey again, i want to start making split shaft arrows where i saw out blanks and plane the corners etc; i used a few pieces of scrap cypress to try it, and it seems like a cool new technique, and much cheaper than buying shafts.
The question is, what woods from my local hardware store would be best, we have poplar, pine, regular cedar, and fir. I know all of these are sold as shafting but which ones would be easier to make using the technique im thinking of?
Title: Re: Arrow making woods
Post by: Drewster on April 26, 2012, 11:29:00 PM
Will, I recently made a few shafts like you want to do out of poplar.  Poplar is a soft hardwood with fairly nice uniform grain.  It planes nicely with a low angle block plane.  I want to try some Douglas fir next......need to get a spine tester though.  

Have fun!
Title: Re: Arrow making woods
Post by: WILL CAROTHERS on April 26, 2012, 11:35:00 PM
for the past few arrows ive made, i tested the flex of the arrow against and arrow that was spined for my bow, and those shoot really well out of my longbow, so i think it is a little quicker than a spine tester
Title: Re: Arrow making woods
Post by: Jon Stewart on April 27, 2012, 06:43:00 AM
I made some really  nice shafts out of yellow burch.  Stout and straight.