Ive used Ash in the past with great results, but am looking for other possible choices in heavy, or very heavy wood shafts, as well as vendors who provide said shafting. Any help would be appreciated.
Thanks, Paul
Check with Snag he is a sponsor here and owns Wilderness Custom Arrows
Laminated birch.
x2 on the laminated birch
how heavy? I just got some that are 700+ grains for a 30 BAre shaft 5/16 and 11/23 diameter! Some others are 550 for 30" bareshaft.
Laminated birch if you want heavy that will be your ticket.
toe head, 700 gr. or more 30" bare shaft is right up my alley! Generally shooting 60-80 lbs thats the kind of weight im looking for.
pm sent my friend.
Birch is about the same weight as ash. Maple and hickory are heavier and tougher, though both ash and birch are pretty heavy and tough. Some of the exotic woods are heavier yet, though I don't have any experience with them.
Hickory is about the heaviest "common" wood shaft I know of. Tougher than a 2 dollar steak too.
If only I could find hickory as straight as the ash I've been using. Any suggestions on who sells straight, quality hickory by the hundred?
(http://i617.photobucket.com/albums/tt252/Rikhinton/ash_arrows_bull_elk_background_lowres.jpg)
Whoever it was that took over from Hickory Creek sent me some Hickory shafts that made 800 +gn arrows with a 145 gn point. Hunting tapered and cut to 29.5" they still weighed 650 gns just shaft weight. 3Rivers sells lam birch that will weigh about the same. All that is too heavy for me today as I have moved down to the low 50's.
To me, Ash is as good as it gets and it can be really straight, and comes heavy or fairly light.
I also ran across this gent who will make custom shafts. He works with a variety of woods: Kevin Forrester kf571_2000@yahoo.com I'm sure he won't mind his email posted here. Be advised I have not ordered from him yet; but he seemed more than OK.
Look no furhter than Laminated Birch from Allenghany Mountain Arrow Woods
There's a guy here (forget his name) that swears by soaking shafts in Danish Watco oil for a week or two. He says they'll pick up a bunch of weight, can't recall the exact number but I think it was something like 100-200 grains. That might be something to consider trying.
I have some great Surewood douglas fir shafts that are in the 500+ range. With a broadhead you'll be up in the 700gr range.
Gringol: I've talked about soaking POCs in Watco oil quite a bit, but they don't gain that much. A 11/32 shaft will gain 50-60 grains. I've also soaked them under pressure a few times and they came out of the tube 150-200 grains heavier, but they then bled for two weeks until they were back down to a 50-60 grain net increase.
The soaking adds some weight, but they would still be lighter than most hardwoods, and not as strong.
Thanks for the great info. guys. Since im set in my ways and a fan of wood arrows, these leads will be a great help.