Expecting to much from wood?

Don Armstrong · January 11, 2008, 04:30:00 PM

I have bought some poplar, Stika spruce, POC, ash, and doug fir shafts in the last few years and am not happy with any of these. I love to shoot wood but have had several issues with these shafts. I found POC from Rogue River archery to be VERY good shafts. They were straight and shot well. Durability was an issue with POC and Rogue River has changed hands. I don't always hit what I'm aming at and if you pull one wrong, its gone. Ash is VERY tough but VERY heavy and the ones I had didn't stay straight. I have just finished some poplar and found them to be not as straight as I would have hoped. I have also just finished some sikta spruce and they were a little crocked to. Granted, I haven't shot the poplar and sitka spruce yet so I could be surprised. The doug fir I have seems to have stayed straight over the years and shots OK but they could be a little tougher. I may just be expecting to much. I really like straight arrows and would use carbon or alum. but I like the feel of wood when you shoot them, if that makes any sense. I was wondering how laminated birch was. Is it straight from the supplier or does it require straighting and how heavy compared to POC and ash. Thanks, Don

killinstuff · January 11, 2008, 04:49:00 PM

Most of time, when I get a shaft that's crocked, I'll straighten it and that seems to help.

Bill Carlsen · January 11, 2008, 04:49:00 PM

Don: I made custom wood arrows for a long time. Straightness is a thing one must learn to deal with and learn to do. Guru has a "how to" on the forum here regarding hook straightening. Hook straightening is simply the best way to keep wood straight. How you store arrows is also a key. I made arrows from many woods and included all of the ones that you mentioned. I found thru trial and error that white birch, tapered on the nock end made a very nice hunting arrow that was hefty, but not too heavy, and when hook straightened did not take any undue effort to keep them that way. My experience with laminated shafts was shortlived...they simply did not hold up. I haven't made arrows for sale for a while now so perhaps the laminating of the shafts is better but each material comes with its own set of problems. For the money, carbon is the best buy in arrow shafts once you fid the one that works for you.

WESTBROOK · January 11, 2008, 06:12:00 PM

If you think Ash is too heavy, dont buy Lam-Birch.

Eric

aromakr · January 11, 2008, 07:38:00 PM

Don:
One very important part of making wood arrows is the finish you put on them. Non-cedar arrows must be sealed well to retard moisture loss as much as possible. I am not a fan of the Poly-finishes a lot of guys use. You need a good oil base finish, like Tung Oil or good grade of Spar varnish. Moisture loss or addition of is the problem. We have all bought lumber that was straight when purchased but crooked a couple of weeks later, no different with non-cedar shafts.
Bob

Orion · January 11, 2008, 07:48:00 PM

If you want to shoot wood, you have to accept its limitations. Among other things, that means straightening it, properly matching weight and spine, sealing it, and treating it with just a little respect/thoughtfulness. In my 40 plus years of shooting wood, I've never broken an arrow while pulling it from a target. If you want tough, straight and no maintenance, shoot Carbon.

Bear Heart · January 11, 2008, 07:57:00 PM

My only problem with my wood arrows is that they are just too pretty. The first set of POC arrows I bought from Susan St. Charles looked better than a dozen roses. When I do brake one my heart hurts a little to see it go.

Don Armstrong · January 11, 2008, 08:26:00 PM

Gee thanks guys, I have only been shooting a bow for about 30 years and trad for about 8 of those. I realize they need for wood arrows to be straightened but have not got that down yet. I appricate the heads up on the laminated birch and the poly products. I shoot a lot of 3D targets and some of these are just a third of one that lies on the ground. Arrows are REALLY hard to pull from 3D target unless you shoot alum. Carbon is really hard sometimes. Orion, you are truly my hero. I have never met anyone else that has not broken or bent an arrow in a target in my 30 years of target shooting. Don

Orion · January 11, 2008, 08:31:00 PM

I said I've never broken one pulling it from a target, and I haven't. And I've been shooting 20-30 3-D tournaments a year since the modern ethafoam 3-D targets were invented.

freeman · January 11, 2008, 08:43:00 PM

Don, Lube them arrows up with a little paraffin, or soap, or silicon spray. They'll come out of a 3-D a whole lot easier.

Mark Trego · January 11, 2008, 09:02:00 PM

I am not a professional fletcher, but here is my two cents. People get in to big of a hurry when making wood arrows. I like hickory shafting better than any other type of material. I only make a dozen at a time, straighten, let rest, straighten maybe six more times, till the shafting starts to behave. Let stain dry at least a week, then seal with Tung Oil.

killinstuff · January 12, 2008, 07:14:00 AM

I have not broken a wood arrow on a 3D target either. For 3D I shoot Sitka Spruce arrows and they are tougher then POC and not as heavy making them, I think a better arrow material for target shooting. Those 30 or 35 yard shoots with a heavy arrow are hard. I finish all my arrows in a marine varnish. I've seen cheap varnish get "target burn" from the form. I also apply paste wax the shafts every now and then and that helps a lot.

Lost Arra · January 12, 2008, 07:38:00 AM

Shoot Rinehart targets.

I've got an old Mackenzie turkey and a Cabelas deer that require a winch to remove any arrow.

I'm also a fan of paste wax on wood arrows.

Bonebuster · January 12, 2008, 09:07:00 AM

I have to say, I think Orion summed it up.

If you want tough, strait, and no maintenance, shoot carbon.

The "feel" of a wood arrow coming from bow is hard to describe, but there is certainly something to it.

Personally, I use carbon exclusively. But wood arrows will always be the best.

LBR · January 12, 2008, 11:32:00 AM

I keep a "motel" size bar of soap in my quiver to lube my arrow ever third shot or so. I used to get fussed and cussed at on a regular basis by whoever was pulling arrows before I did that--now they come out easy.

I prefer an epoxy finish--the poly finishes I used just glued the arrow in the target.

Chad

NY Yankee · January 12, 2008, 08:18:00 PM

You have to learn to care for wood arrows. Some need to be straightened once in a while. Some don't but the point is you cant just stick them together and throw em in the corner 'till next time. I shoot wood because I like to work with my arrows. Others do not like to do that so they shoot alum or carbon.

Rico · January 13, 2008, 09:21:00 AM

you cant just stick them together and throw em in the corner 'till next time.

That's pretty much what I do with mine.
My wood cedar arrows are either broke or they are straight. I have some old Bear arrows setting in the rack that have not been shot for years yet they look to be very straight to me.