Wood arrows- Poplar or birch?

[Prairie Drifter]

Which wood is better suited for arrows? Poplar or birch? Which is the heavier wood?

[Don Stokes]

I based the Superceder business on yellow poplar, which is not really a poplar. It is in the Magnolia family, and is much better suited for arrows than true poplars. Birch is much heavier for its spine and more difficult to keep straight.

If you just want heavy, birch. If you want more serviceable arrows with a better spine to weight ratio, poplar.

[moose eye levi]

Poplars are awesome!! I'm new at this game but from the results I've seen from my own experience and others theis pretty heavy and tough as nails I doubt I'll ever try much else for arrows.

[SuperK]

I don't know about birch but the poplar shafts that I get from Twig archery is great shafting.

[Mike Mecredy]

They both have thier good points; Birch being a harder wood and heavier can achieve a higher spine at a smaller diameter.  I can make a 5/16 birch shaft spine well from 30# to 50# depending on the length. I have some 5/16" birch, 29" with some 125gr tuskers that wiegh about 600 gr, that I shoot with a 50# recurve.  I used some tempering and straightening but without much effort. They have to be re-straightened every now and then.

Poplar being lighter and softer will spine well at 11/32" or 23/64" anywhere from 30# to 70# allowing to use a longer arrow, and having more diameter to play with to barrel taper, to adjust the spine and the F.O.C weight. Poplar will stay striaght a little better than birch.  

-Mike

[moose eye levi]

Hey superk what a coincidence I get my shafts from twig too. he's about an hour or so down a few roads from me by far the most knowledgeable person I know when it comes to wood arrows

[Roy Steele]

I've made arrows from each.Birch is heaver and stays straighter.

[Don Stokes]

Heavier arrows have more pure wood substance per unit of volume, meaning that there's more air space in lighter wood. The more wood substance, the more opportunity for the wood to absorb water, which is what causes shafts to warp. So, the heavier the shaft the more likely it is to warp when exposed to moisture, and the more important it is to seal them well.

[trad_bowhunter1965]

Thanks Guys this is some great information.

[Prairie Drifter]

Thanks for all the replies.

[Bill Carlsen]

Mike: I have some white birch shaft. I'de be happy to send you a few to try if you tell me your spine requirement.

[Mike Mecredy]

One thing to keep in mind on this subject; for hunting, try to use the arrows that are heavy enough, and hard enough to allow the use of the smallest diameter.  For instance, a 5/16 birch arrow, that wieghs, 600 gr (broadhead included) is more likely to get a pass through than an 11/32" or 23/64" arrow of a lighter softer wood, that wieghs 600 gr, same spine, same length and shot from the same bow.  There's a few companies out there that make a 5/16" glue - on.  I use tuskers on my 5/16" arrows.

[Mike Mecredy]

Thanks bill, I have an over abundance of white birch shafts, anywhere from 1/4 for kids to 23 /64".  I truely appricate the offer though.  I have a bunch or poplar too and there's certain things I like about both of them.  The sort of weird thing about this thread is birch and poplar, while different as night and day from each other, are both tied as my favorite arrow materials.