selecting a wood shaft

[nc recurveman]

Mornin folks, ill make this simple and short. I have had a naggin desire to switch to wood arras. Last year i gave into the urge and bought a couple doz. Hickory shafts they were a complete nightmare to straighten and keep straight and i tradeum off and gave up. My question is this, i want to build and shoot moderate to heavy hunting arrow. What type wood is easy to maintain but has good mass for hunting. I just want and arrow i dont have constantly fight with to keep straight

[Grey Taylor]

I like Sitka spruce and Douglas fir.
What's really going to make the difference for you though, is to remember that they're wood, not carbon and not aluminum. Wood changes, wood bends, wood raises and lowers in moisture content... wood is wood. Sometimes we have to pay a little emotionally for the priviledge of using wood.

Guy

[Flying Dutchman]

I like Sitka Spruce too. Very strong, but not heavy in weight though. I would say it weights about 10% less then POC.

As for straightening: try this, amazingly easy once you get the hang of it!

http://tradgang.com/noncgi/ultimatebb.php?ubb=get_topic;f=2;t=000060

[Green]

Poplar shafting is now available from Magnus.  The weight ranges are great and the shafting itself is as tough as it comes.  Straightens well.

[Rustic]

X3 on Sitka Spruce. I hand straightened mine. They are very quiet and are awesome to shoot.      

[slivrslingr]

If you want a reasonably heavy arrow, look at Doug Fir.  Not as heavy as the hardwoods, but heavier than POC, Sitka Spruce, or pine (chundoo).  I've found that it straightens well and stays straight once you get it there, a good finish seems to make the difference.  One drawback is that (in my experience) it gets kind of brittle with age.  I'm just getting back into shooting woodies, forgot how much fun and satisfaction I got when using them.  Good luck with your quest!

[Jim Wright]

Since you have stated "moderate to heavy" shafts, get some Douglas Fir shafts from Surewood. Get a spine that accomodates 160-190 grain points and it is very easy to end up with 12 to 1 arrows. The shafts are straight, easy to keep that way with beautiful grain and they stain very well.

[Jon Powell]

I've had good luck with hex pine from Whispering Wind Arrows. You can get them fairly heavy and if you want them heavier soak them in Watco Danish Oil for a few hours. Makes them almost completely waterproof.    Very durable shafts.

[maxwell]

Surewoods have worked great for me, easy to get 600+ grains of arrow weight.  Also I have been shooting woodies for years and don't have any problems with straightness at least not from well made and finished shafts.

[gringol]

Ash is the heavyweight.  It makes very tough arrows.  Shafts will easily weigh 550 grains.  Fir, pine, and spruce are also good.  Fir is the heaviest.  While ash is heavy, it recovers slowly, so it usually requires large fletching.  I would start with pine or fir.

[wooddamon1]

Douglas Fir from Braveheart or Surewood Shafts. You will love 'em!  

[Rick Richard]

I have not tried Douglas Fir, but I can tell you the arrows, POC, I have gotten from Rod Kelley (Mountain Top Traditional Arrows)are exceptional and stay straight.  I have never had to attempt to starighten them yet.

[lpcjon2]

Douglas Fir will be the best bet for you. They are easy to work with and stay straight. Get with snag and see what he has available(pre-done or raw shafts) he makes great arrows,and his stuff is quality.

[SuperK]

Another vote for Douglas fir.  Shot some stumps on the way back from hunting "Swamp Chickens" this AM.  One stump was harder than a brick.  The goldtip carbon arrow was trashed...the fir arrow bounced back but lost the hexhead.  No damage to the arrow.  That douglas fir is some tuff arrow wood.

[Mike Vines]

Originally posted by wooddamon1:
Douglas Fir from Braveheart or Surewood Shafts. You will love 'em!    

Yep

[snag]

Surewood douglas fir is all I use for making arrows. It is tough, fairly easy to straighten, and it is a good weight.

[americanhunter7]

If you're gonna do Douglas Fir go with Surewood shafts directly from them, or from Braveheart Archery, or from where I've got my last three dozen.....snag and Wilderness Custom Arrows. All three are sponsors and Surewoods are FANTASTIC shafts. Magnus has some AWESOME Poplar shafts too as others have mentioned. Good luck.

[Bjorn]

I don't know what you mean by "moderate weight" but Surewood shafting is as good as it gets for fletched and finished shafting (29") in the 500 gn range without point.

[AWPForester]

surewood doug fir if you are trying to get heavy.  Moderate weights iin the 10-12 gpi either hildebrand for spruce or surewood for doug fir.

I got some 650 grain finished arrows in doug fir in the 80-84 spine.  The ironic thing is they are only 27 inches long von to bop.  Pretty heavy stuff no doubt.

I personally like the fir better, but I think the spruce is awlful good too.  Both are excellent choices from excellent people.  God Bless

[snag]

Douglas Fir comes in a wide range of weights. If you are trying to achieve a certain weight in your arrow let me know and I will see if Surewood has some shafts in that range.