Doug' Fir Shafts

PaulRoberts · October 17, 2012, 11:11:00 AM

Douglas Fir make a good shaft? I hear good things but am leery of most softwoods. I do a lot of roving here in the Rocky Mountains and it is... well... rocky!

I heard good things about larch some years back and tried some. I liked it -for about a year. It appeared they went brittle as they dried and became VERY fragile. The last of them shattered on impact with straw bales. No kidding.

So far I use Sitka and for light bows and ash for heavier bows.

What does Doug' fir have going for it?

Rock 'N Bow · October 17, 2012, 12:01:00 PM

Douglas fir in my opinion is about as close to a perfect wood shaft as you are going to find. I've been using Surewood shafts for a few years and have not broken very many. It is uncanny how straight they are and they stay straight despite fairly hard impacts. I've taken 3 critters with the same arrow and it is still usable. The only downside is they are a little tough to taper with blade type taper tools. The blades go dull fairly quick. Other than that they are perfect. I would definitly contact Surewood shafts. I am always pleased with their service.

PaulRoberts · October 17, 2012, 03:21:00 PM

Thanks. What can you tell me about mass? What do shafts or finished arrows tend to weigh?

Sharpend60 · October 17, 2012, 03:40:00 PM

I shoot doug fir too.
I like em better than cedar and spruce. I even like em a lil more than ash.
Ash tends to be a good bit heavier and harder to straighten than fir...

I shoot a 29+" arra and usually end up about 600 or so.

emt137 · October 17, 2012, 03:46:00 PM

Might want to look into poplar as well. It has a lot of desirable qualities that makes it a prime arrow shaft.

cedar · October 17, 2012, 05:03:00 PM

Look on the Surewood shafts website. They list the average mass weights for each spine group.

Roy from Pa · October 17, 2012, 05:23:00 PM

http://surewoodshafts.com/index.html

STICKBENDER98 · October 17, 2012, 06:30:00 PM

I had bought some doug fir shafts on that auction web site, had a good friend heading to Colorado this fall and sent a dozen shafts to him to fletch up, I was amazed when he told me they weighed in at over 700 grains! when he was done. WOW and they flew awsome out of his bow.

pauljr · October 17, 2012, 06:48:00 PM

I shoot tapered douglas fir from snag, they are full length, 75-80lb spine and with 160gr broad heads weigh in at about 730 gr. I also agree with all the comments above. Great Shafts

Terry Lightle · October 17, 2012, 07:15:00 PM

What was said above-Great shafts

wooddamon1 · October 17, 2012, 07:33:00 PM

My new favorite shafts, I've bought a couple dozen "hunter" grade from Surewood and haven't had to straighten 1 of them. My finished arrows weigh around 625 for a 29"er...

When I stumped in CO I only broke 1 on a glancing rock shot that jumped out in front of my arrow.

They stain real nice too.

PaulRoberts · October 17, 2012, 10:15:00 PM

Thanks all.

darin putman · October 17, 2012, 10:26:00 PM

Always amazed at the beating my surewoods can take and continue to fly great, stay straight and not break. One tough shaft thats for sure, and great service too!!!!!! Not that there indestuctable but they are one tough shaft!!

Shedrock · October 17, 2012, 11:10:00 PM

I sure love Douglas Fir :thumbsup:makes great arrows.

Steve Clandinin · October 18, 2012, 11:03:00 AM

I been using them for about a year now 65-70# spine,Fantastic arrows,I think the best wood I've ever shot.

michaelschwister · October 18, 2012, 08:22:00 PM

Surewood makes GREAT shafts!

AkDan · October 19, 2012, 11:18:00 AM

I am also shooting dougfir. They do need straightening. And some like all wood shafts need tweaking from time to time. They do have great grain but at least in my experience explode when they do go. I have shot a few critters and so far I like them though I do recommend spinning them ince they arrive.

A comment was made about ash. I think is one of the most under rated woods going! There's little more durable and getting spine and weight in a smaller diameter wasn't hard at all. Straightening is simple with heat. Just be careful too much heat and you'll end up with noodles! Ash doesn't stain as well as other woods though, maybe it's main short coming. And if not sealed properly you'll end up with warpage issues as with all wood. Ash is extremely porous compared to most arrow woods used today. They will suck up water if you don't take the time to fill the holes! I still have a few before Mike L closed his doors years ago. Still straight as any other arrow I have! We've hit steel plates with no breakage! While Doug firs good. Ash is better imho. My first ram shot with an ash arrow rolled a number of times before the arrow gave. Upon retrieval it was bent more like you'd expect from alum! Coming from a wood shaft at least for me it was quite impressive! I've considered going back after a hiatus with cedar and now Doug fir, for some reason I haven't. Though I doubt it will be to long in coming!

No comment on poplar. It's a shaft I've considered trying but for whatever reason I haven't. It's easy to find if u want to dowel it yourself something at least gor me is becoming more and more appealing

PaulRoberts · October 19, 2012, 01:27:00 PM

Well... I love ash too. Have no reason or need to switch. Maybe the dryness here in CO helps. It also stains richly with Danish Oil.

Just curious about fir since it grows here so commonly. As I said I'm leery of softwoods, esp after my experience with larch and a similar (but not so extreme) experience a friend had with lodgepole. Sitka has proven itself to me and I'm still stumping with some shafts that have to be 8 years old now.

I've started to work up some poplar dowels, have some 5/16" straightened (pressure worked fine as its pretty soft wood), stained, and spined. I also have some 3/8" waiting to be reduced and tapered. We'll see what comes with it. I'm bothering bc of the price of Sitka now.

Brock · October 19, 2012, 02:07:00 PM

i love doug fir as well...been shooting it since 90s. have also shot ash, hickory, maple, sitka spruce, chundoo/lodgepole pine...and of course cedar.

I prefer douglas fir then sitka spruce or chundoo.

AkDan · October 19, 2012, 04:28:00 PM

Thanks for the Danish oil tip I will try to remember that ! I think you'll like Doug fir as a hole if u try it. I've bought from both sure wood and allegheny now.

I was shooting barrel tapered ash from silent pond. Really shot well and the penetration I was getting was pretty pleasing to boot! I don't mess with the efoc at all though I may tinker some with the Doug fir (barrel tapered footed). What left a lasting impression on me was the durability and by far they have out penetrated any of my setups to date. Still scratching my head why I switched other than footing ash is kind of pointless lol!