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Help with shaft making

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Bootthrower:
Thank you all for the wonderful advice!
I will definitely buy the Bowyers Bible soon!
I have thought of making arrows from shoots, and I thank you for the advice in how to do so! but there is something I find mesmerizing about the shooting board for Arrows hafts..Though, now that you mention it, I have never thought about the spine.. I was going to use the arrows for a 100# English longbow that I plan on buying soon! and hopefully any future ELBs I make myself!

But I think all will be somewhat well if I, like you said, watch the grain and make sure it is straight..

This truly seems like a lovely community and I'm very impressed by the helpful nature of the people on here!

TimBo:
I like shoot arrows too, although there is definitely something cool about working a square down into an arrow.  If multiflora rose grows in your area, the second year growth makes nice arrows.  I have found a few that are pretty stout and might even work for a warbow. 

Yes, a thumb plane is just a very small plane - they are something like $10-15 at a hardware store. 

TSA:
hi Bootthrower  :)
its awesome to build your own shafts, the sense of accomplishment is awesome.
as said above building from shoots is a neat way, very effective and well proven through the mists of time.
however primitive man did make split shafts as well. i have seen some pics of some old artifacts in this regard.

the great thing about making your own split shafts, is that you can take a wee bit off, spine them, take a bit more off etc etc. ensuring you get a perfectly spined shaft, you can taper them too if thats what you want.

now for splitting, and this is from experience, DO NOT take a chunk of wood and try and split off a flitch- no matter the wood the spit will run out towards the weaker side- ie: the side that is narrower- never landing up with

Bootthrower:
Maybe I should look into making shafts from shoots as well then!
Also, does anyone here have any experience in using ash for an English Longbow?
I was thinking about making a Longbow with a draw weight of maybe between 65-85#. As said I wish to buy a 100# Warbow but I was thinking of making a "middle step" because 100# is a lot of weight and I'm not sure if I could/should jump up in draw weight so quickly without first training my back a bit on a slightly more manageable bow..

I've never made a real bow before (unless one counts the barely bending childhood attempts at such) so advice would be appreciated..
I've watched a lot of videos and I have read about it, but that is nothing compared to words from someone with experience!

I have an abundance of ash and I'm thinking of picking a long and straight branch for drying over the winter, but that's when my inexperience comes to play! what shape should an ash longbow have? I know a flatbow is recommended for ash but I would like to make something more in the style of an ELB! Can ash handle a D-shape if I make the belly a bit less deep?
I have read that the English used Ash as an alternative to Yew sometimes so I hope that it could work for me as well!

TSA, Do you know any other way of splitting wood by hand that I can use? as stated I haven't got a band/table saw so sawing squares seems a bit tricky! The wood in question is either maple or ash as that's what I have the most in my woods. I do not know if that affects the answer but now you know!

TimBo:
TSA:  Can you elaborate on your last point?  (now for splitting, and this is from experience, DO NOT take a chunk of wood and try and split off a flitch- no matter the wood the spit will run out towards the weaker side- ie: the side that is narrower- never landing up with)  It sounds like you may have been interrupted in the middle of your thought, and I am interested to hear what you were going to say!  Do you mean it is better to split the bigger chunk in half, then quarters etc.?

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