Primitive Archer
Main Discussion Area => Arrows => Topic started by: legend on August 29, 2017, 03:19:54 pm
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Hello All ,
In basic terms which woods do people recommend when making your own Arrows and Why ? lengths / thicknesses etc .
They would be used ifor an American style flatbow I made approx. 66" Tip to Tip for a 27" draw , and a shorter recurve bow I am making at present . I have seen Bamboo , Spruce <Cedar and Pine all advertised and am a little confused as to which ones to use ?
Thanks
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Any of them. It comes down to availability, workability and durability. Any wood good enough for arrows can be made to perform well.
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I just started using poplar because I am but it local, versus the Sitka I used to use, but that's a three hour drive to get it. Plus, poplar I can run through the dowel maker and requires just a 220 grit sanding. 11/32 get me a 50-55 lb spine very consistently.
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I hand plane my shafts from white pine. I've also used polar.
Then there are shafts from natural shoots.
More on my site.
Jawge
http://traditionalarchery101.com
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Making your own arrows from woods available for yourself locally is always doable and fun.Availability like Pat M said.Split timber shafts reduced from a 3/8" square stock of walnut,honey locust,maple,black locust,and shoot shafts like dogwoods all can be used for arrow shafts around me here.It's a matter of which woods in your area match your criteria for your bows.That's something you have to know what you want.Some woods are heavier with less spine and visa versa.The best balanced type wood I use is dogwoods giving me the mass weight balanced same as the spine.For instance.....A 55# spine 30" dogwood will generally give me around a 550 grain arrow with a 125 grain field tip.
Outside of my area type woods I like and have to buy or trade for are douglas fir and bamboo.Many bow makers have river cane available to them too.
It's all about matching the spine weight to your bows' draw weight.
For toughness I like dogwoods and bamboo.