Cedar arrows....worth it?
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You can get wood shafting "to spec", but you'll pay for it. IMO an archer doesn't buy wood so that he can shoot better groups at 80yards. It's done for any number of reasons but (again, my opinion) it's about getting back to the "ol days".
To answer your question, I'd do it… as long as you were sure of what you wanted. I'd be sure to speak in person with those you're doing business with. All the best!
Tom
To answer your question, I'd do it… as long as you were sure of what you wanted. I'd be sure to speak in person with those you're doing business with. All the best!
Tom
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1,399 Posts
If you have a spine tester it might work out. I don't make woodies much anymore but a long time ago I decided it was in my best interest to buy spine and weight matched tapered shafts, even if they did cost more. I never broke or lost enough arrows to make buying 100s worth it to me.
If you are thinking of making all 100 into complete arrows, I'm not sure that's the best way to go about it. I would sort them by weight and spine, then make up a few and figure out which set works best and then take that set to completion.
If you are thinking of making all 100 into complete arrows, I'm not sure that's the best way to go about it. I would sort them by weight and spine, then make up a few and figure out which set works best and then take that set to completion.
Hello.
If you are new to woodies, I'd suggest a quality source and a dozen shafts to start with. A good source will sell you a consistent spine and very close weights. If you can figure out the closest match of shaft spine for your bow, that is good.
Process them all, but leave a couple without feathers if you want to do some bare shaft testing with the batch down the road (or just fletch them all and be done with it).
Let this be an inexpensive entry into the learning curve on building them and observing their performance. You can leave them long, buy points of various weights, and if flight is not satisfactory you can then experiment with point weight and cutting shorter.
Once you have your woody feet wet, larger purchases, and spine and weight matching, will seem less daunting.
Ease into it and have fun. This is how I did it to start with ... and I ain't never looked back! Keep it inexpensive until you feel more confident with what you are doing.
Good luck.
If you are new to woodies, I'd suggest a quality source and a dozen shafts to start with. A good source will sell you a consistent spine and very close weights. If you can figure out the closest match of shaft spine for your bow, that is good.
Process them all, but leave a couple without feathers if you want to do some bare shaft testing with the batch down the road (or just fletch them all and be done with it).
Let this be an inexpensive entry into the learning curve on building them and observing their performance. You can leave them long, buy points of various weights, and if flight is not satisfactory you can then experiment with point weight and cutting shorter.
Once you have your woody feet wet, larger purchases, and spine and weight matching, will seem less daunting.
Ease into it and have fun. This is how I did it to start with ... and I ain't never looked back! Keep it inexpensive until you feel more confident with what you are doing.
Good luck.
A good idea if you can spine and weight them into batches that are close to each other. Now if your just making them for "stumping or small game hunting" then I would make them up and shoot them. Most of them will get broke anyway. Only downside is the cost of feathers these days, seems there is to many trad shooters and to few turkey's
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It all comes down to why you want to shoot woodies. If you're shooting Longbow competitively and it is important to you to win, then yes.
But as already mentioned no matter how well "matched" they are when purchased, you will need to apply even tighter tolerances and you'll have a high "reject" rate. (you never throw any of them away, but many will just not make competition grade.)
Unless total junk I do better than getting 20 out of 100. Maybe 50-60. Taking the 100 and creating "batches" as mentioned will keep the reject rate down. Also don't get hung up on feeling that a set MUST be one dozen. A set is a set whether its 9 or 17, or whatever.
But as already mentioned no matter how well "matched" they are when purchased, you will need to apply even tighter tolerances and you'll have a high "reject" rate. (you never throw any of them away, but many will just not make competition grade.)
Unless total junk I do better than getting 20 out of 100. Maybe 50-60. Taking the 100 and creating "batches" as mentioned will keep the reject rate down. Also don't get hung up on feeling that a set MUST be one dozen. A set is a set whether its 9 or 17, or whatever.
Why not just buy them from a supplier that hand spines and weighs them? A bit more expensive but worth it to me. I know of at least one supplier that sells them in dozens of the same spine # and weight variation of 10-20 grains. Unfortunately the stain and sealer will cause some variation as well but the tighter the tolerances when you start, the tighter the tolerances on the finished arrow. I have been out of traditional for quite a while but when I was in it previously, I found that spine tolerance was more critical than weight tolerance.
I am waiting on a few trial shafts in 56#, 59# and 62# so I am curious to see if I can tell the difference in bare shaft testing.
I am waiting on a few trial shafts in 56#, 59# and 62# so I am curious to see if I can tell the difference in bare shaft testing.
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381 Posts
When I used cedar, I started with a dozen Hunter's grade, pre-made, from Rose City Archery. Then I worked my way up, bought matched bare shafts, and eventually bought them in 100's. I have access to a grain scale and surface table at work, so I could match them by weight and check straightness. They come spine tested, and grain on most were good. I would say 90% made great arrows, but there were some that were overly heavy or stiff, or wouldn't stay straight.
Prices went up, though, and the fun of making them eventually became work. I gave up on them, went to aluminum.
Prices went up, though, and the fun of making them eventually became work. I gave up on them, went to aluminum.
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Big mistake that alot of ones buying wood is buying over spine. Buy your wood within 5# (50-54#) not 6#(50-55#) that is one reason you will get flyers. As far as gr. weight one can go as far as 75 gr. per shaft, but the spine is most important. What is good POC shafts are poor grade from 25yrs ago, remember going through a gross of POC and only found 14 that were acceptable. Shot other woods and the only ones I find that are durable and stay true are from Bob Burton. For the $ tin is still hard to beat, but there is nothing finer than a well made wood coming off the shelf.
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Because in competition +/10 grains, a 20 grain spread ain't that great. You can do better yourself. So why pay top dollar for a "substandard" arrow? Sure at 15-20 yards, that 20 grains probably won't show. At 80 yards like in a Field competition, I assure you that it is VERY obvious.
Like I and others have said, the actual determining factor is WHY is somebody shooting woodies. Exactly what job do you expect them to perform?
Gotta use the right tool for the job at hand. After all, the hammer I use for separating ball joints is not the same hammer I use for adjusting carburetors and installing spark plugs.
That one is bigger!
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