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Author Topic: Hemlock for arrows?  (Read 11794 times)

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Offline Diligence

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Hemlock for arrows?
« on: February 19, 2009, 03:51:19 pm »
Well - been lurking for a while, thought I would make my first post a question:

Looking at making myself some arrows via the thumb plane method.  I purchased some nice tight poplar and found some very straight grain hemlock in the "trim section" of Home Depot.  Already 3/8" thick by 1.5" wide.

I cannot find any web references to people using Hemlock for self made arrows.  The grain is not very dense, but it is super straight.

These will be primitive arrows to be shot from my first selfbow (which is almost finished) as such, I'm not too concerned with spine or technical considerations.  I just want to be able to say "my bow works"....at least for now.

Any concerns, tips, considerations regarding hemlock for arrows?

Thanks in advance for your comments,
D
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Offline Pat B

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Re: Hemlock for arrows?
« Reply #1 on: February 19, 2009, 04:05:16 pm »
If it has straight grain you should have no problems. I've never used hemlock for arrows but if it ain't too expensive you could do a test and let us know how it works.   Pat
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Make the most of all that comes and the least of all that goes!    Pat Brennan  Brevard, NC

Offline DanaM

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Re: Hemlock for arrows?
« Reply #2 on: February 19, 2009, 07:17:06 pm »
Hemlock should work fine, I know from experience when it gets dry it gets harder than heck and makes one helluva hot fire :)
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Offline Pat B

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Re: Hemlock for arrows?
« Reply #3 on: February 20, 2009, 01:37:21 am »
All of our hemlocks are dying. An invasive wholly adelgid(aphid) is sucking the life out of them. If it makes good fire wood I need to start cutting it. I'm so used to good old red oak I don't hardly think of other woods, especially the softwoods.
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Make the most of all that comes and the least of all that goes!    Pat Brennan  Brevard, NC

Offline DanaM

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Re: Hemlock for arrows?
« Reply #4 on: February 20, 2009, 07:31:28 am »
Pat we have the same problem up here, seems like every tree in the woods has a disease of bug killing them.
Emerald ash borer, oak wilt, spruce bud worm, dutch elm, the beeches got something, the pine borer and so on >:(
Pat hemlock is a soft wood so it will generate more cresote than hard wood, careful ya don't burn da house down eh :o
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"Prosperity is a way of living and thinking, and not just money or things. Poverty is a way of living and thinking, and not just a lack of money or things."

Manistique, MI

Offline Hillbilly

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Re: Hemlock for arrows?
« Reply #5 on: February 20, 2009, 10:24:04 am »
Pat, hemlock burns good, but man does it pop and crackle and throw sparks all over the place.
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Offline DanaM

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Re: Hemlock for arrows?
« Reply #6 on: February 20, 2009, 10:28:42 am »
Quote from: Hillbilly on February 20, 2009, 10:24:04 am
Pat, hemlock burns good, but man does it pop and crackle and throw sparks all over the place.

Now why did ya have to go tell him that Steve, ruining all my fun ;) :D
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"Prosperity is a way of living and thinking, and not just money or things. Poverty is a way of living and thinking, and not just a lack of money or things."

Manistique, MI

Offline Hillbilly

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Re: Hemlock for arrows?
« Reply #7 on: February 20, 2009, 11:01:54 am »
 ;D
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Smoky Mountains, NC

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Progress might have been all right once but it's gone on for far too long.

Offline Pat B

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Re: Hemlock for arrows?
« Reply #8 on: February 20, 2009, 12:33:28 pm »
I think I'll stick to tried and true red oak!!!
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Make the most of all that comes and the least of all that goes!    Pat Brennan  Brevard, NC

Offline Diligence

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Re: Hemlock for arrows?
« Reply #9 on: April 06, 2009, 12:07:54 am »
Well, as an update, I finished the first of my six hemlock arrows.  Cut them into 3/8" square stock, then planed and sanded to about 3/8" diameter.  The one I finished was 33" long.

I shot it out of my newly finished 58# chokecherry bow, and WOW oh WOW...I couldn't believe how fast it lept from the bow string.  I shot it without any point, just a flush cut wood end, and it stuck 1/2" into my 3/4" thick plywood target backing!  It's way faster than the aluminum 2216 eastons I was using.  I haven't spined them, but will get around to that eventually.

No pictures, but I did use pigeon feathers for fletching, and all 3 fletches are almost destroyed after 4 shots (it's dark here right now and I was scared I'd lose the arrow in the snow).

I will be making many more of these I think, just with better fletching.  I bought the hemlock trim at Home Depot, 3/8" thick by 1.5" wide.  Super straight grain, running the full length of the shafts.

I think I'm hooked!

Thanks for all the help!

D
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"Always do your best and to everyone be kind and good" - Ernst Hjalmer Selin (1906-2000)....my grandfather's words of advice he wanted me to tell my children.

Offline Mangeur de lard

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Re: Hemlock for arrows?
« Reply #10 on: April 09, 2009, 10:44:02 am »
I never used hemlock for shafting but its a wood known for taking all sorts of twists and cups as it dries. On the other hand, its strong and light and rot resistant. Just keep an eye out for their straightness.

good luck
Matthieu
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Offline Diligence

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Re: Hemlock for arrows?
« Reply #11 on: April 11, 2009, 07:52:41 pm »
These ones are dead dry right now and are "arrow" straight.

Just broke off a self nock this afternoon.  I was in a hurry to shoot some of my new arrows I made, and I don't have any good fletching left so I ended up shooting a two fletch (duct tape) arrow without nock wrappings....and sure enough, it sheared off about 7" of arrow....still shot forward fine, but wrecked the arrow.

So, jury is still out on the suitability of Hemlock for arrows.

D
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"Always do your best and to everyone be kind and good" - Ernst Hjalmer Selin (1906-2000)....my grandfather's words of advice he wanted me to tell my children.

Offline Jim Davis

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Re: Hemlock for arrows?
« Reply #12 on: April 14, 2009, 01:51:29 am »
My experience with hemlock for other uses is that it is pretty brittle. I would think it dangerous to the shooter.

Reparrow man
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Jim Davis

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Offline Ohio John

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Re: Hemlock for arrows?
« Reply #13 on: May 14, 2009, 11:51:47 pm »
I recently aquired some very old hemlock boards and was going to make arrows of it. I dont see why its any more dangerous than cedar.
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Offline richpierce

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Re: Hemlock for arrows?
« Reply #14 on: May 15, 2009, 07:34:37 pm »
Hemlock splinters easily.  Not all conifers are alike- at all.  Be careful
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