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Red Osier shafts

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David Long:
Hi yall,

I'm making my first set of arrows from Red Osier shoots. They are tapered slightly but all around 3/8 ". I have not heated them yet, but they are dry after having been in a box at 85F and 35%RH for a few weeks. When I measure spine, it varies according to how the arrow is oriented. So if I spin the arrow on it's axis on the tester it measures anywhere from 500 to 600 (Easton type numbers). They're pretty straight and this has nothing to do with snake. Flexibility varies. Is this normal/common for shoot shafts? Do I just cut the nocks in each arrow so that each spines where I want them? The wood itself seems very easy to work with. No wonder Native Americans used it.

Dave

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Pat B:
You have a good start there. You will have to remember you aren't working with machine made shafts. They do not have to be laser straight.I prefer some character in my arrows.  With the natural taper of shoot shafts they can be 10# heavier in spine weight and for each inch of shaft over 28" you can reduce the spine by 5#(add 5# for each inch under28"). So if you have a shoot shaft that is 30" long and spine weighs 75#, subtract 10# for the 2" over 28" and 10# for the natural taper and you have an arrow with 55# spine weight. Now to really confuse you(I have confused myself ;)) If you draw less than 28" you can add 5# per inch of draw length under 28".
  I place the shoots on the spine tester with the nock end at one upright of your tester and test that end of the shoot. I remove the excess shaft from the butt(point) end.
   I also find the stiffest side of the shaft and that is where my cock feather goes. After straightening and tempering the shaft I cut the nock perpendicular to the stiff side. fletch it and add the point. If I'm hafting a stone or trade point, I do that first before fletching.  Hope I haven't confused you too much ;)   Pat

ps. Red osier makes great arrows.

1/2primitive:
Uh, yeah, what Pat said. ;D ;)
      Sean

David Long:
Thanks a bunch Pat.  I am unclear why you would remove material from the front of the shaft. Wouldn't you want the front heavier so that FOC remains up there? I was assuming you want the fat part of the shaft forward (tapering narrower to the rear), but is that not the case? When all is said and done and ya got them in the quiver, what are some typical diameters and spine weights you come up with? At 3/8 mine are spineing light for my 53 lb LB. Does spine go up after heating? Too many questions, sorry  :)
Dave

D. Tiller:
I think the fat end goes toward the targer and skinny toward you. I'm working on my first shafts from Wild Rose here in WA. Looks really different from some of the stuff I have seen in other parts of the country. Dont know how it will come out but would like to know more about making these shafts too.

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