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Author Topic: Best wood out of these  (Read 5860 times)

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vCo2v

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Best wood out of these
« on: November 21, 2008, 04:20:47 pm »
In the 36" section which would be the best wood to use?

http://www.atlasdowel.com/spmatdowels.htm

Would it be more cheaper to just go to a hardware store and select straight grain dowels myself or buy the bulk from that store?

Thanks in advance
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Papa Matt

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Re: Best wood out of these
« Reply #1 on: November 21, 2008, 04:31:01 pm »
I've tried Poplar and didn't care too much for them. They're too soft for me. Cherry is good, and I've not tried them but I hear hickory, maple and Ash are all good. Personally, I'd go for Cherry. They work well and make real pretty arrows.

~~Papa Matt
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Offline ricktrojanowski

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Re: Best wood out of these
« Reply #2 on: November 21, 2008, 06:02:12 pm »
Ash makes some nice heavy arrows that can really hold up to some abuse.  Ash is usually pretty straight and easy to straighten if necessary.  I also like Hickory.  But it is a bit tougher to straighten and keep straight.
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Franklyn A

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Re: Best wood out of these
« Reply #3 on: November 21, 2008, 06:48:13 pm »
My selection out of those provided would be 1. Hickory ( heavy and durable ) and 2. Cherry ( never tried them, but would like to - should be straight). It is too bad ramin wasn't included - a very durable arrow material, but hard to get a matched set.
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vCo2v

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Re: Best wood out of these
« Reply #4 on: November 21, 2008, 07:26:59 pm »
Would it be more cheaper to go a hardware store to hand pick 12 at about a dollar each?

Or would it be safe to buy the 100 bundle at 35 dollars? I've heard that sometimes you get most that are junk.
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Franklyn A

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Re: Best wood out of these
« Reply #5 on: November 22, 2008, 12:23:35 am »
The prices per 100 pieces is exceptional, however, getting a matched set of twelve arrows in the desired weight and spine might prove to be frustrating. In the past I have chosen some similar lengths of 3/8 ramin and obtained a fairly economical set of arrows, but not without a lot of work with straightening, tapering and sanding, etc.
Well worth the effort to experiment a little, however. 
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Offline Kegan

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Re: Best wood out of these
« Reply #6 on: November 23, 2008, 03:30:01 pm »
http://www.craftparts.com/

I've ordered from them several times, getting the 3/8" birch (I think there's some maple in there too, but you can spine them all out to the same). Top notch- out of 100, only about 15 get turned into tomato stakes.

The finished arrows, even tapered, are about 600 grains (they are quite consistent- perfect for arrows), and spine anywhere from 50-90# depending on how much you care to sand. They're also extremely helpful, and I don't think I'll be ordering from anywhere else.

The easiest way I've come across for using them, is to take a handfull and taper the last 10". Once tapered, spine them and sand them down (which makes it jsut a little more tapered- hardly a noticeable dip). I love them :)!
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vCo2v

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Re: Best wood out of these
« Reply #7 on: November 23, 2008, 05:15:24 pm »
oh wow thanks for the link kegan.
Definitely going to get it from there.
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Offline Kegan

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Re: Best wood out of these
« Reply #8 on: November 24, 2008, 05:40:49 pm »
Quote from: vCo2v on November 23, 2008, 05:15:24 pm
oh wow thanks for the link kegan.
Definitely going to get it from there.

Glad I could help :)!
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Offline JackCrafty

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Re: Best wood out of these
« Reply #9 on: November 25, 2008, 01:05:32 am »
To answer your question, yes, it's cheaper to go to the hardware store and hand pick the dowels....but you'll have to weigh the dowels to get the best match.  I forget who, but one of the guys here actually brings his grain scale into the store. ;D

I get my hickory dowels from atlasdowel.  You can make extremely tough arrows with them.  About half the dowels are suitable for arrows that are 24" long.  Maybe 1 in 4 is good for an arrow 30" long.  There is a LOT of variation in weights and spines, so you'll need to buy at least 100 dowels to make a good matched dozen.
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Offline rkeltner

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Re: Best wood out of these
« Reply #10 on: November 25, 2008, 02:36:44 am »
i've done the sort and then weigh at the hardware store. love the strange looks ya' get! >:D O:)
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Offline Kegan

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Re: Best wood out of these
« Reply #11 on: November 25, 2008, 05:53:58 pm »
Quote from: jackcrafty on November 25, 2008, 01:05:32 am
To answer your question, yes, it's cheaper to go to the hardware store and hand pick the dowels....but you'll have to weigh the dowels to get the best match.  I forget who, but one of the guys here actually brings his grain scale into the store. ;D

I get my hickory dowels from atlasdowel.  You can make extremely tough arrows with them.  About half the dowels are suitable for arrows that are 24" long.  Maybe 1 in 4 is good for an arrow 30" long.  There is a LOT of variation in weights and spines, so you'll need to buy at least 100 dowels to make a good matched dozen.

If you don't mind slightly didfferent center diamteres, you can sand your own. Then just sort them by spine. It was in an issue of PA a few months ago, and on Jawge's site I think, but with shoots. Applied to dowels, you just sort them by weight.
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