Primitive Archer
Main Discussion Area => Arrows => Topic started by: crooketarrow on October 25, 2013, 02:44:21 pm
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Maybe some can help me out.
I made a guy a trade and in the trade involed me makeing 6 arrows.
I ended up with just 3 with 3 others to go his way (later).
The 3 were dog wood for a 45 pound osage I also made.
He wanted a stiffing stick for a otter skin quiver he was makeing and wanted a copper head head on it. The arrows I'd already finished and put them in a 2" pvc pipe with the ends duck taped shut. It was about a week before I sent the package. Another 3 or 5 days for the arrows in the pvc pipe.
When I called him he said that the arrows had warped one really bad. These were really nice straight shafts. Better than what I'm useing.
I've mailed a couple dozzen or so shoot arrows before. But all in cardboard tubes never pvc. pipe. I can't see no reasoning for these arrows to warp.
ANY THOUGHTS
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That's a good question Roy! I've mostly been the sender over the years so it would be nice if some of the recipients would chime in on this. But none complained if their shoot arrows were warped when they got 'em. Sure as shootin', they were straight as a laser when I mailed 'em. Arrows that I've received, were warped slightly though, gravity I reckon...........Art
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I've had to straighten all of those old arrows Art keeps sending to me,,but,, it's well worth it ;) ;D
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Could it be from heat in the plastic tube? I had left some of my shoot shafts in my car, they warped in the heat. Ed
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Well Eddie, if'n you'd learn to straighten the darn things, where you won't miss the mark, I wouldn't have to send you so many ;D!
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Well Eddie, if'n you'd learn to straighten the darn things, where you won't miss the mark, I wouldn't have to send you so many ;D!
;D ;) I did have something happen to me for the first time this summer. I built that real big arrow rack I posted and moved almost all of my arrows into my shop. It's made out of Galvanised steel and no AC. It gets over a 100dgs in there in the Summer when I don't have the fan running and I was suprised to see that a bunch of my Tonkin and hill cane arrows were crooked as could be.
Now I've got to straighten and then put a finish back on after using heat.
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Heat and/or humidity, Roy. ;)
After straightening I temper each shaft(hardwood shoots and cane) and this is when I add the scorched coloration. This seems to help some but sometimes you just have to straighten a wood shaft. ::)
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I've thought about the heat and hummity. They were store in my shop its was cool to cold. I stored them up right.
PAT I'VE TEMPERED THEM BEFORE WITH A TORCH AND OVER. I just can't see any difference other than the camo. Plus you can put the bends back in with the heat you've already taken out.
It's all new to me why they've warped.
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Heat and/or humidity, Roy. ;)
After straightening I temper each shaft(hardwood shoots and cane) and this is when I add the scorched coloration. This seems to help some but sometimes you just have to straighten a wood shaft. ::)
" ;D ;) I did have something happen to me for the first time this summer. I built that real big arrow rack I posted and moved almost all of my arrows into my shop. It's made out of Galvanised steel and no AC. It gets over a 100dgs in there in the Summer when I don't have the fan running and I was suprised to see that a bunch of my Tonkin and hill cane arrows were crooked as could be.
Now I've got to straighten and then put a finish back on after using heat."
Looks like Eddie didn't get the memo again Pat! ;D
Reckon we can now add Roy to that list! >:D
Roy, it's really important to seal shoot shafts much better than dowelled shafts because of all the corrections that were made with heat. But before that, it's more important to reduce MC first, store upright in a controlled environment (in the house) for a period of time to periodically check for straightness. Once that criteria is met, moderate heat and humidity isn't a big issue, for a period of time at least.
Correct if I'm wrong, but it sounds like you stored your shoot shafts in an uncontrolled environment, made up the arrows, using heat of course, finished them up, and shipped. If that's the case, no way would I expect them to make it to your recipient as they were shipped............Art
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The Dogwood we have up here is bad for warping, why I hardly ever use it. Meadowsweet on the other hand will stay straight once straightened with heat. I've found that it's a frequent change in humidity that will make things warp.
Selecting a material that is not prone to warping is usually the better choice when they're going to someone else.
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I don't have any problems with any type shoot arrow warping. My arrows are stored in a rack over a baseboard heater. Year after year I get 'em down for use and never have to re-straighten.
Trick is to get your shafts straight, and don't make up an arrow until the shaft IS straight. This could take from a few days, weeks or even months. For example, if you check a shaft that you made up and straighten the week before, placed in your rack, and it's now crooked, it has to be straightened again and put back and check at a later date. You keep doing this until the shaft stays straight.
So, if your arrows are warping, you're making arrows for shafts that were initially straight, but will crook again later. Or if you're like Eddie, place 'em in a sauna :'(!
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Yea, mine are going back in the house.
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How many times do you have to straighten them before they stay straight? I've repeatedly straightened the Dogwood arrows I made and they still warp over time, it might take a few months but they do warp.
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Marc, shafts that are seasoned less than a year I would have to straighten repeatedly. Over a year seasoned, much less. Older than that less still.
Most of use work with materials we keep out in our shops. So the MC is going to be higher. A good heat straightening job will only reduce the MC so far. Now take and store them in the house where the MC will go down some more and you get some more shrinkage. I think that's where the warping comes from.
So try using well seasoned shafts, MC low to begin with and see if that helps...........Art
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I have heard the "lightening bolt" scratched into arrows was to prevent the warping. So I have to ask, did any of these arrows have a lightening bolt in them? Would this help? Ed
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Grooves were scratched/carved in them by some NA tribes Ed. For whatever reason isn't totally clear, at least to me. Lightening bolts were probably painted on for semblance, religious or other reasons. With their gear bared to the elements, I'm sure it was a constant struggle to keep anything straight. Well seasoned arrow shafts/bow staves would have given them an edge in that department IMO........Art
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Doesn't quite apply Art. The Dogwood I have is nearly 10 years old, well seasoned I would think
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Marc, if you want to send me some of the dogwood I would be happy to straighten a few for you to see if I have any better luck. May be the straightening process I use. For one, I do NO hand straightening what so ever. Strictly heat and compression.
I just checked six sourwood I recently made and straighten. They've been in my rack for about a month now. Three were marked '06 and three marked '12. The ones marked '06 are dead straight after only one session. Other three will need more work.............Art
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Thanks for all the input.
I've made dozzens and dozzens and more dozzens of shoot arrowS. All kinds exspecially dog woods and have made and store them all in my shop some for years. These wer'nt new first year shoots these were 2,3 year old shoots maybe older. They'ed been seasoning pushing a year. I've make dog wood shafts thats seasoned less. Dog wood makes a fine arrow shaft. I'VE BEEN MAKEING THEM 14,15 YEARS. After staighting,sealing dog wood stays straight. I've store them in my shop bitter cold straight through to hot,hummit summers here in WV. FOR YEARS NEVER HAD THIS HAPPEN BEFORE.
THE ONLY THINK I DID DIFFERENT WAS WHEN I FINISHED THEM I HAD OTHER THINGS TO FINISH AND SEND WITH THEM. I packaged them in 2 inch pvc pipe to send them in. The first time for pvc I've always used cardboard tubes. In all ,by the time I'd finished put trade points on them and stored them to he got them was a couple 3 weeks.
I THINK MAYBE BIGFOOT GOT AHOLD OF THEM AND DID IT OR SOMETHING.
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By your own words, you say you leave your arrows out in your shop more or less exposed to temp/humidity swings. Wood doesn't quit shrinking to around 6% M/C, so a change in these conditions is probably the culprit.
Next time throw a wet towel in your shipping tube Roy! >:D Art