How straight should I get my shoots? HELP!!!!

[D. Tiller]

Well, I'm working on some syringa and rose shoots to turn them into shafts. But, I dont know how straight I should get them. I got them to line up prety well but there are just little burbles up and down the shafts.

Question is how straight should they be? Please post pictures! I'm a visual learner!!!
Plus please post tool pictures and how you use them. I am in desperate need of help here.

David T

[DanaM]

Tiller, they don't have to be super straight, if the ends line up and spin true the middle doesn't matter if there are some wiggles.
Did you happen to look at the red osier arrows I had at pappys they were by no means straight. Make a couple up and see how they shoot.

[Knocker]

Hey Dave,
Have you been over White Pass lately?  It looks to me like that is Red Osier lining both banks of the river on the East side of the pass.  I think I will bring some loppers next time I go over to Yakima, but I am thinking I'd better make sure it's legal to harvest since I'll likely be in a work vehicle...

Keith

[markinengland]

David,
it sounds like your arrows are fine.
What I do is hold the arrow in my right cupped hand and pull my hand up fast. This leaves the arrow spinning in the air for a moment I watch the arrow spin as I catch it and spin it again.
The arrow can have a few lumps and bumps in it and spin smoothly if it is all basically straight and in line. Spinning, it can look kind of smooth.
If it really is bent and not straight it won't spin smoothly. The out-of-lineness will be obvious. This seems especially critical near the point and nock. If it spins badly I will adjust the kinsk so the kinks make a vagually straight line and try again. Once the arrow spins in the air OK you are there. It doesn't seem to matter at all if the arrow is snakey, as long as it snakes in a straight line!
Mark in England

[D. Tiller]

Thanks guys! Can you tell me what tools you use to get the kinks out?

[markinengland]

I use an alchohol burner for heat and my hands. No tools needed.
Mark in England

[Pat B]

Heat, oil and hands!    I prefer a bit of character in my arrows. Thats why I use sourwood shoots. If they spin true, usually they will fly true(if not, they become nutters with flu flus). For hunting arrows I don't want too much snake because it would impede penetration but for 3D and just shootin', "not so straight" arrows are fun...and shoot well.
   I draw 26"(most of the time  ) but cut arrows to 29"and that, along with the natural taper I can shoot shoot arrows that are 15# or more over spined and they still shoot well from my self bows.
   Steve Parkers sourwood arrows, on the other hand,  look like they were made with a doweling machine.           Pat 

ps. on severe bends or at the very end of the shoot I use an arrow wrench...a piece of wood(or antler) with an arrow size hole in it to be used for leverage. I don't like using one much because it leaves depressions in the heat softened shaft.

[nugget]

I got some meadow sweet shafts from Dick at Hickory I have made up 1 . It looks crooked as hell but it is about the best shooting arrow I have. Could be good MOJO or luck either way line up the knock and the point then let it fly.
I think I said it correctly ( meadow sweet )  Correct me if I am wrong. It came from out west  . I can not find it in my Audobon book of North American trees.
T.J.

[Pat B]

TJ, It won't be in a tree book. It is a multi-stemmed shrub. I believe it is a Spirea.  Pat

[D. Tiller]

Thanks for the info everyone! I will start making up some shafts and let fly.

One last question! Do you taper he shaft to uniform dimensions or to spine weight them correctly?

David T

[markinengland]

David,
Most shoot shafts will taper naturally. They seem to be quite spine tolerant, perhaps because of this taper.
I haven't spine rated any of my natural shafts. Sometimes one will be too far out and not go where pointed so I don't shoot it, or it breaks or gets lost. It is suprising how you can adjust to a known set of mismatched arrows. My archer is field archery at targets, but 15 arrows used regularly each weekend for 2 years leave me down to 6. They really are durable.
I have removed some of the taper on my shafts on the set I am making to ensure the point end is not too large. I'll be interested to see how this effects them. Commercial shafts are sometimes tapered towards the nock end so I hope they will still fly OK.
Mark in England