Making shafts

[stringstretcher]

What do you think would be the best wood to use to make arrow shaft doing your own shafts.  Something like one of the router jigs or whatever.  What wood that would make a good arrow would be readily available.  White Pine, popular, oak or whatever.

[George Tsoukalas]

I handplane them the old school way. I use white pine (20 mins per shaft) or poplar (40 mins per shaft). I helped my daughter plant a garden yesterday. We had fun. She also bought one of those topsy turvy planters. She smiled and said, "You probably won't like this Dad." I said, " I dunno. I'm old school." She just smiled. Jawge

[karrow]

I have used oak and pine from the local lumber yard both work great oak is heavier and stiffer in spine then white pine. I have hand planned them and that works i also have a dowler that speeds the process up alot. it looks like a over grown pencil sharpener available on the web.

[bowkee]

That Dogwood(osier) sure works good If ya got patience a hand plane and a flat surface works just  like George said old school.

[Lombard]

I found Jawge's site a few years ago, and followed his tutorial for simple arrows. Easy as pie. I ended up making my stock holder with two V groves of different depths with the stops at one end. Like Jawge said it doesn't take long. I had also made a router jig that works well prior to doing it Jawge's way, and it is fine. Since it is my hobby, and I am in no hurry, I just hand plane them now. I like hand planing because I catch flaws, that I never would have zipping them through the router. My shafts look good, and fly well enough to knock off rabbits easy enough.

Rough stock on the left, and finished product on the right.

I have used white pine, cedar, ash, poplar, and oak for shafting material. Personally I like my hardwood shafts the best. Silent, and durable.

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[aero86]

good white pine from like the lumber store? lowes or home depot?

[Bevan R.]

I have a friend that buys 2x12 Douglas Fir from his local lumber yard. Has to search through quite a few to get the grain and least number of knots but he them makes some fine shafts. He also foots them. Sorry I do not have a photo. I am using Poplar and doing all right. I have also made shafts out of the split cedar fencing. Those I did the 'old school' way of hand planning. I am also currently experimenting with laminating pine or cedar onto a hardwood (oak, purpleheart) core and then running that through my shaft shooter. so far I am not displeased.

[Justin Snyder]

jatoba

[Pat B]

Charlie, white pine or poplar are available at Home Depot and Lowe's near the red oak boards. Both make very good arrows.