crepe myrtle shaft failure

[paulc]

So I have had these shafts in the rafters for at least a year now...work on them a bit and then put them back up.  Finally got to shoot 2 of them over the weekend with stone points and fletching.  I clearly need help with my arrow work as neither fly as well as I had imaged they would   And it seems one of the shafts cracked-and only 2 shots with it before I decided to cut my loses.  Target was a double stack of old couch cushions and while the arrows were not hitting perfectly square they also were not hitting at insane angles...just off kilter enough that I wouldn't want to shoot a critter with them.

Any thoughts other than just a bad shaft?

Thanks, Paul

[boomhowzer]

Let’s see a few pictures of the whole arrow, including one from the nock down the shaft, like the string of the bow is holding the camera. That way we can see the fletching helix. When my arrows are flying sideways I find it’s often imperfect fletching shape (as long as the spine is close).

[Pat B]

How well were your shafts seasoned?

[paulc]

Shafts have been cut for a full year, stored in rafters of an open air shed. Have also spent time in AC depending on what I was doing with them.  Were bundled with back for first week or 2 I guess and then bark stripped.  Put back in rafters.

I know the fletching on this arrow is not as good as it could be...I have done worse work on fletchings as had much worse flight.  I was surprised by the shaft crack as the arrow hits a bit of kilter, like maybe 5 or 10 degrees..?  Tops...it did not strike the couch cushion at 45degrees or anything like that. 

Anyway feedback is appreciated as always...

Thanks, Paul

[BowEd]

paulc....Good attempt.Made quite a few of these shoot shafts myself and facts are is that they don't all 100% make for good shooting shafts.I usually shoot or bare shaft tune them before final fletching.Your form and release while testing has to be consistent.
Good ones usually don't need much fletching on them.It's good when harvesting these to get a lot of them together.
Hitting target at an angle is never good for any shaft or for penetration.If they fly clean bare shaft.Hit square and straight with even just a slight tilt up at 10 yards it's a good one.

[boomhowzer]

I agree with BowEd, those are a good first attempt. I'll be your next ones will be sure flyers.

I know many people on the forum have made good, straight shooting two-fletch arrows, but I've never been able to do it. The helical twist of the feathers has to be pretty spot on, otherwise they won't fly straight. With 3 feathers helping to spin the shaft, there is more forgiveness for beginners like us. As long as all 3 feathers are arranged in a similar angle down the shaft, it'll fly straight. With a two feather fletch, if one is just slightly off-kilter with the other, the arrow will have a harder time making a fast, tight rotation, causing all sorts of whirligigs and whoopdydoos. I would hang those on your wall (or shoot one of them into a ream of plate steal and see how you can improve durability), start straightening another few sticks, and keep posting pictures because we all love to see them.

[TimBo]

Judging by the first photo (taken from the nock end), it looks like you have one LW and one RW feather.  If that is true, your flight would not be great since the two fletchings would be fighting each other. 

[paulc]

Thanks all...guess I will try to remove the fletching and this shift can be kindling. Timbo,  I can see how it might look like I mixed feathers...I am confident I did not. I did Def malform the feathers trying to get them tight. So there is one lesson learned....

Thanks, yall are the best. Paul