Would Alder Make Good, Heavy Shafting?

[duffontap]

I'm looking for 23/64ths arrows that spine around 60-70# and weigh a lot.  Is alder a possibility?

             J. D. Duff

[Lloyd]

I've never used it myself (yet). It is listed among the arrow woods in Toxophilus but Ascham doesn't seem to like it. That is assuming that what we refer to as Alder is what Ascham refers to as Elder?

One of my pet projects is to work my through all of the woods that Ascham mentions. So far I've tried oak, ash, poplar & birch. I have some beech on the way and want to try hornbeam next.

"Again Hulder, black thorne, Serues tree, Beche, Elder, Afpe, and Sallow, either for their weakness or lightness, make hollow, starting, studding, gadding shafts"

Lloyd

[duffontap]

Thanks.  I love Ascham's book.

      J. D. Duff

[Hillbilly]

Elder (Sambucus) is a different wood from alder (Alnus). As for the arrows, try making one and see how it turns out.

[tomm]

JD I have though the same thing. I don't now how heavy though as after it dryers it seames lite to me I was looking at the small limes of trees about 2" around. tomm

[D. Tiller]

JD don't do it! Alder sucks in tension. When you go to shoot it it will want to snap. You could seriously end up hurting yourself. Only good thing alder is good for is in furniture or firewood. It can not stand up to vigorous flexing. Here on Whidbey Island every winter lost of alders just snap and shatter from wind storms. I hardly ever see cedar or fir doing this.

I just see this image of you with a shaft stuck through your arm!!!    Please don't use it!!!!

David T

[duffontap]

I think you're probably right David.  Poplar is very similar though and lots of medieval war arrows were made out of poplar.  Thanks guys.

       J. D. Duff

[brian melton]

D tiller,

                      Cedar sucks in tension, as does a lot of arrow woods. I know Vern holstead said "red alder" made very nice easy to spine arrows. I would give it a shot!

Brian

[D. Tiller]

Port Orford is a cedar, makes great shafts. Also, tight grained heartwood of cedars is very dense and makes good shafts. The Alder here in the Northwest, I dont believe, is the same as red alder. From what I know of alder arround here is it sucks in bending and will bust easily. Maybe a different species would work fine but I'm not going to stake my body and a sharp splinter on the alder arround here.

David T.

[duffontap]

It is true that cedar is weak in tension.  It's also true that our alder trees snap like twigs in the wind.  I know that Alder has zero rot resistance--something I've always blamed its weakness on.  I think I'll make up some alder shafts and shoot them at rocks to see how strong they are. 

          J. D. Duff