What base diameter Ocean Spray shoots?

[kenner]

Hello!
People talk of cutting Ocean Spray of 3/8" on one end.... Is that the base/fat end, the largest diameter and not the nock end?

What diam. shoot should I be looking for, for ~ 50# bow @ 27" draw?  That would be a max and I could shave/sand it down for a lighter bow.

[BowEd]

Yes cutting them at the tip end to be 3/8".Cut them extra long if you can.Thirty six inches.
Demographically same type shoots may be different a bit.Mine came from Oregon.Once you get one made your others will come close to the same diameter.
My ocean spray at 30" overall length and 50# spine are a shade under 3/8" on the tip end and a shade under 5/16" at the self nock end.I'm using a 145 grain field tip and they come in at a shade over 600 grains.
They come close to the same as dogwoods.Maybe a shade heavier mass weight wise.Excellent shafts.

[kenner]

Great!.. Thank you!!
I have some I collected, years ago.  The bark's still on and they never split; but then, I sealed the ends with Elmer's white glue and they've been bundled, in the house and garage.  These just "ring", when I tap them on the sidewalk/pavement, when walking the dog; they're so hard!

[BowEd]

Great.Yep they are hard stuff.Your shoots are ready to be arrow shafts I'd say.
Usually I straighten them 3 or 4 times as they dry bundled in groups of 7.Six around one.Real tight with rubber bands at around 5 different places.This helps reduce heat straightening needed.
I would not try to dry heat straighten green shafts as they could and would check on you.
Does'nt matter much if they are bundled tip to butt or all the same way.You can look down the length of them bundled to see if they all lay in a straight line.
Even then after drying for at least 3 months some may need to be heat straightened in places yet.Dry heat.
I'll use gloves occasionally while heat straightening them as the shaft will get hot.
I keep a home made sizer around too.

Here's a prior post of mine.Straightening tool shown in there.
http://www.primitivearcher.com/smf/index.php/topic,67275.0.html

[kenner]

Very nice!!
I was wondering 'bout a wrench.  I hand straighten my factory spruce and fir shafts, but have seen bone wrenches before.  Yours is quite nice!

[BowEd]

Most times split timber shafts boughten don't need much straightening.Unless you have a bowed one.Most but not all shoot shafts will though.
A number of tools I get out to make shoot shafts properly.Straightening is all done first before spining them.

For making shoot shafts to the appropriate spine I use my drill gun/60 to 120 grit sand paper/grain scale/and home made spiner.

I made from purchasing this book.



I keep the overall full length taper on them while reducing spine.

[Doug509]

I just collected some ocean spray and can only find 36" shoots that range in diamter from 5/16" to 10/16".  Is this typical or should I find another climate where they grow long and skinny vs short and stubby.  I should probably see a therapist about my size issue.

[Pat B]

You can reduce the thicker ends of the shoots with a thumb plane. I bought a cheap one for about $10 from ACE Hardware years ago and it still works well. If you can fine shoots with smaller bases they would be a lot less work but either way works well.

[Doug509]

After drying a few weeks I reduce the diameter by using a 1/2" & 3/8" tap and die set. Any objections to this method?