Sitka spruce

[Ruckus]

I live in Southeast Alaska and have access to old growth sitka spruce. If I were to try and make shafts from spruce, how would I go about it?  My biggest question is should I cut dowels out of green wood or should it be seasoned?  If the answer is seasoned  wood, what form or dimensions should I season the wood?  Rounds, quarters, planks, or something else. Thanks in advance.

[BowEd]

Personally I've made lots of edge grain split timber shafts from various woods and I like to start out with them from a plank to let dry and stabilize.Then resaw or split them into 3/8" squares and begin to make shafts from them.
Good straight tight ringed shafts on conifers make the best shafts.

[Pat B]

I agree with Ed.  A few years back a friend, Charlie Jefferson, planned to make poplar shafts. He cut 2" thick planks and stickered and stored them in the dry for a year but realized it wasn't enough seasoning time so he let them season another year before making shafts like Ed suggested. By allowing the wood to completely season the shafts he made were very stable and stayed straight after an initial straightening.
 I don't know much about dealing with raw conifers but I'd assume it would be similar.

[Ruckus]

My final goal is hunting. Some of the reading I have been doing makes me think that spruce might need a bigger diameter to achieve a higher spine. I was considering something bigger than 11/32. Would 23/64 make much difference? 

I have some spruce split from an old growth blow down. Now I just hope it cures well in my climate.

[BowEd]

Good spruce shafts make excellent arrow shafts as I'm sure you'll find out.Locally found like that is a plus for you.I would make more of them if I could find it and harvest it locally.A little lighter weight than I usually like for hunting but will work fine yet.Usually used for target arrows.
I think Mr. Massey used them while big game hunting in Alaska.
I've footed them up front 7"with purple heart or osage before for more up front weight.It does'nt affect the spine any.
Making them from 11/32" to 23/64" diameter will make them significantly stiffer though.

[Pat B]

What Ed said.

[Ruckus]

Footing shafts is something I would like to get into. Purple Heart is used by ship workers around here and there are plenty of scraps floating around. Just need a step by step on how to build shafts, then how to foot them.

[BowEd]

I used the chapter on custom shafts on page 245 of the TBB 3 book.