Wood Arrow Spine

[islandboy]

I am building some arrows from cedar, and maple. Spinning them through a dowel maker and planning to taper. I was wondering about arrow spine. Do you measure wood Arrow spine with the grain vertical or horizontal? Or both and take the average? Does it even matter?

[Grantmac]

Spine them in four directions then mark the area of greatest spine and make that where you glue the cock-feather.

Also barrel tapering the shaft will make little difference in spine, but sanding even a small amount from the middle can change the spine dramatically.

Interested in selling/trading any shafts?
Cheers,
Grant

[Thunderstix]

Tapered sounds like a good idea

[Onesock]

Spine your arrows with the grain vertical. Two reasons. First the arrow will be stiffer going across the grain in most cases. Second the arrow will sit against the bow with the grain horizontal to the bow. Archers paradox would say the force of the release should be against the grain then and not with it. More chance of breaking an arrow upon release going with the grain than against it. Hope you can make heads or tails of this explanation.

[greybark]

:) Hey Islandboy , One tip a lot of archers are not aware of is when makong wood arrows and you are ready to fletch check the grain for runouts . The runout is where the grain may be pararlell for most of the arrow and then run off to one side .
:wink: Make sure that when fletching and knok are glued in place that any grain runoff faces upward and to the front . Generaly this is the weakest point of the arrow . If weak enough thru multable launchs and the odd miss and the grain shears during a shot at this spot the rear portion of the shaft will slide upwards away from and not downwards and into your hand .
Cheers

[islandboy]

Grantmac, I sent you a PM. Hopefully I am understanding this correctly:

http://www.aye1.com/images/Spine.jpg

[Onesock]

You got it!!!

[Bow Walker]

I don't know diddly-squat about wooden arrows - but thanks to you guys I'm learning!

Keep it up and I'll get ejumakatedid soon....

[Bowzone_Mikey]

I don't know diddly-squat about wooden arrows - but thanks to you guys I'm learning!

Keep it up and I'll get ejumakatedid soon....


that makes 2 of us ...

I figger they just widdled some sticks from a tree .... and taped some sharp rocks to the point.....:biggrin:

Barrel taper will produce a better flight ... Think like a Javiline ...or in a more extreme sense a Football ... the barrel shape is a natural projectile shape .... Easton does this to their High end arrows ... ACE .... thats what most olympic recurvers shoot ... way much good at the 90 m distances

[greybark]

:idea: Hey BZM , you are right about the better flight qualities of the double barrel taper . The reason for the normal tapered wood shafts is additional clearance from riser contact and that is what I prefer .
:oops: I don`t know the physics behind the forward taper but suspect it initialy was for a slight weight deduction .
:shock: I feel the grain run off thing is very important as I know one Trad bowhunter who had the terrible experience of a shaft breaking off and penitrating thru his wrist and palm . Imagine walking out of the bush and finally getting to a hospial with all the intensive pain , realizing your hunt has ended and knowing you missed the Grouse !!!!!!

Ps. The swaged 1.5 inches above the nok taper on an alum arrow will produce aroud 15 more fps . (this always intriqued me as no one has been able to explained the physics)