screw-in adapters for woodies

[Homer]

#4911

I have read Dr. Ashby’s research, at least the TBM articles which I can understand. I am a “show me” guy but in recent years by trying some of Ashby’s recommendations for myself i have become convinced of at least his three big points: heavy arrows overall, the right broadhead, and lots of weight up front. And from following post here I know I’m not the only one who is torn between the ease of getting EFOC and beyond with carbons, and a long loving loyalty to woods. To me, the obvious compromise solution would be a well designed screw-in adapter you can glue onto a wood shaft. If made of steel the adapter itself would add nicely to FOC, and give to woodies all the many benefits of screw-in technology. So why isn’t anyone making such a thing? I’ve seen only two attemps, and both were aluminum. The first I tried had a long thin neck between glue-on at bottom and screw-in at top. I could break them with my fingers! The second, which is still listed in 3Rivers catalog, is also aluminum but without the neck and it weighs 50 grains so offers some hope. But I called and asked about them — specifically how does the “premium” (in stock according to the catalog) at $18 a dozen differ from the standard at $11 a dozen (out of stock), and the guy I talked with clarly didn’t know much about them and said they had been out of the standards forever but he didn’t know if they were on back order or just dropped. Nor could he find any “premiums” on the shelf so apparently their out of those too, and he couldn’t answer “what’s the difference?”

Longwinded and I sorry. But I’m hoping someone here will know another source for the neckless adapters, as I’d love to try them. And more important, I wonder why nobody has come out with a steel adapter? If I was set up as a point maker trying to capture both glue-on and screw-in markets, I’d sure come out with a steel adapter which would make a bunch of us trad guys real happy, in that we can still shoot our beloved wood arrows but now also have more points to choose from and real easy to switch around.

I’d appreciate your thoughts on this, especially if you have any knowlege or experience in this stuff. Thanks, Homer

[bruc]

#35197

Agree totally !
Especially after seeing those new “Werewolf” broadheads”:!:
Bruce

[Bender]

#35406

Foot your woody with a sleeve made of an aluminum arrow shaft and use the appropriate size shaft insert to accept whatever it is that you want to screw on to it. You’d have to double check but I think a 2314 will slide over a 11/32 woody shaft.

[David Petersen]

#35934

Interesting topic. Bender, I have tried the alum sleeve approach and “it works.” Kingwouldbee has long used this technique, I think to reinforce carbons with alum, and he is one killing machine, esp. if you’re a giant hog. Yet it just didn’t “feel right” to me having a metal 3″ collar up front that bumps a bit when I draw. And you can only get aluminum threaded inserts for aluminum shafts, which works hard against EFOC and also presents a potential weak point, as Ashby’s studies showed early on. Of course, to avoid the same “bump” or worse, any adapter collar, steel or aluminum, would have to be very thin where it slips over the wood shaft, and maybe that’s one reason nobody has come up with one that is popular. But I too would like to see some inventive folks really working on this worthwhile challenge. The guy who gets it right and it catches on, is in position to make some money. Anyhow I’m reminded to go up in the attack and pull out those aluminum-collared woodies and give them another shot. dp

[Polar Bear]

#23039

3Rivers shows a brass insert for either a 5016 or 2117. 100 grns. Hope this helps.

[David Petersen]

#23914

Thanks for that info, Polar Bear. Alas, the standard 11/32 wood shaft needs a 2413 for perfect fit. Maybe they’ll offer those in brass one of these days. Meanwhile, in the course of this conversation I have made up a dozen 11/32 fir shafts with 2″ 2413 collars, deciding to give them another try. They shoot great, have EFOC and I may well hunt elk with them this fall (probably with the new Werewolf, should it become available with a steel ferrule in time, hint hint to Blake). Where the back of the alum collar meets the wood shaft, I very carefully beveled down the aluminum for a smooth transition (you can feel a wee bit of a bump when drawing, but it has no effect on shooting), then dipped the front of the shaft down to behind the collar with another coat of finish for a smooth finish seal. Frankly, aside from worry about the aluminum insert failing in a hard-impact angled hit on heavy bone, the only drawback to this setup is appearance. If you’re in love with a clean wood shaft’s looks, you won’t like this. That was my primary problem first time around. Wood-grain aluminum would help but I’ve been able to find only camo in that size. Anyhow, I got over that and am quite pleased with this compromise for now. It’s all fun. dp

[strait-aero]

#23927

I think the brass adapter would be great and wish someone with machining skills could make an “impact” on the use of woodies system for EFOC….:lol:
Wayne

[Stephen Graf]

#24813

This is my ever so humble and ignorant opinion, so please don’t crucify me for my intolerance. But…

Trying to put something metal, other than a broadhead, on the end of a wooden arrow to improve its performance is like putting wheels on the end of a bow limb to improve its performance.

Having said that, I stay with carbons and admit my less than perfect return to tradition, and my less than perfect skill.

And having said that, I have been thinking about those laminated wooden shafts called hex shafts. I was thinking about playing with some and putting a foot made from dymonwood on the front of them. That, I believe would be a killer setup.

Anybody used the hex shafts I speak of?

[David Petersen]

#25015

Steve — Either you get up real early, or stay up real late. 😛 I currently have a dozen hardwood-footed pine hex shafts, single-tapered, from Whispering Wind. They are nice and heavy and shoot great, but even with a 200-grain head give only about 17-19% foc. Still, they make mighty good killing sticks. I’m also very happy with some doug fir shafts I got from Archery Past (a Ma and Pa mail order supplier out of Oregon that’s generally overlooked in favor of the bigger places, but owned by two extremely devoted traditionalists and offering the most personalized customer service you’ll ever enjoy). These are what I have sleeved with aluminum to convert to screw-in (which is the entire and only justification for doing this to a wood shaft). Both of these woods, in my hunting and testing experience, are far superior to poc. To each his own and I totally understand both your disdain, Steve, for “messing with” wood, and your attraction to carbon. Even for those of us with simple tastes, life gets complicted sometimes, don’t it? dave

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