[David Petersen]

in reply to: Hardwood shafts? #39425

I have aluminum shafts to fit 11/32. Does anyone know what size, if any, fits snugly over 23/64?

On moving the breaking point back … yes, you are likely correct and I’ve talked to arrowsmiths who make footed shafts and they say the same thing. And here is where we could use Ed Ashby or Todd or another of our mathmeticians and engineers (Dunc?) — since the stress translated by the head, say from a glancing heavy bone strike, is spread along say 4″ of external sleeve on an aluminum-sleeved shaft, would it not be notably less at the back of the sleeve than it is right behind the head on a standard wood shaft?

Meanwhile, I went ahead and coated three expendable shafts with Smooth-On for a length of 4″ behind the head. We’ll see if we can break them, and where.

And one more idea I’d appreciate your feedback on: I have on several occasions successfully repaired cracked selfbows by wrapping the area tightly with heavy thread then coating it with glue or Smooth-On. I think it’s worth a try on arrows, but that’s a lot of wrapping to get it back 4″. Still, if it worked, it’s a heck of a lot more traditional looking than an alum sleeve.

[David Petersen]

in reply to: Hardwood shafts? #39110

Steve — I fully agree and that’s a primary reason I haven’t been happy with my previous adventures in using aluminum shafting for external footing — it just ruins the whole aesthetics of shooting woods. Which kind of brings us full circle to the increasingly undeniable reality that those of us who hunt really big, tough animals like elk and moose can either continue using our old-favorite gear and set-ups and hope for the best (and I am yet to meet or even hear of a bowhunter who can consistently shoot between the ribs or tuck one in tight for a heart shot and not occasionally hit a bone) … or we can prepare for heavy bone hits, broadheads skipping on bone, etc. with the strongest arrows and broadheads available. I may be to the point of hunting elk with carbons henceforth while using woods for deer etc. But at least more of us are thinking without blinders on and talking openly about these things rather than bunkering-down in defense of our personal old favorites. Obviously, I have too much time on my hands this morning. I’d best go wash the dishes. 😛

[David Petersen]

in reply to: Ontario Moose advise? #38235

Mike — I just wrote a longist post that didn’t add anything positive to your quest … so deleted it. I simply wish you good weather, honest and competent outfitters, and an enjoyble, memorably hunting. 😀

[David Petersen]

in reply to: Have You Gotten Lost? #38227

Not really, but it’s always been a dream of mine. 😛

[David Petersen]

in reply to: Hardwood shafts? #38048

For those of you experienced with Smooth-On epoxy adhesive — I’m wondering about dipping shafts to a depth of 4″ behind the head. It would add a bit of weight but not much, but I’m wondering if it would be strong enough to keep the shaft from breaking at this stress point? One way to find out, I guess, about weight, looks, etc. A lot harder to design meaningful tests.

The problem with steel collars, like you see on some spears and original bodkins, etc.–aside from the cost of having them welded up–is weight. YOu’d have to drop back on head weight to compensate, and then you lose blade thickness which equates to strength and on single-bevels to shelf width thus torque. Nothing is simple in this “simple” sport.

[David Petersen]

in reply to: Hardwood shafts? #37805

Giggle — what spine at what length for these shafts? What weight head for that FOC?

[David Petersen]

in reply to: E. Donnall Thomas #37801

NPR (National Public Radio) just ran a very nice rememberance of Dr. Thomas, Sr. His medical research has prolonged a great many lives, including a couple of friends of mine, and will continue to do so — that is a uniquely proud legacy.

[David Petersen]

in reply to: Hardwood shafts? #37116

Rogue — if you’re talking about the steel tube that you slip down over the shaft and use to guide the bit down the center of the shaft — I don’t recall where I bought mine, brand or whatever, but it was a disappointing failure. Just not enough length of steel on top to hold a bit perfectly aligned as you drill. Of several attempts, I didn’t get a single perfectly center-aligned hole. All wandered this way or that and some broke out of the shaft side. I understand there are commercial jigs used with a drill press that do it right, but this little hand tool just doesn’t get it done, not once in a dozen tries in my experience. But then maybe I just don’t have “the technique.”

[David Petersen]

in reply to: Nothing is wasted … #37017

Wex — No, I don’t hunt predators, including bears. Having a healthy population of big predators around is a flagship of still-wild land, I don’t see them as competitors, and I feel no need to kill everything that passes in front of me. To each his own, within reason. Grizzlies would be nice too, but I got here 14 months after the last confirmed griz was killed in CO, just a few dozen miles from here. But then, I don’t mind at all that we have zero poisonous snakes at this altitude. 😆

[David Petersen]

in reply to: Nothing is wasted … #36768

Makes a guy think twice about sneaking around in the near-dark chirping on a cow call.

[David Petersen]

in reply to: My Spot This Evening #35769

That shirt does a far better blend-in with the leaves than any commerical camo could.

[David Petersen]

in reply to: Hardwood shafts? #34423

Guys — I need to amend my above suggestion that I’m about to give up on wood shafts as elk arrows. Since this break involved just one arrow, the first of this set-up I’ve shot an elk with, I owe it another try since it’s entirely possible that the arrow was somehow predisposed to breaking via compression rings, maybe a tiny nick I hadn’t noticed. I shot all nine of them with field points several times before selecting what seemed the best shooters and installing broadheads for the hunt. I could have nicked the one that broke or otherwise somehow damaged it. At the least I’ll shoot the same set-up for Coues this winter for another, if comparatively modest, test. “Overkill” some might say at 700 grains, yes, but the shoot SO sweet and look just as sweet (thanks to Fletcher at The Feathered Shaft) that I just can’t give up on them based on a single “live testing.” Meanwhile I’ll continue playing with possible ways to strengthen the wood behind the head.

[David Petersen]

in reply to: Your Dream Hunt #34417

My dream hunt would be if 9 months every year were Sept. The other 4 would be October, April, and May. 😀

[David Petersen]

in reply to: Hardwood shafts? #32910

Rogue — I tried footed shafts early in my quest for an EFOC wood arrow, and you’re right that the heavier footings added very little weight up front. To the contrary, the shafts were so heavy that even normal FOC was nearly impossible. So, for a strong, heavy shaft that resists breaking behind the point, footing works great. For high FOC it’s counterproductive. I would be OK with that if I shot 70 pound bows that could move really heavy arrows at a decent speed, but I don’t. So my quest continues for the lightest possible arrow over 650 grains with max FOC. The Sitka spruce shafts offered graat hope with 85# spine and just 400 grains bare shafts, providing total arrow weight just over 700, good speed and trajectory, fantastic accuracy and 23%+ FOC. But the head weight and length (lever arm) apparently is too much for the shafts. So while I feel forced to return to carbons for my elk arrows, I’ll keep playing with woods, sleeves, etc. with unending hope.

[David Petersen]

in reply to: Hardwood shafts? #32112

Roger, I’m afraid so, and if I understand Ed Ashby correctly, he feels the same. You can sure find heavy hardwood shafts, Forgewood, etc., but you won’t get good FOC with them. And the lighter wood shafts, alas, don’t seem to have what it takes to handle the tremendous impact force of a heavy head against bone, without breaking behind the head. So the choices seem to be: heavy hardwood with low FOC, lighter wood (on this hunt I used 23/64 Sitka spruce spined at 85# for a 53# longbow) with sleeves behind the head (Ed says as much as 7″ could be required, depending), or carbons. I’ve tried aluminum shafting for sleeves in the past and didn’t like the way they shoot or look. But I’m going to try it again since the Sitka’s are so lovely and shoot as if I were a good shot. I’ve also ordered two test shafts of Gold Tip Ultra Lites, .300 and .400, on Ed’s advice that it’s a great shaft for maxing EFOC. My intellect and ethics keep pushing me to carbons, but my heart will always be wood. If I were hunting deer sized animals only, I’d downsize the head weight so that a wood shaft could handle it, and let it go at that. I also need to do some more angled-impact testing to disprove that this was a flawed shaft. If I hadn’t hit bone I’d likely be thinking the setup was flawless. Good luck on your own search.

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