DF Shafts wider than taper tool

[twillgo]

Just received some 11/32" douglas fir shafts from surewoodshafts that I am building out.

The majority of them are larger then my 11/32" sizer on my taper tool will allow.

Rather than sand each shaft down so that they fit, I just used the next larger sizer for 23/64".

Does anyone know if this will present a problem for aligning/attaching points and nocks for 11/32" shafts?

I have not shot them yet, as I have only added the nocks, not the points yet.

Thanks.

Todd

[DRT]

Send them back. Poor QC or someone reached in the wrong bin.

Sent from my SM-J710MN using Tapatalk

[twillgo]

Send them back. Poor QC or someone reached in the wrong bin.

Sent from my SM-J710MN using Tapatalk

DRT,

Thanks for the response. It may be a pick/pull problem, but this is the first time that I have ordered from them and I've already tapered all the shafts for both nock and point.

I am trying to find out if it really makes that big a difference if I used the 23/64" guide to put the tapers on the 11/32" shafts.

Or are you saying they sent me 23/64" shafts instead? There is but a little play in the 23/64" guide for these shafts.

[twillgo]

They claim that their "test kits" are 11/32" shafts.

[DRT]

Lol. Yeah. That happens to me too. Open the package and start to work Then realize the oh sh1t.

Sent from my SM-J710MN using Tapatalk

[DRT]

Well if the shafts aren't big enough to be on and too big to be the other I say that's a QC issue. It doesn't take much wear on a bit or blade to get that small of a difference. And not testing one or two of every hundred shafts can put you deep in stock with a bad group of shafts quick. I would also think the slight shaft size increase would affect the deflection as well. But I'm no expert.

Sent from my SM-J710MN using Tapatalk

[twillgo]

Well if the shafts aren't big enough to be on and too big to be the other I say that's a QC issue. It doesn't take much wear on a bit or blade to get that small of a difference. And not testing one or two of every hundred shafts can put you deep in stock with a bad group of shafts quick. I would also think the slight shaft size increase would affect the deflection as well. But I'm no expert.

Sent from my SM-J710MN using Tapatalk

Getting them stuck in the taper tool is a bad thing! I almost broke one trying to get it out and put a good dent in another having to use a pair of pliers to remove!

I guess I'll just shoot 'em and see what's what.

I did weigh them and they were all within 10 grains of each other, most of them closer than that, so they should at least shoot the same per group.

These are premium shafts having at least 4 growth rings throughout the shaft. Their "hunter grades" are spined within 5#, but those are not weighed. You can buy 100 hunter grade shafts from them for $225. It sure won't hurt me as much breaking one of those as it does an $8 carbon shaft!

I'll report back on these after I bare shaft tune them.

Todd

[Dkincaid]

It's best to not use a taper tool with a blade on Douglas fir. Taper them with a sander or have them taper them. The minute difference in diameter is typically just on the very end and it's very common with all shaft manufacturers I have used. Cedar tapers great with a blade fir not so much


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[twillgo]

It's best to not use a taper tool with a blade on Douglas fir. Taper them with a sander or have them taper them. The minute difference in diameter is typically just on the very end and it's very common with all shaft manufacturers I have used. Cedar tapers great with a blade fir not so much


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Thanks for the advice, Dkincaid.

[JEFFRO]

iv met with the guys at surewood shafts, nice guys. good product.
onyour size issue. have you sealed the shafts"? and with what.. this might be the size difference...
and david is spot on, a wood chuck does a better job on all shafts...

[twillgo]

iv met with the guys at surewood shafts, nice guys. good product.
onyour size issue. have you sealed the shafts"? and with what.. this might be the size difference...
and david is spot on, a wood chuck does a better job on all shafts...

I taper the shafts before finishing.

Just got an email response from Bob at surewood shafts. He confirmed that in the sanding process, it is difficult to get them to exactly it is hard to get them "to get exactly 11/32" (.343) for the full length of the shaft. Often times we stop at around .345 or so and for 99% of people it works just fine."

And that the difference is usually greatest at the ends. So, I was really making much about nothing that matters. I can continue to use the 23/64" sizer to make my nocks and tapers.

I know that people recommend a sanding taper tool like a Woodchuck for DF shafts, but I purchased heavy-bladed taper tool called "The Perfect Taper Tool" from traditionalarcheryproducts.com that has the cutter on a drill chuck with a long guide. It works very well on the DF shafts, if you use the guide where the shaft fits easily.

So, I'm happy with the response from surewood shafts and I'm happy with the quality of the shafts. I will begin shooting them tomorrow and will report back how they shoot.

I purchased two dozen premium shafts ranging from 40# to 65# spine to find what works in each of my three bows.

Todd

[SwampRabbit]

I'll report back on these after I bare shaft tune them.

Todd

I'm not a wood guy... but I thought you weren't supposed to bareshaft wood arrows.

[twillgo]

I'm not a wood guy... but I thought you weren't supposed to bareshaft wood arrows.

SwampRabbit,

Why not? I will bareshaft plane them just like any other arrows.

I hope you are not meaning without points?

I will shoot some bare (with points/nocks) and some fletched to compare the groups.

This is the methodology that I will use: http://acsbows.com/bareshaftplaning.html

Todd

[SwampRabbit]

SwampRabbit,

Why not? I will bareshaft plane them just like any other arrows.

I hope you are not meaning without points?

I will shoot some bare (with points/nocks) and some fletched to compare the groups.

This is the methodology that I will use: http://acsbows.com/bareshaftplaning.html

Todd

I have heard that bareshafting can lead to breaking them when they are fairly out of spine or at far distances. Like I said, I am not a wood guy, but I have heard of this "warning" in more than a few places. Perhaps it is geared for the new to wood folks who don't get in the ballpark first or start out at 20 yards.

Have always heard that broadhead tuning was a better approach for woods.

Again, just spouting what I have read/heard.

Sent from my SM-G930P using Tapatalk

[twillgo]

I have heard that bareshafting can lead to breaking them when they are fairly out of spine or at far distances. Like I said, I am not a wood guy, but I have heard of this "warning" in more than a few places. Perhaps it is geared for the new to wood folks who don't get in the ballpark first or start out at 20 yards.

Have always heard that broadhead tuning was a better approach for woods.

Again, just spouting what I have read/heard.

Sent from my SM-G930P using Tapatalk

I have not heard that anywhere, but if you are way off spine, they will fly sideways. And they fly sideways without a target point on them. You should never bareshaft tune with broadheads. That link that I posted said that a broadhead on a bare shaft will act like fletching on the wrong end and you can't tell where it will go! LOL

I have shot a fletched shaft without a point just because it came off in my target. It went sideways like crazy.

I'm going back to woods because I seem to shoot them better, enjoy building them, and I don't cry when I break a $2.00 shaft as opposed to an $8.00 shaft.

I really enjoy this board because everyone is willing to share their knowledge. I look forward to meeting more of you as I attend more shoots.

Todd