Wooden shaft spine selection for longbow

4d4m

Active member
I'm expecting my first ELB this week, a laminate one 60# at 32" (yes that's my draw length!)

I've read for longbow you'd typically need 10lb under the rated shaft spine. However that would be for a standard draw length, so for that would suggest stiffer shafts, but how much. I know much depends on other factors like speed of the bow, thickness of bow at the arrow pass etc, but what would be the typical ballpark?

I have 5 left from some spruce arrows I made for my AFB, 11/32" and nominally 45-50lb 32.5" long from inside nock to tip of pile, with 100gn piles. Also have 8 left from some POC arrows I made, same dimensions but nominally 50-55lb spine. I should really try shooting these before ordering any more shafts of course, but was just looking for some pointers.

Also if anybody knows good sources for inexpensive 11/32" shafts longer than 32" I'd be grateful. Most places either don't specify or there's a 32" max which doesn't give a lot of headroom, i.e. no breakages no room for cutting down.
 

Timid Toad

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I'd still go with the 10lbs under rule of thumb. I'm shooting 31" arrows off my ELB. Nowhere near your poundage, so I'd definitely suggest going with what you have for a bit and see what happens.
Have you thought about bamboo with footings to make the length?
 

4d4m

Active member
I'd still go with the 10lbs under rule of thumb. I'm shooting 31" arrows off my ELB. Nowhere near your poundage, so I'd definitely suggest going with what you have for a bit and see what happens.
Have you thought about bamboo with footings to make the length?
Thanks. No I've not been aware of that as a possibility until now. How would I go about that?
 

Timid Toad

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I was going to point you at the Longbow Shop, but they are sold out of the shafts, but they do have the plugs, so you can see the general sort of idea.
 
D

Deleted member 7654

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Like you said, try your existing arrows first...
Most spines are in a band of 5 pounds so I'd suggest 50-55 spine.
I don't think it's that critical, more important is that they are reasonably well match to each other and not the quiver full of random tat that some seem to shoot!
Del
 

4d4m

Active member
Thanks Del. On the matching topic, is it more critical to match for weight than spine, or both? If both, which first? :D

I'm intending to buy a bunch of shafts to put together the aforementioned reasonably well matched set, but if I select for close spine I might end up with a range of weights. If I select both I might be rejecting an awful lot of shafts.

Then what about straightness? :eek: Joking (I think). From gut feeling I'd reject, or try to straighten, any bent ones first off.
 
D

Deleted member 7654

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Thanks Del. On the matching topic, is it more critical to match for weight than spine, or both? If both, which first? :D

I'm intending to buy a bunch of shafts to put together the aforementioned reasonably well matched set, but if I select for close spine I might end up with a range of weights. If I select both I might be rejecting an awful lot of shafts.

Then what about straightness? :eek: Joking (I think). From gut feeling I'd reject, or try to straighten, any bent ones first off.
It's easy enough to match finished weight by adjusting the heads, drill out a little, or drill a 1/8" hole into the end of the arrow and insert a bit of wire coat hangar/nail etc.
Del
 
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