Straightening cedar?
 

I have a couple dozen POC shafts that I would like to turn into arrows. I have been told they can be hand straightened. How do I do that? They are not all bent, about 1/2 of them are.

RE: Straightening cedar?
 

I usea arrow spinner, and pretty well look for high side and start hand bending. I bought this tool which is a roller but its not needed and really a waste.

Once you start you will see how long to hold the bend. Cause then it will go to the opposite side. One method that seems to work great is take a low side and slide it back and forth on my leg or rock it on my leg.

If you straighen them and they still go back to thier old ways, try a little heat. Some grain is not worth shooting. I cannot believe the crap 3rivers sent out to me last time Looks like they made arrows not with the grain but against it. Some arrows are really stiff, and some are really weak.

RE: Straightening cedar?
 

First thing you do is buy good shafting--tight, straight grain with few grain run-outs. This is one area where I haven't found any bargains or short-cuts--you'll generally have to pay more for good shafting (unfortunately, as with bows, if you aren't careful you can wind up paying more for low quality also).

Bad shafts, to me, aren't worth the worry--use them for expendable arrows (squirrel, armidillo, etc.) at best. Be sure to flex any that are questionable--better they break in your hand vs. when they are shot from your bow.

Ace Archery sells a dandy tool to straighten shafts by compression, but I haven't used one. I haven't had any trouble straigtening mine by hand. I just look down the shaft, place the heel of my hand just below the crook, and flex with the other hand. Takes a little practice, but it's not that hard. Go slow and easy, else you'll overdo it. Some folks like to heat them to straighten--usually hardwoods are the ones that will need heat. I prefer POC.

Wood shafts don't have to be straight to within a couple of 1,000th's of an inch--one of the things I love about them--very forgiving. If you can't eyeball them, roll them on a flat surface and you'll find the crooked spots.

Chad

RE: Straightening cedar?
 

I've gotten pretty good at eyeballing a straight arrow, but then I've had years of practice. I'll use an arrow straightener for really difficult shafts though, the kind with the lever and dial indicator.

When I make arrows, I straighten them repeatedly. I straighten them when I first get them. Let them rest a day or two so they can adjust to the ambient humidity here inmy area,then straighten them again. Then straighten them again before I cut the tapers. Straighten them again before I apply stain. Straighten them again before I apply finish. Straighten them again before I fletch. Only the worst will really need straightening again by that point.

I wind up with arrows that stay straight, as long as they stay sealed against humidity.