Any wood arrow experts...

[Captain*Kirk]

I run parallel shafts, 11/32 cedar. Cedar is not the toughest out there, but it's probably the easiest to work (tapers, etc), easiest to straighten, and most importantly, it smells the best.
If you're just getting started I would recommend at least your first batch be cedar. It's probably the most forgiving.

[Wheels2]

I would recommend that you contact one of the arrow makers listed here that support the site.  They need your bow spec.  Draw length, draw weight, bow length, string info, centershot, tip weight, etc
The newest Stu Miller calculator does a good job as it takes into account a lot of info that the 3Rivers formula does not.

[anchorman]

Ok a update..I found 3 55/60 cedars I cut them 29 1/4 up to 29 3/4 145 grain points on them. They all shot horribly nock left  and hitting somewhere between 8 - 10" right. I'm shooting a black widow with d97 string bows are 48lbs at 27" draw. My draw is 26 3/4 to 27. With carbons I shoot a 500 spine arrow with 175 point and have no issues fly great and hit same as fletched arrows. I would like to use woods but as bad as they flew I'm not sure which way to go in getting some tuned right. Any help would be appreciated..thanks

[Wudstix]

Again, not an expert.  Contact the arrow builders on this site.  Personally, I would use 60-65# spine with your set-up.         

[Kelly]

Reason those 55-60's flew so bad is because at the length you shot them at you were drastically under spined.

You need to figure spine based on finished arrow length, which a wood shaft is actually one inch longer than the bop arrow length to allow for installation of point. So effectively your 29.25" to 29.75" bop arrows were actually 30.25" and 30.75" long shaftwise. So those 55-60's were now 40-45's. Plus using a Black Widow and fastflite string you needed to add 15# spine just for that, a high performance recurve.

48# plus 15# for high performance recurve, plus 5# per inch over 28"(personally don't know why you want arrows 3-4" longer than your draw) so add another 15-20# spine. That brings you to 75 or 80# spine.

If I would have been building you arrows I would have suggested 28" bop length, maybe 28.5" if you had a good reason for it and I would have used 70-74# spined shafting, which is about the same as those 500 carbons. And I have built lots of wood arrows for Black Widow shooters when I owned Arrows by Kelly.

[Steelhead]

At least you only got 3 shafts their and not a dozen.

If you could shorten those with a taper tool to just above your 27 inch draw which would make them still usable.You would see better results.A taper tool is something handy to have if you shoot woodies.Reducing them by 2 inches is gonna stiffen them up a bit.If you mount a 2 blade head horizontal you can shoot a shorter shaft than mounted vertical.

If their still too weak go up in spine.

[Wudstix]

Kelly;
I forgot about FF string so my guestimate is probably 5# low. 
       

[hitman]

I shoot 47#@28" with 160 g up front and it shoots 60# spine great. I would say your setup should be 55-60.

[wisconsin wood butcher]

Kelly your info is good it runs true with where ive gotten with trial and error. is there a printed or web based formula I could use to make the learnining curve better? a few years ago on here o.l addock and dr Ashby did the perfect arrow it was a lot of info on carbons the interesting thing was they mentioned they had  wood arrow suggestions and if theyre wood arrow info is out there WOW! anyone remember this?

[NY Yankee]

A good chart will give you a good starting point but when you actually start shooting, it will be a might different. You may still need to shorten the shaft or fiddle with point weight. I like to err on the stiff side and add a bigger point to get it to straighten out.

[slowbowjoe]

I was thinking cut 55/60's to 28" BOP; at 29"+ go up at lest 1 spine group (or cut the arrow 1"shorter) and/or try a slightly lighter point. Kelly has multitudes more experience; I'd consider his feedback in the equation.

[slowbowjoe]

Kelly's website - arrowskp.com - has some simple and solid descriptions and charts.

[wisconsin wood butcher]

thank you

[anchorman]

I've tried cutting 60/65 down to 28 still showing little weak so I have some 70/75 and 65/70 test shafts coming just didn't realize that it would take that heavy if a spine..but took Kelly's advice along with others and going to give these a whirl pretty sure this is going to take care of it..thanks

[Petrichor]

Call me crazy but I like my wood arrows a tad weak. Let us know how it goes.

[Wild Bill MCP 808]

If your bow has a Fast Flight string go with 55-60 spine if not go with 50-55 spine

I would suspect both will fly just fine. A side note a smooth release means a lot when testing different spines FYI Good Luck!