FAQs

RC Archery FAQ's

Frequently Asked Questions

Rose City Archery, Inc.
Customer Service
541-572-6408
Monday - Friday 8:30 to 4:30
Pacific Time

Order by Phone
Toll-free
1-866-POC-ARROW
1-866-762-2776

Finished Arrows
Signature Series
Elite Extreme
Hunter Elite
Hunter Premium
Hunter Select
Spine Test Kits
Unspined Kid Arrows

Shafts
LCN shafts
(lacquered, crested, nocked)
Port Orford Cedar Shafts
(Bare or Clear lacquered)
Unspined Kid Shafts

Arrow Building
Starter Assembly Kits
Kiddie Kits
Finishing Color Kit
Lacquers
Finishing Tools
Feathers
Fletching Jigs
Nocks
Points & Broadheads
Arrow Glue
Taper Tools
Utility Blade
Sharpener
FlashLights

Other Products
Quivers
Bow Accessories
Kids Bows
Rose of Cedar™
Bugg Off Spray
(Scent Eliminator
& insect repellent)
Bugg Off Candle
Cedar Pet Care
Cedar Cleaners

Refinement Process
Logs to Arrows
Arrow Finishing

General
History
Distributors
Return Policy
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Help is close!

AMO Spine
Deflection Chart

Recurve & Longbow
Spine Weight Chart

Compound Bow Spine Weight Chart

or send an
email to:
rosearchery@msn.com
with your question!|

Arrow Building
Starter Assembly Kits
Kiddie Kits
Finishing Color Kit
Lacquers
Finishing Tools
Feathers
Fletching Jigs
Nocks
Points & Broadheads
Arrow Glue
Taper Tools

Other Products
Bow Accessories
Kids Bows
Rose of Cedar
Bugg Off Spray
(Scent Eliminator
& insect repellent)
Bugg Off Candle
Cedar Pet Care
Cedar Cleaners

All questions and answers below are for Port Orford Cedar wood shafting.
Future Archery Champion!

How do I determine my spine weight?
We have a spine weight chart on our website that determines spine weight based on the combination of the weight of your bow and your draw length from back of point to the deepest part of the throat of the nock. If you find that you are in between 2 different sizes, remember that it is better to go with a slightly heavier spine than too light on a spine weight.
How does the spine weight of a shaft change after the shaft is cut down to a personal draw length?
All shaft spine weights are based on a 28 inch shaft. For cutting to your personal draw length you will need to deduct 5 lbs. (1 spine weight increment lower) for every inch cut off below 28 inches. For every inch above 28 you will need to add 5 lbs or 1 spine weight increment per inch. (The spine chart represents this accordingly, this information is helpful if you are planning on shooting longer arrows, then your normal draw length.)
Some websites recommend using a 26 inch center for spine weights, how does this differ from the 28 inch center that you use?
In reviewing their charts and comparing them with ours, the charts are identical. The same standard of adding and subtracting 1 spine weight or 5 lbs per inch applies so the charts end up being exactly the same. The 28 inch center has been used in this company for over 70 years and has been very accurate.
I want to use 145 grain and 160 grain heads on my arrows, do I need to change the spine weight, from what I normally shoot with a 125 grain head, to use these heavier heads?
You will need to add 5 lbs to your spine weight for the heavier heads or increase 1 spine weight range. For 190 grain broadheads you will want to add 10 lbs or 2 spine weight ranges.
Using my own spine tester, I am getting spine readings that are way off, are your shafts not spined correctly or am I doing something wrong?
Spine testers are very difficult to calibrate- correction-Factory spine testers are difficult to calibrate, home spine testers are practically impossible to calibrate. We get quite a few calls with this problem and I can assure you we work very hard to keep our spine testing equipment accurate, they are checked on a regular basis for accuracy. Sometimes it can take a team of professionals weeks to get a new machine right, checking it constantly against other spine machines and hand spines. We have a wide range of shafts to work with in all spine ranges and 3 diameters and the readings have to be consistent on all of them before the machine is approved for factory use. And then it is still tested regularly.
To attempt to calibrate a home tester with just one or two spine ranges to work with is nearly impossible, and it is impossible to calibrate a tester without having spines available that are known to compare your results too in order to make the necessary adjustments that the machine needs to be accurate. In working with several models of home spine testers, our Operating Manager said there were a couple of brands that he never could get calibrated correctly. In calling the companies that sold these testers, it became obvious that they were not able to help. He came to the conclusion that the people who invented these testers couldn't get them to work correctly either.
How do I measure my draw length correctly?
Most archery dealers will have a stick with measurements on it to determine your correct draw length at full draw. At full draw, your arrow should be fitted on the bow string, the shaft should rest against the bow and the point itself should clear the back (farthest part away from you) of the bow. Arrow Draw length is measured from the back of the point (BOP) to the deepest part of the throat of the nock (bowstring placement in the nock). Please note: this is not attempting to pull the string back as far as you can, this is normal, comfortable shooting stance as if you are aiming and shooting at an actual target.
What is the benefit of grain weighing shafts?
The grain weight of a shaft can vary up to 100 grains within a 5 pound increment spine weight. Some people feel that this can cause a large degree of variance in the way the arrows shoot from a bow. Grain weighing the shafts to plus or minus 10 grains will put each shaft in an order of a dozen within 20 grains of each other, ensuring that you have a much closer match on a dozen arrows for more consistent flight.
What if my arrows shoot to the left?
Your arrow spine weight is too light for your bow.
What if my arrows shoot to the right?
Your arrow spine weight is too heavy for your bow.
What if my arrows have a wobbly spin when I shoot them?
Check your nock placement position on your bow string when shooting your arrows. Nocking your arrow too high or too low on the string will cause the wobbly spin.
If I shoot left-handed do I need to use right-wing feathers on my arrows to get the correct helical spin?
NO, left-wing feathers will work just as well for a left-handed person as a right-handed person and vice versa.
Are your shafts and arrows good quality?
We have bragging rights on this one! All of our shafts are good quality. Shafts that are not good quality are doweled down to smaller sizes until they are good quality or thrown out as garden stakes, kindling or sawdust. We pride ourselves in our use of all raw materials, none is wasted. All shafts are hand graded for quality and special care is taken to ensure straightness, grain consistency, accurate spines, correct moisture levels (dryness of shafts), and each shaft is checked for nicks, splits and flat spots. "From Logs To Arrows" page walks you through the entire process of making an arrow shaft. We make a relatively small number of select shafts per year, shafts that have a slightly lesser quality of grain is the only difference, these are only sold to distributors and as Hunter Select Finished Arrows.
Do you sell seconds, lesser quality shafts?
No, we only sell premium quality bare shafts. Any shafts that do not pass for premium quality are sent back to be redoweled. See question # 10 above. We do have a slightly lesser quality shaft on our Hunter Select finished arrows but the difference is only in the straightness of the grain.
What is the difference between finished arrows, Hunter Selects, Hunter Premium and Elites in shaft quality?
See our arrow comparison page for detailed information or read answer # 10 above, other than the Selects the differences are in finishing preferences and options only.
Can I use any type of glue in building my own wood arrows?
Not recommended. Fletching and nock glue is specially designed for attaching feathers and nocks to wood shafts and to hold during arrow flight. Ferr-L-Tite and other hot melt glue is specifically designed for attaching metal to wood and it can be reheated to remove the point and attach a new point or head to your arrow.
Can I use any kind of paint on the shafts?
We recommend that you do some research on your finishing options. A water proof sealing finish is suggested, your glues, paints, lacquers, thinners and any other finishing products will all need to be compatible with each other for application and assembly. Some companies design their products to work only with their own line of products and are not always compatible with others. The finishing products listed on our Lacquer page are all compatible with each other.
Why don’t you sell the shafts that are tapered 1/3 down the length of the shaft from both ends?
Our president determined that this process drastically weakens the shaft and the tapering accomplishes nothing.