[Tutorial] Homemade Wood Shaft

[Hackstall]

Warning: This tutorial requires the use of a table saw which can be very dangerous. For those old enough to use a saw, please be very careful. Always ask an adult for help.

This tutorial is for making an A/M shaft. If you want to make a 60" d-pole, just use longer wood. Nothing should be changed.

Note about wood choice: Hickory is commonly used for lacrosse shafts. However, it is not easily found so don't feel like you need to use hickory. Oak, walnut, yellow birch, and ash are all good woods to use. Any hardwood will pretty much do. I encourage anyone who has some old hardwood around to use that. If you want to use a tree trunk or branch, by all means, use that too. Just make sure that it is dried out before you use it or else it will probably warp. Also, make sure it is hardwood.

Things you'll need
1. Piece of wood - around 1 inch thick and 1 1/2 inches or more wide. I like the wood to be a little longer than the length of shaft I am making because you'll find you wreck the ends a bit with the saw. So about 32"+ for an A/M or 62"+ for a d-pole.
2. Table saw with a blade that can tilt.
3. Work gloves - There have been a few members who have expressed some concern that work gloves may be more dangerous because they could possibly get caught by the blade and pull your hand in. I use work gloves that won't do this because of the material they are made out of. But I can see the danger of gloves so I am going to recommend that you DO NOT use work gloves even if you see me using them in the pictures.
4. Safety Glasses - don't want a splinter in the cornea
5. Earplugs - optional
6. Tape measure or ruler
7. Polyurethane or whatever stain is around the house
8. Rags
9. Fine sandpaper

Here's the table saw I use. It has a rip fence, and the blade can tilt 45 degrees. The mitre attachment comes in handy too.
http://img179.imageshack.us/img179/6570/dscf0131ut3.th.jpg (http://img179.imageshack.us/my.php?image=dscf0131ut3.jpg)

The piece of wood I am going to use is some roughcut hardwood that was part of a crate that was around. It looks terrible right now but trust me it will look amazing when it is done. It is 1 inch thick, a few inches wide and about 34 inches long.
http://img219.imageshack.us/img219/7035/dscf0135es4.th.jpg (http://img219.imageshack.us/my.php?image=dscf0135es4.jpg)
http://img137.imageshack.us/img137/1138/dscf0136bi8.th.jpg (http://img137.imageshack.us/my.php?image=dscf0136bi8.jpg)

If you have a piece of wood that isn't roughcut, (it is already smooth), then skip this step. First, I set up the rip fence in a arbitrary spot to take a small strip off the side of the board to make it smooth.
http://img201.imageshack.us/img201/4216/dscf0137pw4.th.jpg (http://img201.imageshack.us/my.php?image=dscf0137pw4.jpg)
http://img201.imageshack.us/img201/6039/dscf0138mn2.th.jpg (http://img201.imageshack.us/my.php?image=dscf0138mn2.jpg)

A shaft is 1 1/16 x 7/8 inches. Because the wood is only 1 inch thick, that means I need to cut the board 1 1/16 wide. I'll later cut the 1 inch side down to 7/8. So, I set the rip fence to 1 1/16 mark using the ruler that is on the saw. If you don't have a ruler on your table saw, then just put a tape measure against the fence and move it until the teeth of the blade and the fence are 1 1/16 inches apart as seen in the second picture.
http://img84.imageshack.us/img84/5596/dscf0142wi3.th.jpg (http://img84.imageshack.us/my.php?image=dscf0142wi3.jpg)
http://img99.imageshack.us/img99/3927/dscf0146jr1.th.jpg (http://img99.imageshack.us/my.php?image=dscf0146jr1.jpg)

Cut the wood. Make sure you keep the wood against the fence for a straight cut. And for god's sake, don't cut your hands off! I like to use a push block and gloves to keep my hands safe.
http://img86.imageshack.us/img86/6471/dscf0147fd8.th.jpg (http://img86.imageshack.us/my.php?image=dscf0147fd8.jpg)

Now you should have a piece of wood that is 1 1/16 wide and about 1 inch thick.
http://img139.imageshack.us/img139/9963/dscf0149mg9.th.jpg (http://img139.imageshack.us/my.php?image=dscf0149mg9.jpg)

Because I used a roughcut board, I need to take a little bit off both sides to smooth the wood but still come out with 7/8 thick. So skip this part if you have a milled board and go to the part where I cut the board to 7/8 thick. I set the rip fence to about 15/16 and shave the roughness off the one side of the board.
http://img168.imageshack.us/img168/4138/dscf0150em1.th.jpg (http://img168.imageshack.us/my.php?image=dscf0150em1.jpg)

[Hackstall]

I now have a board that is 1 1/16 wide x 15/16 thick. I need to make it 7/8 thick. So I set the fence at 7/8 using the table saw ruler (or tape measure if your saw doesn't have a ruler) and cut the other rough side off.
http://img84.imageshack.us/img84/3299/dscf0156xs7.th.jpg (http://img84.imageshack.us/my.php?image=dscf0156xs7.jpg)
http://img100.imageshack.us/img100/6512/dscf0154ni7.th.jpg (http://img100.imageshack.us/my.php?image=dscf0154ni7.jpg)

You should now have a piece of wood that is 1 1/16 x 7/8.
http://img215.imageshack.us/img215/2784/dscf0158us5.th.jpg (http://img215.imageshack.us/my.php?image=dscf0158us5.jpg)
http://img215.imageshack.us/img215/1134/dscf0157gf5.th.jpg (http://img215.imageshack.us/my.php?image=dscf0157gf5.jpg)

The next thing we want to do is give the rectangular piece of wood an octagonal shape. So we have to cut off the 4 corners. This is where the process can get a bit tricky.
http://img480.imageshack.us/img480/2752/dscf0158yk1.th.jpg (http://img480.imageshack.us/my.php?image=dscf0158yk1.jpg)

Take your rip fence and move it to the other side of the saw, if necessary. Now take your tape measure and measure 1 13/16 from the rip fence to the edge of the teeth of the blade and lock the rip fence there.
http://img86.imageshack.us/img86/8556/dscf0177qb9.th.jpg (http://img86.imageshack.us/my.php?image=dscf0177qb9.jpg)

Now you want to tilt the blade to 43 degrees. Lock the blade in place. The blade should be tilted toward the rip fence which is why I had to move the fence to the other side of the blade on my saw. Your saw should now look like the 2nd picture.
http://img135.imageshack.us/img135/2271/dscf0160sj0.th.jpg (http://img135.imageshack.us/my.php?image=dscf0160sj0.jpg)
http://img222.imageshack.us/img222/6649/dscf0161vv0.th.jpg (http://img222.imageshack.us/my.php?image=dscf0161vv0.jpg)

Okay this part is important. Always cut your piece of wood with the longer side (1 1/16 side) going up and down. In other words, the 7/8 side should be on the top and bottom. If you don't do this right, the grip won't be uniform. Cut the first corner off.
http://img177.imageshack.us/img177/7882/dscf0165wj9.th.jpg (http://img177.imageshack.us/my.php?image=dscf0165wj9.jpg)
http://img241.imageshack.us/img241/2083/dscf0166jz4.th.jpg (http://img241.imageshack.us/my.php?image=dscf0166jz4.jpg)

[Hackstall]

Repeat with the kitty corner side.
http://img241.imageshack.us/img241/7319/dscf0167vh2.th.jpg (http://img241.imageshack.us/my.php?image=dscf0167vh2.jpg)
http://img241.imageshack.us/img241/1134/dscf0169qi6.th.jpg (http://img241.imageshack.us/my.php?image=dscf0169qi6.jpg)

Now you'll need to turn your piece of wood end for end to finish off the final 2 corners. The picture is wrong, but make sure you keep the wood tight to the fence.
http://img241.imageshack.us/img241/7654/dscf0170mz3.th.jpg (http://img241.imageshack.us/my.php?image=dscf0170mz3.jpg)
http://img237.imageshack.us/img237/8687/dscf0171wu3.th.jpg (http://img237.imageshack.us/my.php?image=dscf0171wu3.jpg)
http://img237.imageshack.us/img237/7349/dscf0172ir1.th.jpg (http://img237.imageshack.us/my.php?image=dscf0172ir1.jpg)

Now your shaft should be starting to look like a shaft. The ends might be a little bit mangled from the saw and the shaft may be a little too long so here's your chance to shorten it up. Use the mitre to get a straight cut and take enough off both ends to make the shaft your desired length.
http://img237.imageshack.us/img237/6438/dscf0173wr0.th.jpg (http://img237.imageshack.us/my.php?image=dscf0173wr0.jpg)

The cutting part is now complete. Your shaft should look something like this.
http://img237.imageshack.us/img237/7379/dscf0175ec4.th.jpg (http://img237.imageshack.us/my.php?image=dscf0175ec4.jpg)
http://img84.imageshack.us/img84/2834/dscf0174ej0.th.jpg (http://img84.imageshack.us/my.php?image=dscf0174ej0.jpg)

Finishing
Take a fine grit sandpaper and smooth all the edges of the shaft. I like to use 220 grit. But anything you have around the house will do. Remember, you aren't looking to take a whole lot of wood off the shaft. The shaft should already be pretty smooth so you just want to round the edges a bit.
http://img151.imageshack.us/img151/8693/dscf0180pb2.th.jpg (http://img151.imageshack.us/my.php?image=dscf0180pb2.jpg)

[Hackstall]

After sanding, the shaft should be as smooth as a baby's bottom and it should really be starting to look nice.
http://img88.imageshack.us/img88/2299/dscf0183dk7.th.jpg (http://img88.imageshack.us/my.php?image=dscf0183dk7.jpg)

Now it is time to polyurethane the shaft. A couple of coats of polyurethane will help keep the shaft from nicking and it will really make it look nice. You don't need to go out and buy anything if you have something around the house that will do. Here's what I use since it is just sitting in the garage.
http://img86.imageshack.us/img86/8779/dscf0178be2.th.jpg (http://img86.imageshack.us/my.php?image=dscf0178be2.jpg)

The secret to staining/sealing/polyurethaning wood is to use a rag, not a brush. A rag will give it a nice, thin, even coat. Try not to get this stuff on your hands because you will need to use paint thinner to get it off. Don't get crazy putting it on, just a thin coat. I like to hold the shaft with one rag and apply the stain with another rag so as to keep the stuff off my hands.
http://img243.imageshack.us/img243/474/dscf0184bn6.th.jpg (http://img243.imageshack.us/my.php?image=dscf0184bn6.jpg)

Let the shaft dry and then add a second coat. If you like, you can do 3 or 4 coats. Once you are completely finished, the shaft should look something like this.
http://img243.imageshack.us/img243/1404/dscf0185bg7.th.jpg (http://img243.imageshack.us/my.php?image=dscf0185bg7.jpg)
http://img86.imageshack.us/img86/6443/dscf0186mr9.th.jpg (http://img86.imageshack.us/my.php?image=dscf0186mr9.jpg)

I told you it looked good! And imagine how much nicer it would have been if I had used a nice piece of wood!

If anyone has questions or needs clarification, feel free to ask or PM.

This tutorial was approved by Warrior.

[BelliesLax]

that looks awsome really cool u made that

[Revolution]

Sorta stupid question, but how well would the shaft you just made hold up in a game?

[gigo567]

Sorta stupid question, but how well would the shaft you just made hold up in a game?
Better than alot of metal shafts (maybe all of them).

And thanks for making the Tutorial Hackstall, I have never gotten how to really make them.

[Hackstall]

The shaft I just made would destroy any other shaft out there. People seem to underestimate the strength of wood. Keep in mind that this is a solid piece of wood. Now, I don't know exactly what type of wood this is, but it is hardwood and it is dense. A hickory shaft is roughly 3 - 3.5 times stronger than the strongest metal shaft made (titanium). Honestly, this shaft will probably never break. But, keep in mind that wood shafts are relatively heavy (in the vicinity of 10 oz.) so for some, the tradeoff of less strength for less weight is acceptable to them.

[cali feeder]

I'm definetly gonna be making one soon....great tut!

[AusBadger]

i was wondering wat the angles are for the shaft. are they are all 135 degrees?

[Sesor]

Awsome tutorial! I am so going to make one as soon as I can convince my dad. But I have to get a saw too...Great Job!

[Warrior]

Nice tutorial, very well done IMO.

[rjattack19]

great tut...oh by the way i used my walnut shaft the other day and put a HUGE dent in this kids warrior lazer...lol i was left with only a small nick that i sanded out when i got home lol.

[AttackMan17]

AM17 will be making a shaft soon.

Any idea where i could get Ipe? (Is that the right name?)
If its not too easy to get...what would you recomend thats uber strong...I dont care if its heavy.

My neighbor has one of those nifty table saws.

[CSlax06]

i was wondering wat the angles are for the shaft. are they are all 135 degrees?

If you do it correctly all the angles should add up to either 180 or 360 I forget, remember since one angle is 43 the other must me 47 so its square :yumyum:

Oh and Hackstall did you use any of the information I told you or is this jsut all of your findings?

[MaKiMaKi13]

hackstall i am amazed its been a little longer wait then expected but it turned out to be a great tutorial ill be sure to post my shafts up when im finished which will be in the next few days

[rjattack19]

http://lacrosseforums.com/showthread.php?t=61093&highlight=woodie

heres my shaft that i made with hackstalls help...i posting it to show how easy and practical it is to make

[EHSLAX12]

i have to try this. i dont play box but it is just so cool i have to attempt it.

[the next 'one']

i have to try this. i dont play box but it is just so cool i have to attempt it.

you dont have to play box to use a wood shaft...

i use one for field and have been for almost a year. nothing compares to wood.

[EHSLAX12]

im a goalie, i cant picture using a wood goalie. i just vision the ball hitting the shaft dead on and snapping. im not sure if that actually happens, but it would suck.

[NewLacrosseDad]

you know the part in Fast Times at Ridgemont High where Sean Penn says, "AWESOME, TOTALLY AWESOME!" Right now I'm Sean Penn...

[RottingMind13]

Very good tutorial, however I disagree with your supplies. You are missing a key thing. Eye protection. If you're using a saw you should definitely have on safety glasses or goggles. That's my only problem with the tutorial. Great job hack.

I have a red devil woody and I must say, Woodies are nice imo. This might be a nice way to have a woody without having to pay too much.

[Hackstall]

Very good tutorial, however I disagree with your supplies. You are missing a key thing. Eye protection. If you're using a saw you should definitely have on safety glasses or goggles. That's my only problem with the tutorial. Great job hack.

I have a red devil woody and I must say, Woodies are nice imo. This might be a nice way to have a woody without having to pay too much.

Good point, Rottingmind. I wear eyeglasses full time so I never think about safety glasses. I'll be sure to add it.

[Hackstall]

AM17 will be making a shaft soon.

Any idea where i could get Ipe? (Is that the right name?)
If its not too easy to get...what would you recomend thats uber strong...I dont care if its heavy.

My neighbor has one of those nifty table saws.

I have no idea where to get Ipe. Honestly, anything stronger than hickory becomes expensive and hard to find. Plus, something like Greenheart is only about 25-30% stronger than hickory. And Hickory is already pretty damn strong. Go with hickory, you won't be disappointed. It has all the properties that makes it so popular to this day.

[Hackstall]

im a goalie, i cant picture using a wood goalie. i just vision the ball hitting the shaft dead on and snapping. im not sure if that actually happens, but it would suck.
Dude, I'm envisioning you holding the wood shaft and Cory Bomberry hitting it dead on with a full on crank shot and the shaft doesn't have a scratch.

[Richmond LAX]

nice tutorial I am making one right away!! lol

[nemiman18]

Dude, I'm envisioning you holding the wood shaft and Cory Bomberry hitting it dead on with a full on crank shot and the shaft doesn't have a scratch.


what are the demensions of a goalie shaft i wont make a goalie one but just wondering


nice tut

[Laxmann019]

great tut. I can't wait to make one.

[Live4It]

I will defanitly give this a shot some day.

[wglax14]

i use a different tutorial to make mine a while back, but yours is better because of the pics. great job on that. looks good

[Irishlax22]

Awesome Tutorial man.

[CSlax06]

Im going to making a laminated shaft soon, going to be a TANK. And I belive its 15/16'' not 7/8''... Id recommend not using gloves by the way, if the blade catches the glove your hands gone.

[njlaxpunk10]

Very Sweet tutorial, man...i can't wait to start making custom woodies.

Just one question, though. Would it be possible to make Crankshafts, in both degree measurements? If so, how? That would make for an interesting "advanced tutorial." and how about different shapes, too(scalloped, powergrip, triax, ect)?

EDIT: this should definetly have its own sticky.

[wglax14]

Very Sweet tutorial, man...i can't wait to start making custom woodies.

Just one question, though. Would it be possible to make Crankshafts, in both degree measurements? If so, how? That would make for an interesting "advanced tutorial." and how about different shapes, too(scalloped, powergrip, triax, ect)?

EDIT: this should definetly have its own sticky.


im almost positive that you cant make a CS. and its possible to make a triax. or a flipgrip. with a router

[AttackMan17]

I have no idea where to get Ipe. Honestly, anything stronger than hickory becomes expensive and hard to find. Plus, something like Greenheart is only about 25-30% stronger than hickory. And Hickory is already pretty damn strong. Go with hickory, you won't be disappointed. It has all the properties that makes it so popular to this day.

Alright, Ill try my hand at making a hickory shaft this weekend.
If the first one (Shorty)comes out good...then i'll make a goalie length. :grin:

[cgv1016]

i think im gonna take ask my tech teacher to help me with this

great job

[atacklax]

Very Sweet tutorial, man...i can't wait to start making custom woodies.

Just one question, though. Would it be possible to make shafts, in both degree measurements? If so, how? That would make for an interesting "advanced tutorial." and how about different shapes, too(scalloped, powergrip, triax, ect)?

EDIT: this should definetly have its own sticky.
Maybe a 2 degree shaft if you steamed the wood, but 10 would be pushing it. And a router could get you scalloped and powergrip. For triax, just cut the triax shape on your table saw.

By the way, does anyone know of websites that sell hickory wood in the right shape?

[CHSLax66]

why wouldnt you be able to make a crankshaft? doesnt seem too difficult to me.

[wglax14]

why wouldnt you be able to make a crankshaft? doesnt seem too difficult to me.

it would make the shaft weaker in that one spot.

[EricL]

Hey if you got to like lowels or home depot how much would a piece of wood cost by foot?

[d-pole01]

nice tutorial, i think i could be able to do this in shop now after school. which one is stronger, walnut or red oak becuase i cant order hickory from the school and these are the two who had up that would be strong.

[laxb0rder]

I made a bunch of these last season i still have a few ill go take pictures.
K here they are the 2 poles are kinda bent because i never finished them i used hickory and it was enough to make 4 shorties and 4 poles i sold all but whats left but the history is expensive i also have a red cherry board in garage enough for 8 poles gotta get around to it.

ill psot pictures later imageshack is not working for me

[HdGLaxWarrior]

wow, i'm definately going to ask my tech teacher if i can make this as a project... thanks alot!

[laxmann1993]

im almost positive that you cant make a CS.

Sure you could. You could do it without bending the wood. You could just cut out the crankshaft shape instead of making the top strait.

[B1ackout]

you should burn writing into it. it would look so sweet then

[Riot]

I see what you've done there.

[BravesLaxer]

Now make one for the people who don't have table saws in their garage. lol

[MaKiMaKi13]

actually im making one of those with just a circular saw and a power sander and some super coarse sand paper should be done today

[atacklax]

Sure you could. You could do it without bending the wood. You could just cut out the shaft shape instead of making the top strait.
But that probably won't be as strong.

[AttackMan17]

Alright...So, Im buying some hickory tomorrow.
And when my arrow gets here I'll use the Arrow on the Woodie...
And it shall be called "The Bow and Arrow" :chuckle:
Yeah...I know its not funny at all.

[holyschnikes101]

But that probably won't be as strong.
But it saves you like 180 bucks. Instead of buying a K18 and a Ti Cranshaft, make a wood crankshaft and buy a k18. Total= about 110 bucks with mesh and supplies for the stick.

[Talent223]

Nice tut man. I am definately going to try this.

I had everything planned out for making a crankshaft woodie, but then I thought of another reason it wouldn't work. THe throat of the kannon has a piece of plastic sticking out of it, so you would have to hollow out the shaft a lot, making it alot weaker. Other than that, I think it would definately be possible to make a crankshaft version woodie.

[gigo567]

Nice tut man. I am definately going to try this.

I had everything planned out for making a crankshaft woodie, but then I thought of another reason it wouldn't work. THe throat of the kannon has a piece of plastic sticking out of it, so you would have to hollow out the shaft a lot, making it alot weaker. Other than that, I think it would definately be possible to make a crankshaft version woodie.
The Kannon as the insert but does the X3. If the X3 doesn't have the insert you could make a good amount of money off of making CS10 woodies.

[AttackMan17]

Now make one for the people who don't have table saws in their garage. lol

Heres a good tut for that.

Go to top of this tut.

And Pretend the sentance "Find someone wiht a table saw nearby." Is in there. :roll: Just kidding.


But, still. Great tut.
I got me some hickory and I'll try my hand at making a shorty tomorrow.

[NewLacrosseDad]

Alright...So, Im buying some hickory tomorrow.
And when my arrow gets here I'll use the Arrow on the Woodie...
And it shall be called "The Bow and Arrow" :chuckle:
Yeah...I know its not funny at all.

actually that kicks butt...

[AttackMan17]

actually that kicks butt...
Score for AM17.

[MaKiMaKi13]

o yea i suppose you could always try and find a hand planer if you dont have access to a table saw but it'll definitely require more work and im pretty sure planer's arent produced anymore

[UVAlaxer432]

couldn't you make like a harrow type shaft like where its thinner at the bottom and thicker at the top?? (i-beam i think)

But I am definately gonna get my dad to do this with me some time this week...

[MaKiMaKi13]

yea i think you could make it I-Beamish if you sanded the wood down where you wanted the flex point but some people say it feels like your shaft flexes when you shoot anyways

[Ex-Laxer]

I have no idea where to get Ipe. Honestly, anything stronger than hickory becomes expensive and hard to find. Plus, something like Greenheart is only about 25-30% stronger than hickory. And Hickory is already pretty damn strong. Go with hickory, you won't be disappointed. It has all the properties that makes it so popular to this day.

I'd love to see you make one out of Osage Orange wood, or maybe lemon wood. The Osage would be particularly good, as the Indians in the Midwest used it to make bows and war clubs, so you get the connotation! It's a very dense wood, as you might imagine, and reputedly makes bows second only to Yew in desirability...

In fact, if you could make one of Osage wood, how much would you charge for it? I'd love to have one with a Gait Asylum on it! Seriously. :grin:

[Ex-Laxer]

Now make one for the people who don't have table saws in their garage. lol

You could always whittle one, but it's gettin' a little late in the year for porch sitting! :agree:

[Ex-Laxer]

what are the demensions of a goalie shaft i wont make a goalie one but just wondering


nice tut

It's the same as A/M or D, just 40" long, if you use a goal shaft to play goal. You can use an A/M shaft, y'know?

[laxxkidd07]

wow that looks so good if i paid u would u make me one?? hahaha but seriously i would buy it

[Hackstall]

wow that looks so good if i paid u would u make me one?? hahaha but seriously i would buy it

Sorry dude, but it isn't really worth it to me to sell them. Someone on the forum sells them cheap so check it out.

I'm still waiting for the first newbie to post the shaft they made....

[AusBadger]

If you do it correctly all the angles should add up to either 180 or 360 I forget, remember since one angle is 43 the other must me 47 so its square :yumyum:

Oh and Hackstall did you use any of the information I told you or is this jsut all of your findings?
for all those interested the angles of a hexagon are all 1135 degrees.
360/8=45
180-45=135

[CSlax06]

for all those interested the angles of a hexagon are all 1135 degrees.
360/8=45
180-45=135


Thanks for clearing that up, I couldnt remember.

[drag0nblade25]

:worship: Beutiful work :worship: , i cant wait to move into my new house where ill have a workbench and i can make one.

Peace
M.Kocher #25

[pirkkis]

This tutorial is awesome, thanks for it. I've gotten my hands on some hickory, and am planning on making some shafts for myself. I'm also thinking about trying to make a "crankshaft", but the problem is I don't have one and so I don't have the right "measurements" for it. So if someone would like to measure the lenght of the tilted bit on a Crankshaft 10 and would let me know that would be awesome.

[rjattack19]

Sorry dude, but it isn't really worth it to me to sell them. Someone on the forum sells them cheap so check it out.

I'm still waiting for the first newbie to post the shaft they made....

you mean the second cuz i already posted mine, an its a BEAST! :chair: lol

[Lacrossebum03]

Brilliant! If I had all the equipment I would be making on right now. You my friend, are a genius.

[TheKOB]

I figured out a couple of things. First, you can get a woodburning kit for like $20-25 and put some really cool designs in the side of the shaft, before you put on the poly. You can just repeat simple geometic shapes on the side of it (triangles every inch) on every side of the shaft and it'll look pretty cool. Also, I've tried a ash shaft and it was pretty flimsy and broke as soon as I made a slap check.

[PCO6]

I figured out a couple of things. First, you can get a woodburning kit for like $20-25 and put some really cool designs in the side of the shaft, before you put on the poly. You can just repeat simple geometic shapes on the side of it (triangles every inch) on every side of the shaft and it'll look pretty cool. Also, I've tried a ash shaft and it was pretty flimsy and broke as soon as I made a slap check.

Back in the 60's / 70's we used to burn our initials into the head with a wood burning kit or a soldering iron.

[MaKiMaKi13]

amazingly i have a wood burning kit i just thought i'd never actually get a chance to use it, maybe ill try on like a spare piece of pine or tree branch and then see what it looks like on one of my oak shafts

[TheKOB]

all you really need to do is tick off the shaft with a pencil in 1 or 1/5 inch increments and draw triangles and/or diamonds on each side. It looks pretty wicked. I'll see if I can find a way to post my shaft that i did...then it broke. hence, I'm staying away from ash.

[Hackstall]

I have never used ash, but depending on the species, hickory is anywhere from 25-40% denser than ash. Perhaps hickory is more flexible as well? All I know is that people have been using hickory to make lacrosse shafts and sticks for many, many years so there must be something to hickory, or else something else would be preferred.

I don't know what the shaft in the tutorial is made from, but it is pretty well indestructible. My older brother is a bodybuilder and I told him to break the shaft over his leg and he couldn't. I planned to go outside and try to break it around a pole or something but haven't got around to doing it yet. I just want to see what kind of abuse will break this thing and then I can judge how long it will hold up in game situations.

[MaKiMaKi13]

hickory's easier to bend when you stick it in a steamer or atleast i think thats what the machine is called, i only know this because my friends dad is a carpenter for a living and he said hickory is strong and easier to bend into the traditional native american shape

[pirkkis]

What's the deal with the polyurethane? Can I just use any varnish, or are the "hardening characteristics" that polyurethane has critical?

[Hackstall]

Yeah you can definitely use any varnish. The wood is already pretty hard so there isn't a great need for polyurethane. However, polyurethane leaves a hard film on the shaft that is going to protect it from minor nicks and stuff. It should also stop the shaft from minor splintering and such. But it isn't totally necessary to use it.

As I said in the tutorial, if someone has the money or wants to go all out and make a hickory shaft with polyurethane, then that's cool. If someone doesn't have a lot of money or just wants to make a cheap shaft, I encourage them to use similar items that they already have.

[MaKiMaKi13]

o yea did u drill a hole into your shaft or did u just tape yours hackstall, heard i fyou do drill it you should just do a pilot hole and then screw it in??

[Hackstall]

Nope I just put the head on the shaft and put a screw in it. But I would think about putting a small pilot hole in because that will keep the wood from cracking. That has happened to me in the past. It won't really affect anything though. I was just too lazy to pick up the drill.

[dabomb182]

What you are all forgeting is that in the laccrose rules I am pretty sure it says that there can be no bend in your shaft, unless it is an STX crankshaft. So if you wanted to make a wooden CS I don't think you could get away with it in a game.

[upstatelaxdad]

thanks for the tutorial Hackstall. i found an old piece of oak in my basement today. so i took it down to my father inlaws (woodworking shop) and made 9 shafts out of it. i've got some sanding to do to finish them all but they look great.

the one mistake i made was the shafts were all about 6" too long and i stupidly cut the whole 6" off of one end. leaving the other end not perfectly symetrical. because when cutting the corners (to make the octagon shape) it's difficult for the first inch or two on a table saw to have the wood lined up perfect. once you get farther into the board it works fine though. a little extra sanding, tape, or a butt end will cover that up nicely.

TIP- if you're working with a board like i did 11" wide x 1 1/2" thick use a planer to get your 1 1/16". then all you'll have to do is rip off your 7/8" pieces. also, if you're not positive of your measurments or saw settings test it by cutting up some junk pine before you ruin a nice piece of hardwood.

[Hackstall]

You're welcome.

[KurtyG]

not to be a pesimist but who really has all of that equipment to make that? lol but its still a sweet shaft

[gigo567]

not to be a pesimist but who really has all of that equipment to make that? lol but its still a sweet shaft
Well, some kids parents have that stuff. My friends dad has all that equipment, even though his job doesn't even come close to working with it. He just has it.

[SilverZeppelin]

dude-a hickory pole would be SAVAGE..i have a saw like that too :]

[EHSLAX12]

im almost positive that you cant make a CS. and its possible to make a triax. or a flipgrip. with a router

thats untrue, there are ways...if you have an uneven piece you can fashion one, itd be difficuly, but its possible....if it is legal.

and im going to try my hand at making a hickory dpole soon, i hope it comes out good.

[CSlax06]

I can make a CS10...pretty sure anyways. If enough people want some Ill start up the saw.

[James]

As suggested above you should definately do osage. Its an incredible bow wood, ( aspiring bow maker) and for all that want a crankshaft it is easily heated with a heat gun and bent into place. If you dont violate the grain it is one of the strongest woods. Even if you do violate grain its great.

Hackstall great tutorial. 2 things though. In my experience hickory is very easy to find. and you shouldnt use just any hardwood. Stay away from birch poplar. If you are going to use Oak use Red Oak. Best of the oaks for this sort of thing.

[tobin4]

im gonna make one...

[tobin4]

thank you Hackstall! turned out GREAT!

[Hackstall]

Amazing! How about posting a pic?

[tobin4]

sure, the link is in my sig but here is a pic anyway!
http://img263.imageshack.us/img263/8148/img7924iz8.th.jpg (http://img263.imageshack.us/my.php?image=img7924iz8.jpg)

[onslowlax]

Is there a place on the web where I could purchase some hickory that's the appropriate size?

[Hackstall]

I doubt it...and even then it would be expensive to ship. Just call the local mill, building supply, etc and ask it they have some.

[DYLax93]

How much would all the stuff cost, includign the saw?

[MaKiMaKi13]

couple $$ dollars for a table saw, you can find a pretty nice chunk of wood for cheap if you know where to look though

[Hackstall]

Yeah couple of bills for the saw. I would see if someone will let you use theirs....or buy one off CSlax06 who does some great work.

Another option would be to see if your local boys and girls club has a woodshop. My dad goes to the one near him and they have an unbelievable amount of woodworking tools.

[mafman11]

My brother and I made one, and while making a second he almost cut off his finger....it only went to the bone though

[Megadeth1850]

Great Tutorial. That looks awesome!

[laxmiddie11]

I am deffinetly(sp?) going to try this. Do you know how to put names into the wood.

[Hackstall]

My brother and I made one, and while making a second he almost cut off his finger....it only went to the bone though

Please be very careful. Ask an adult to help if you guys need it. I hope he is okay.

[dare2compare]

Can you buy hickory or red oak at Home Depot or Home Hardware?

How much heavier is a wood shaft than an aluminium? Would it make a big difference to an 8 year old?

[MaKiMaKi13]

Can you buy hickory or red oak at Home Depot or Home Hardware?

How much heavier is a wood shaft than an aluminium? Would it make a big difference to an 8 year old?

yes you can buy them at home depot the generally weigh about the same as an aluminum shaft

[lax39er]

Can you buy hickory or red oak at Home Depot or Home Hardware?

How much heavier is a wood shaft than an aluminium? Would it make a big difference to an 8 year old?

My ash pole ways just the same as an old cut down aluminum pole.

[dare2compare]

I read on here that Ash was not strong enough. Have had any ash shafts break?

[Hackstall]

Ash is way stronger than aluminum for sure. You can't take what people say literally. In other words, when they said Ash was not strong enough, strong enough relative to what? It is plenty strong. Especially for an 8 year old. In fact, Ash is most likey stronger than the strongest metal titanium shaft you can buy.

I made a 30" regular size wood shaft for my Godson who is 2 years old and he can hold it fine with his Icon. I made it out of lighter wood though...unfortunately I don't know exactly what kind it is.

[dare2compare]

Is Ash lighter than Oak or Hickory? What about Walnut? Could that be used too?

I am going to go to my local Home Depot and see what they have.

[lax39er]

I read on here that Ash was not strong enough. Have had any ash shafts break?

My ash pole has held up fine. When we were doing some ground ball drills my friend wound up with his Db 803 pole and hit my ash and all i have is a couple of littel dents. I see how it holds up next week with games every other day.
Also a note on maintenance if your wood shaft gets hit and you have a littel crack in it make shure you sand it out because it makes your shaft last longer.

[MaKiMaKi13]

you can use any kind of hard wood to make a wooden shaft check google for a list of strengths depending on what your home deport has

[dare2compare]

I have been to my local stores and I can only find oak that is 1 x 4, but it's actually 3/4 of an inch thick. This is not thick enough is it?

I found some 2 x 2 x 30, but I am worried about screwing up the ends and having no room to cut it off.

[Hackstall]

You don't have a lumber yard, mill or wood place around? Home Depot kind of sucks for wood variety.

[jharsh#14key]

this is an AWSOME tut :devil:
anways
i made a shaft out of hickory
luckily my city has a hardwood store
it had every wood you could EVER THINK OF
anways the day i bought it they said they would cut it to 1 1/6 x 7/8
and they did they cut enough for two also
but when i picked it up from the store a different sales dude was there and he told me
READ THIS IT MIGHT HELP YOU:
i told him i was making a lacrosse shaft he said that jatoba would be the best wood you could ever choose
he said its ALOT lighter than hickory and 1 1/3 times the strength and it was the same price but
i didnt get it he said he will let me get this next time
yeh well i got it cut and the hickory is kinda heavy compared to my aluminum but i can deal with it but
my dad thinks the stick is illeagal becuz its wood
anways
Hackstall if you could sort me out on legality of wood sticks or weights that would help
THANK YOU GUYS

[wz3]

What widths do the sides of the shaft need to be? Does polyurethane and whatever else is used to coat woodies add to it significantly?

[MaKiMaKi13]

the widths are stated on the first page usually woodies are definitely legal, and polyurethane does not add weights its like a thin clear coat

[Hackstall]

Yeah wood shafts are definitely legal. Not all that long ago, that's all there was.

As for weight of wood shafts, you'll often hear that woodies are the same weight as aluminum which isn't exactly true. The lightest alloy shafts are around 5-6 oz. The titanium shafts are around 7. Aluminum are around 8 oz. Woodies are usually 10 or more, but can be less is a less dense wood is used. So yeah, it should be a bit heavier but the strength makes up for it.

Yeah I think Maki sufficiently answered Wz3's questions.

[panthers09]

I made a cool shaft out of Red Oak and Poplar from Home Depot. I actually took four 1/4 in. pieces and glued them together. The Oak was on the outside and the poplar in the middle, only showing on the skinny sides of the stick. It looked real nice and it felt really good too. Just broke it today, but am hoping to make more sticks.

So now that I'm done with my little story, question time...
1. What is stronger: 1 solid piece, 2 pieces glued together, or 4 glued together?
-----My grandpa says that the more pieces, the stronger.
-----The different grains and the glue holding them together will keep it from breaking as easy.

and 2. What is the strongest type of wood that would be good for an attack shaft?
----- I searched Google for a list of hardwoods with strengths and couldn't find anything.
----- If anyone knows a website that is pretty good, I will research it myself, if you don't feel like
----- telling me the type of wood.

[fatmanlax]

I made a cool shaft out of Red Oak and Poplar from Home Depot. I actually took four 1/4 in. pieces and glued them together. The Oak was on the outside and the poplar in the middle, only showing on the skinny sides of the stick. It looked real nice and it felt really good too. Just broke it today, but am hoping to make more sticks.

So now that I'm done with my little story, question time...
1. What is stronger: 1 solid piece, 2 pieces glued together, or 4 glued together?
-----My grandpa says that the more pieces, the stronger.
-----The different grains and the glue holding them together will keep it from breaking as easy.

and 2. What is the strongest type of wood that would be good for an attack shaft?
----- I searched Google for a list of hardwoods with strengths and couldn't find anything.
----- If anyone knows a website that is pretty good, I will research it myself, if you don't feel like
----- telling me the type of wood.

ok 1 solid piece would probably be stronger because in you story you said that your 2 piece glued together broke. The strongest wood for an attack shaft would probably be hickory but they dont sell that at Home Depot. If I looking for wood I just open the phone book and call around to wood stores and local mills.

[panthers09]

Alright thanks. Only problem with calling around is that I'm in Las Vegas, NV. In other words, there aren't many places that sell raw wood. They sell pre-cut boards for flooring and stuff like that, but there aren't many places that actually sell the kind of wood I'm looking for. I did find one website though, and it sounds pretty reasonable, price-wise.

[Hackstall]

Hickory isn't the absolute strongest but as I always say, it isn't the most popular species for no reason. It has all the properties that make it the best choice.

[italianstalion]

i thought greenhart was like way stronger than hickory

[MaKiMaKi13]

i thought greenhart was like way stronger than hickory

it is but it depends on what you can find in your area

[st.joslax10]

any body out there every get their woodie checked by a zebra during or before a game. i want to buy one but i dont want to draw more penalties since im using wood and i dont want to get hastled.

[MaKiMaKi13]

any body out there every get their woodie checked by a zebra during or before a game. i want to buy one but i dont want to draw more penalties since im using wood and i dont want to get hastled.

woodies are legal for NFHS and NCAA play like i stated before like 9 posts above

[panthers09]

SO greenhart would be better? I'll make sure to look for that. Any other woods that would work nicely. And the other question is what about if they were just for decoration. Like I was thinking of making some sticks for my coaches and having the team sign them because the one I made was actually pretty nice, looks-wise.

[MaKiMaKi13]

cherry, ash , oak both red and white , just do a google search for a list of hardwoods you should get quite a few

[tobin4]

http://www.woodbin.com/ref/wood/strength_table.htm

[lax39er]

I have an ash long pole woodie and it holds up fine I have had many kids on my team hit it thinking they were funny and the just put littel dents into it. Also if you use it in the rain some of the small dents come out because of the swelling.

[Hackstall]

SO greenhart would be better? I'll make sure to look for that. Any other woods that would work nicely. And the other question is what about if they were just for decoration. Like I was thinking of making some sticks for my coaches and having the team sign them because the one I made was actually pretty nice, looks-wise.

I wouldn't say better, I would say stronger. You have to take into account that the stronger the wood, the more heavier it is. So hickory might not be as strong as greenheart but it is lighter also. Considering that hickory is much stronger than titanium, you don't really need the extra strength that comes with greenheart. Plus, hickory has certain properties that make it ideal for these kinds of applications. For instance, it is very strong, but flexible so it should make your shots faster.

I know I keep sounding like a hickory salesman but like I said, it wouldn't be the most popular wood for lacrosse shafts and sticks if it wasn't the all around best.

[panthers09]

http://www.woodbin.com/ref/wood/strength_table.htm

I know that I've never talked to you before, but I love you, Tobin. I've been looking for something like this for a while now. Thank you so much.


I have an ash long pole woodie and it holds up fine I have had many kids on my team hit it thinking they were funny and the just put littel dents into it. Also if you use it in the rain some of the small dents come out because of the swelling.

So ash does hold up well? I saw somewhere that ash breaks easily. And if its a long pole, thats even better. I might just have to make myself a longpole out of wood...

[NALC24]

i can say that hickorym is deffently the best wood to use. i play box in the off season and use my wooden pole it has survived about 3 seasons
its good wood

[outlaw704]

Hickory and Ash are so strong and light they used to be used in building early airplanes. Another wood that I did not see mentioned here is called Sitka Spruce. It is certified by the FAA for aircraft wood spars and other structural parts. That means it has a very good strength to weight ratio (High strength : Low weight). Here is a source for aircraft grade spruce:

http://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalog/wppages/sprucesparstock.php

I am going to have to give this a try...

[MaKiMaKi13]

I wouldn't say better, I would say stronger. You have to take into account that the stronger the wood, the more heavier it is. So hickory might not be as strong as greenheart but it is lighter also. Considering that hickory is much stronger than titanium, you don't really need the extra strength that comes with greenheart. Plus, hickory has certain properties that make it ideal for these kinds of applications. For instance, it is very strong, but flexible so it should make your shots faster.

I know I keep sounding like a hickory salesman but like I said, it wouldn't be the most popular wood for lacrosse shafts and sticks if it wasn't the all around best.

well that and hickory among other woods like ash and oak dont really cost as much for greenheart

[panthers09]

My dad picked up some hickory and walnut today and I'm gonna work on making a few sticks tomorrow. And by the way, here is what my first set of sticks looked like, and ended up looking like after being used...

Wooden Shafts Pt. 1 (http://sports.webshots.com/album/558928286pfRUBU)

When I get pictures of the Walnut and Hickory shafts, I'll post those up.

[Hackstall]

"it broke due to us making it badly"

haha that is classic.

[Ralph-ELC]

hey people... I am starting to make some woodies too... but can you guys give me some advise... concerning the woodtype...

I live in the Netherlands and I don't know about all the wood kinds that are available here... So which types of wood are very good to use, and which are better to avoid. And what about the coating? I heard some people about boiling line seed oil... and some other people about polyurethane stuff...

can you help me a bit...

[sacrifice]

this is very nice tut. im gonna make a few for our basket auction.

[MaKiMaKi13]

hey people... I am starting to make some woodies too... but can you guys give me some advise... concerning the woodtype...

I live in the Netherlands and I don't know about all the wood kinds that are available here... So which types of wood are very good to use, and which are better to avoid. And what about the coating? I heard some people about boiling line seed oil... and some other people about polyurethane stuff...

can you help me a bit...

if you read from page 1 youll find out what you need to know about , you want to use hardwoods like oak , hickory cherry ash etc. and polyurethane works as a coat

[Ralph-ELC]

thank you... and what about the lineseed oil? I have heard some people about that...

[MaKiMaKi13]

i dunno much about lineseed oil i prefer the polyurethane stuff myself

[Hackstall]

My biggest issue with linseed oil is that sometimes it doesn't dry so fast and it may be sticky for a long time. I have heard that if you use double boiled linseed that this shouldn't happen but it has happened to me on other wood projects so I tend to stay away from it now. Just use polyurethane. It is cheap and diamond hard.

[Ralph-ELC]

oke... thanks for the quick answers... and how many layers should I use... ? More is better or...?

[Hackstall]

More is always better. I would do around 3 or 4 makng sure to finely sand in between coats. Make sure you use a rag as I have put in the tutorial. I usually don't have the patience to do more than 2 but that's just me.

[Ralph-ELC]

Thanks man... so it is sand, coat, sand, coat... etc

Sorry for being a nuisance (If I spell it correct) but I am just new to this **** and very excited...

[panthers09]

All I did was sand the first time, then just kept adding coats. I didn't sand in between coats. I used polyurethane and I applied it with a rag after I had sanded it so smooth, it felt like glass or something.

And yes, hackstall, we made those sticks pretty badly. We weren't careful when we glued them so there ended up being like little tiny hollow spots in the middle.


I've been working on hickory sticks this time around vs. oak and poplar. The hickory seems fine, but I haven't used one of the sticks yet. My dad bought a whole bunch of hickory and walnut (like $75 worth.) After doing some math and cutting some of it up, I figure thats enough for at least 10-15 sticks. :) Good money after I start selling them on eBay...

[tobin4]

no problem panthers.
i've been making these for teammates here (selling them, of course) and i had just been using Tung Oil to coat them. but, some people don't like how slippery it is, i like it but i was wondering what other things i could coat it with that would make it less slippery? thanks for any help!

[Hackstall]

Minwax. I just rubbed a wood shaft to check and it isn't too slippery. However, it is more slippery than my klytes.

[tobin4]

ooh alright thanks a lot.
as for the tutorial, my dad was looking at it the other day and he said it has the possibility of being quite dangerous because you should put the wood on the outside of the blade when its at an angle. i think that makes sense. because otherwise, it could get caught up or something and shoot out and yeah. just a thought

[panthers09]

The way I did my first sticks was wrong. I'm not even sure how we did them. But this time, with the Hickory, I set the blade to 43* and it angles to the left. The fence is on the right of the blade I think 9/16" from the blade. I run the wood through with the 1-1/16" side ON THE TABLE. I couldn't exactly figure out how you were supposed to do this when I read this tutorial, and the angle cuts ended up being longer than the other sides, which kinda threw me off.

[James]

Don't use Ipe, brazilian walnut ( same thing different name), green heart, purple heart is not good either. The dust is murder on your lungs . Plus alot of people are alergic to it and it gives them the itchies.

I make bows and similar woods are used. A stick made out of Ipe ( eepay) would be super heavy. But also very strong.

I think you guys should make one out of osage. I think it could perform better then hickory. Thats just my opinion.

Also hackstall could you do all this with a bandsaw? I do not know powertools that well.

[Hackstall]

ooh alright thanks a lot.
as for the tutorial, my dad was looking at it the other day and he said it has the possibility of being quite dangerous because you should put the wood on the outside of the blade when its at an angle. i think that makes sense. because otherwise, it could get caught up or something and shoot out and yeah. just a thought

I don't see how you can have the wood on the outside of the blade and still use the rip fence. Can you provide a picture to help me understand how this would work?

The way I see it, using a table saw is inherently dangerous, I don't see any increase in danger in the way that I make the cuts.

[Hackstall]

The way I did my first sticks was wrong. I'm not even sure how we did them. But this time, with the Hickory, I set the blade to 43* and it angles to the left. The fence is on the right of the blade I think 9/16" from the blade. I run the wood through with the 1-1/16" side ON THE TABLE. I couldn't exactly figure out how you were supposed to do this when I read this tutorial, and the angle cuts ended up being longer than the other sides, which kinda threw me off.

So do you have it figured out now? Let me know and I can help.

[Hackstall]

Also hackstall could you do all this with a bandsaw? I do not know powertools that well.

I suppose it is possible but I don't know too much about bandsaws....although my dad just recently bought one so maybe I could take a look at it later today and see if it is feasible.

[panthers09]

So do you have it figured out now? Let me know and I can help.

I thought I did, but now I'm doubting myself again. I wasn't sure how you did yours so I tried finding out my own way of doing it. I was almost positive I had it figured out until today when I checked the measurements of sides of the woodie to the measurements of my brothers STX AL6000. Each side of the stick was off by like 1/8" or maybe even just 1/16", but when you add all of that up, it makes for one screwed up stick. I'm going to try to figure out my problem, but in the meantime, can you try to clear up how you did it, hackstall?

[James]

I suppose it is possible but I don't know too much about bandsaws....although my dad just recently bought one so maybe I could take a look at it later today and see if it is feasible.
Well is it do able? MAybe I could make woodies to help pay for a bandsaw. Well sort of after I buy it. I am thinking about getting a bandsaw but dont know if its worth it.

[Wooks]

Is there any way to make a woodie with a miter saw? I doubt it, but I wanna make a woodie, and I don't have a table saw.

[Hackstall]

No you can't make a woody with a miter saw because the blade is perpendicular to the fence.

Table saws are relatively cheap...you can pick up a basic one for around $100.

[panthers09]

One weeked while I was out of town, my dad went and picked up a really nice table saw. It's a 10" Craftsman. I think it was somewhere around like $150-$200. This is all you really need, and probably even more. If you do end up getting something like this, you might want to buy a replacement blade with more teeth on it. The more teeth, the cleaner the cut. This means soooooo much less sanding that if you use the one that comes with the saw. I got an 80 tooth blade and I think the saw came with a 40 tooth. So, the higher the number the better.

[lieblax]

so is cherry a good wood to use?

[GatorPole]

Would it be possible for you to replace the missing image? It's right after the part that you said can get tricky and that worries me.

[theflyinglaxer]

im a goalie, i cant picture using a wood goalie. i just vision the ball hitting the shaft dead on and snapping. im not sure if that actually happens, but it would suck.


It probably wouldn't snap, but your reaction time would be greatly diminished because wood shafts are sooooo much heavier than alloy shafts.

[penguin27]

Is it ok to use a different type of saw or is there a specific alternative that someone would recomend to a table saw cause i dont have one and they're pretty expensive?

[MVHSlax14]

you might check the place where you buy the wood, they will have a saw, just ask them to cut it for you

[LaX crazy]

would it be possible to ruberize the end to make a permanent end cap?

[d-lax]

is that shaft stronger than a woody u could buy in stores, because I always break the ones u buy in stores.

[JRLaX]

I made one! (http://www.lacrosseforums.com/showthread.php?p=1266151#post1266151)

[CSUFlax45]

Hey Hackstall,

Nice tut man! I went out and got myself a nice piece of ash (witty pun) and used my old tablesaw, but it didn't turn out quite right. I had all of the measurements right and angles correct, but something wasn't working....Would it matter if the blade I was using was actually a skill saw blade and not a table saw blade?

PS...here's my stick!
http://kyle.jamroom.net/images/woodie.jpg

[Hackstall]

Gator, I will try to replace the missing image ASAP.

CSUFlax, looks good from far. It shouldn't matter if you used a skill saw blade as long as you measured properly. I'm thinking that you may not have turned the shaft end for end to do the last 2 corner cuts. If you post a picture of one of the ends of the shaft, looking down the length of the shaft, I may be able to tell you what went wrong.

[lax@wwu21]

I made 9 woodies from Locust wood. Got it from our hardwoods specialty store and they turned out really well. I'm waiting for a woodburner to arrive so I can put designs in for added looks. I'll take some pics shortly when they're finished.

Thanks for the great tutorial!:yumyum:

[CSUFlax45]

CSUFlax, looks good from far. It shouldn't matter if you used a skill saw blade as long as you measured properly. I'm thinking that you may not have turned the shaft end for end to do the last 2 corner cuts. If you post a picture of one of the ends of the shaft, looking down the length of the shaft, I may be able to tell you what went wrong.

I can't think what the problem was, because I double and triple checked all of my measurements, both with the wood and the saw. When the saw was 1 13/16" and at 43 deg., only the very very tip of the corner was taken off. I ended up moving the saw to 1 9/16" and that made it better, but it's definitely not perfect. I'd show you the end of it, but I got it taped up all nice ;) When I do my next one, if it turns out the same way, I'll post again. I wonder if it's my saw...

[JRLaX]

i think it's cause he didn't post the blade distance you should use when cutting the angles.

[CSUFlax45]

i think it's cause he didn't post the blade distance you should use when cutting the angles.

Didn't he?


Take your rip fence and move it to the other side of the saw, if necessary. Now take your tape measure and measure 1 13/16 from the rip fence to the edge of the teeth of the blade and lock the rip fence there.

Now you want to tilt the blade to 43 degrees. Lock the blade in place. The blade should be tilted toward the rip fence which is why I had to move the fence to the other side of the blade on my saw. Your saw should now look like the 2nd picture.

[Slyder592]

wooden shafts are not NCAA legal correct?

[jesusmacabee]

hackstall,

would ebony make a good shaft? i have researched some hardwoods and this seems to be pretty strong and have good shock resistance.

[CSUFlax45]

wooden shafts are not NCAA legal correct?

I believe they are?

[JRLaX]

Didn't he?

My bad, I mean he didn't post the blade height.

[Hackstall]

Blade height shouldn't matter as long as it is high enough to cut through the wood. That would be a noticeable problem.

Like I said, it might be easier to evaluate if I saw a crossection of the shaft.

Would ebony work? I have no idea. But a look at my density chart says that it should be around the same strength as hickory. It couldn't hurt to try it.

[JRLaX]

someone should multiply all the measurements in the tut by 4 and make a giant wooden shaft :P

[cipro]

thanx but its not that easy

[004]

What size bit do you use for the hole for the screw to attach the head?

[AttackMan18]

Why is this in the Stick Doctor Lounge. Shouldn't this been in the Equipment Lounge?

[cashbala456]

yo hackstall i live in florida and when a hurricane hits again, i will make a woodie with wood from a fallen palm tree and i will engrace the words" the hurricane" into the side of it.

[Hackstall]

Yeah like the movie the Natural. Some kid will call his the "Savoy Special".

[vanslaxer]

some people put a hard wood on the outside and balsa in the middle. makes it lighter

[vanslaxer]

and you can burn designs into them. or carve

[Shenlax37]

Yeah how do you burn designs into them, also, would there be anything good at lowes?

[MaKiMaKi13]

Yeah how do you burn designs into them, also, would there be anything good at lowes?

a wood burning kit will do the trick

[panthers09]

a wood burning kit will do the trick

Yes it should. I got one. It's just a little pen that you plug into the wall. After it gets hot enough, it burns right into the wood. Kinda hard to get used to so try on your actual stick until you get the hang of it. Use scraps from one that you broke, if you have before, or just get a piece of wood from Home Depot or something to practice on.

[Shenlax37]

http://www.hautestick.com/LaxGear/LaxShaft/Retro/Retro-Main.html
check out this sight, its weird, its some hybrid shaft

[MadBomber]

Would it be feasible to cut down an ash tree and make it into a shaft? There's one right out the window that's relatively rounded and thin, and I don't have the cash to get some wood.

[Titanoh]

Sorry if this has been anwsered...
Will this be as strong as a talon shaft, if I use hickory. And also, what will the weight be?

[CSlax06]

Around 10 or so ounces depending on the wood. It would kill a Talon.

[NBCLAX23]

Hackstall, you doknow your using welding gloves right?

[NBCLAX23]

hey my dad owns a antique restoration business and we have a junk load of the wood and equipment needed for this job, I used a router with a 45 degree bit and it works the same as the table saw. I found that cherry is a good wood as well as two woods that I would dout you guys may be able to find or aford and that is Osage orange which is heavier but stronger and curly maple (mad expensive) which is light and strong. here are the pics. I will put one link and you can just scroll through the album!
http://good-times.webshots.com/photo/2433074380102585733puFbXy?vhost=good-times

[DanTheMan]

yo hackstall, i used regular wood finish and the color came out so dark. would that be because i didnt use polyurethane or did i just put to much on (like 3 light layers)

[NBCLAX23]

did you take a rag down it after each coat to get rid of the extra finish? that would explain it

[DanTheMan]

yea i did but i think that it might just be a dark finish

[Titanoh]

Anyone ever tried to hallow out part of the shaft?

[MaKiMaKi13]

Anyone ever tried to hallow out part of the shaft?

yes i has been done before

[winchester883]

Love the tutorial. I am wanting to make my girlfriend a wooden shaft for christmas as was wondering what the internal dimensions for a girls shaft were? A mens shaft being 7/8 by 1 1/16

[winchester883]

Ahh i found a previous post that said an octagonal girls shaft has the dimensions of 15/16 by 25/32. I'm assuming that if i replace these dimensions for the mens dimensions and follow the tutorial It'll come out fine? Or do i need to adjust anything else?

[Titanoh]

Maki, does it still hold up well? And does it really reduce the weight by that much?

[smanonfire]

is there any way i can make it without a tablesaw because i dont have 1...i only have a power saw

[theCanadian]

yea I make these too. I use a router to do mine though. It can be more dangerous if you don't know what your doing but I think it gives you a better finish. Here is a pic of one I made. If anyone wants to buy one from me check out this thread. http://lacrosseforums.com/showthread.php?t=104081

http://i10.tinypic.com/8fov9rt.jpg

[DTOWNstatechamp]

how much it weigh? compared to a metal one?

[bonebrakr12]

im gonna make one later. how would you carve out the rounded shape? is it possible to sand it to be more curvy?

[MaKiMaKi13]

im gonna make one later. how would you carve out the rounded shape? is it possible to sand it to be more curvy?

i'm assuming your talking about the corners? if so you can just sand them down with fine grit sandpaper to get your desired shape

[viperslax22]

how would you make the screw hole?

[laxxxer]

how would you make the screw hole?

drill out a small hole using a small drill bit (smaller than the screw) then drill in the screw. i did it that way and it didnt split

[BLax136]

could you clear up what kitty corner is i dont mean to sound stupid but is that the opposite side?

[BLax136]

mods: please delete post

[sebyiscool]

good tutorial man!
i made 2 with my dad, this one was made of Red Oak
11910

11911

[mpls-lacrosse]

could you clear up what kitty corner is i dont mean to sound stupid but is that the opposite side?

yeah opposite, you might have heard of kitty corner as in crossing the street?

__|................*|__



__|*................|__

(this is supposed to be a street) the two corners with the * are kitty corner (and so would the other two corners)

[mpls-lacrosse]

I can't think what the problem was, because I double and triple checked all of my measurements, both with the wood and the saw. When the saw was 1 13/16" and at 43 deg., only the very very tip of the corner was taken off. I ended up moving the saw to 1 9/16" and that made it better, but it's definitely not perfect. I'd show you the end of it, but I got it taped up all nice ;) When I do my next one, if it turns out the same way, I'll post again. I wonder if it's my saw...

im having this same problem, the tilted blade set at 1 and 13/16 only clips the very edge of the wood, all my other cuts are good but this one doesnt work, any body know what distance it should be at?

[mgreely4]

im pretty sure CS are made by bending the shaft after heating it

[imclutchson]

I'd love to see you make one out of Osage Orange wood, or maybe lemon wood. The Osage would be particularly good, as the Indians in the Midwest used it to make bows and war clubs, so you get the connotation! It's a very dense wood, as you might imagine, and reputedly makes bows second only to Yew in desirability...

In fact, if you could make one of Osage wood, how much would you charge for it? I'd love to have one with a Gait Asylum on it! Seriously. :grin:

dude yesterday in runescape i was cutting down yew trees and then i started making yew longbows it was sick bra. jk jk haah

[Konkordmusk]

How are these shafts in terms of bending after use?
Specifically a longpole.
I'm thinking of making one, but if longpoles would bend too easily, I'd just make short shafts.

[nemiman18]

well. after making 5 shafts out of ash and selling or trading them all. i made 2 shafts out of ipe. and 8 out of ash, 4 poles, 2 goalie and 4 a/m in total. my goalie Ipe shaft is a heavy bugger but it looks extremely sexy