Primitive Archer
Main Discussion Area => Arrows => Topic started by: DMilby on May 11, 2007, 05:59:57 pm
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I just found allot of Bamboo in my woods and I need a few pointers on how to tun them into arrows.
What diameter for 55-60# spine
How to make self nocks in them
Best way to straighten
How "green" should they be
Do I need to seal them
thanks in advance for all help
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What kind of bamboo do you have? Most make good arrows. Most of my experience has been with our native bamboo, river cane.
What diameter for 55-60# spine
With cane, about 3/8" or so at the big end usually works well. Spine will vary depending on the species of bamboo and thickness of the walls of the bamboo shoot. Cut them a little bit bigger than you think you'll need, they shrink some in diameter as they dry. You can also control apparant spine by the length of the finished shafts.
How to make self nocks in them
I like to cut the nock ends of the shafts off about a half-inch behind a node and cut a self nock in just like you would with any other shaft. Making it behind a node isn't necessary, but it reinforces the nock. You can also plug the ends of the shaft with a hardwood dowel and cut or taper it like a solid shaft.
Best way to straighten
With heat. Gently heat the shaft until it starts to "sweat", at which point it bends easily. I like to straighten the areas between the nodes first, then do the nodes themselves. Other people do the opposite, whatever works best for you. Once straightened, bamboo shafts seem to stay straight better than wooden shafts.
How "green" should they be
A month or two of seasoning is usually enough, just depends on the conditions. Usually when they start to "yellow up", they're getting pretty well seasoned.
Do I need to seal them
Most bamboos have a shiny "rind", which is fairly waterproof. I often make cane arrows without sealing them at all, but it's not a bad idea to put a finish of some sort on them.
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I just made this one from river cane.
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Cool looking arrow man. I do know that rivercane shafts are the most labor intensive, Trapper
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Art Butner told me to cut them about 4' long .That way you have more to work with straigtening them and can adjust for the spline.
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Hello, my bamboo arrows: http://www.my-bow.hu/?q=node/621
(Hungarian site)
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What Hillbilly and Mullet said I also agree. One of the things I do to even the weight up (not sure it is a big deal) is to have about 3 to 4 inch's at the tip end in front of a node with the hole in it. That way you can weigh everything after you spine them and include short lengths of 1/32 dia. solder wire. You insert the wire in the tip end and add a little CA to hold them in place. Cane arrows front loaded like this with Obsidian and "flint" points are devastating on game. I have one tipped with Texas Tab that went clean through a Texas pig and chipped the point in the soil and you could still shave with it.
Dick Bernier
Mebane NC
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I just sat down this morning and began footing some bamboo shafts that I straightened a month or so back I bought them for $5.00 a dozen at the local garden centre a while ago . Spines way stiff so I left them extra long and weighted up the point end with a 1/4 inch dia 4 inch long hardwood insert . Interesting that grease [ animal fat ? ] is used in combination with heat to straighten cane / bamboo arrows, I can see that would aid in less scorching of the shaft through a more even heat distribution . The things you learn on this site , good stuff .Thanks for the thread and tips people . regards Perry