Primitive Archer
Main Discussion Area => Arrows => Topic started by: IONIAN on September 11, 2007, 04:51:24 pm
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Guys, I have wanted to make some shafts from bamboo flooring for a long time. After reading all I could on making bamboo flyrods, I thought I would try it out. Here is the result.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v281/Ionian/BambooHex-Shafts006.jpg)
These are a couple from the dozen I glued up. They are 3/8 X 32 X 900 grains. They will be turned down to arrow size later on. Check out them power fibers!
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howd they spine. and howd ya put em together :o
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Jamie, I never pay much attention to spine. Instead I use a severe taper from 23/64 down to 5/16 at the nock end. I do keep the shafts within 5 grains of each other and it seems to work well. They go together like bamboo flyrods, cut the strips at 60 degrees, glue and bind. I am working on an article for the magazine that will cover all the details.
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cool
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Sounds like a great article, I cant wait. Justin
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I like them.I bet they are tough too.
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Nice shafts alot of work. Dis you get some that are very stiff? Say 100# plus marlon
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Hi, I like the idea, and will eagerly await the article! Ron
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More nice arrow work, Nick ;). Any idea what a finished arrow will weigh? Pat
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Thanks for the compliments guys, they are a ton of work.
Pat, i'm thinking I can get them down to less then 700 grains with a 125 grain broadhead.
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Might be a ton of work , but Oh so satisfying - wonderfull . regards Perry
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nice shafts. have you made a flyrod yet?
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Very nice. jawge
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Here is the bakers dozen guys.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v281/Ionian/BambooHex-Shafts007.jpg)
They are being prepared for splined self-nocks and later will be tapered down to arrow size.
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Bingo!!!! Thanks Hillbilly, that is exactly what I was talking about! I wonder how they would be with a taper? Ionian, those are what I have been thinking about doing for quite some time, but never had the material, or work area, and tools to do it. So you just used bamboo flooring huh? Cool! I was just asking in the article on Sasafras bows, if anyone had ever made arrows, using bamboo, and cutting triangular strips, and gluing them together like the bamboo fly rods. Oh, yeah, seek, and ye shall find!
Yepher, I too wait with worms on my tongue, (baited breath) to see how they turn out, and any trials and tribulations you may go through. I will make some when I can get a small band saw, and some room in my garage, before I move to Montana, after I retire, at the end of May. I have always wondered about bamboo arrows when I saw my first bamboo fly rod, and saw an article on how they were made. You guys have just made my night! Now I can go to bed, and sleep, with visions of me sanding a batch of hexogonal shafts, and rounding them . They would look nice with a nice horn insert, or horn nock with insert. Man now you have me all fired up. I have to work tomorrow, and I don't know how much sleep I will get now. Thanks again, and please, give us the full details on your experience with them. Take care, and have a Happy. P.S. OOOOHHH, I just had a flash of me going down to get a box of flooring, and making not only arrows, but a nice bamboo fly rod! Hah! Who woulda thunk it!
Stickbender.
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It's been a long time guys, but work has kept me from doing much with these shafts. I have started on a new jig that will full length taper any wood shaft. It's not done yet, but I am working on it.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v281/Ionian/TaperJig001.jpg)
I will try and have the jig done and the shafts tapered by the time Cloverdale rolls around. Come on down and see them in person in June.
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Ionian,
Can you say more about your jig? How would it be used to give the taper?
Mark
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Sorry it has taken so long fellers. I was promoted to foreman for a large construction company and have several carpenters to take care of so I don't get much free time. The self-nocks are ready to be shaped and cut. I only use osage these days.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v281/Ionian/bamboohex-shafts001-1.jpg)
This will be by far the most time I have ever spent on a set of arrows. I hope to have them done by the time our hunting season rolls around.
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They sure looking nice Nick, but I wouldn't expect anything different from you. ;) 8) Pat
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Those are awesome shafts....just now read this thread. ;D
Kinda reminds me of something I heard a while ago.....a friend of mine from Thailand told me about an arrow maker who splits large diameter bamboo poles into arrow blanks (about 3/8" square) and then planes them down to arrow size. Not exactly the same as gluing up triangular strips.....but the arrows were very heavy and strong...as I'm sure yours are too.
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Wow. those are awesome looking arrows...
But 900 grains... you ought to be able to knock out an elephant with those.....
love it.
wade
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Amazing work. I would cry like a baby if I lost one!
I am currently talking to a nice man in China about mass production of four piece bamboo shafts. These would be from Tonkin, from four rather than six pieces and with a hollow centre. This would give strength but not too much weight.
Problem at the moment is that minimum order quantity is 100,000 shafts!
Early days yet but it may happen one day.
Mark in England
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That's a lot of work! They look great, though.
Sean
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nice work looking real good
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Those are sweet. I was also wondering if you had thought about plaining the inside surface of each of the six pieces to make a hollow core. Many really high end fly rods do this to keep weight down. Really nice arrows. :)
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great work man..looks good..
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I am hitting a dead end guys. I have tried several jigs, but I cannot get the taper consistent enough. If anyone has any ideas, please let me know.
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Weight is not a problem. Even though they start out around 900+ grains, by the time they are reduced they should make around a 650 grain arrow finished.
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Nick, just a guess here but you might have to pre-taper the components before you assemble the shafts. There is a member that makes bamboo fly rods. Maybe he can be of assistance. Pat
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Hi all,
I had this idea as well and found this thread in a german forum:
http://www.free-archers.de/forum/index.php?topic=4961.0 (http://www.free-archers.de/forum/index.php?topic=4961.0)
unfortunately and obviously in German ;)
The tools to produce the shafts come from rodbuilding and can be selfmade:
http://www.thomaspenrose.com/form01.htm (http://www.thomaspenrose.com/form01.htm)
With this tool you can determine the taper of the shaft before you assemble the components.
Hexagonal (spelling?) shafts would look very nice too.
Greetings
Radon
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Check out this one by Dick Bernier. http://www.primitivearcher.com/smf/index.php/topic,7740.0.html