Primitive Archer
Main Discussion Area => Arrows => Topic started by: WillMac on April 16, 2008, 11:08:41 am
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I am having a lot of trouble straightening the nodes on my cane shafts. I get one almost straight and it becomes brittle and snaps. :-\ Is it because I am reheating the node? How do you tell if you are over heating?
thanks!
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if you over heat the node or if the shaft is too dry you can have problems with the nodes snapping. i have that problem with the dried tonkin cane i use. using the cane i harvest myself, i cure it in the sun and let it dry for a month or three and straighten. rarely do i have problem with nodes snapping. after straightening i let the shaft finish drying/curing.
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Nine times out of ten if I break a node it was because I got it too hot. You need to heat it just until it starts to sweat and you start to smell the "hot cane" smell. If it gets charred or dark brown looking, it's too hot. Try heating it slower- I often use a heat gun on low clamped in the vise and rotate the cane constantly over it as I'm heating it. You just have to get the feel of bending the nodes, too-slow and steady, no sudden movements. Always do the major straightening before you smooth the nodes down. Another thing that helps is to get all the internodes straight before you bend the nodes, then you usually just have to bend the nodes once.
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Also, I've used a little oil, but I'm not sure how much that affects the outcome. Don't trust a hillbilly all the time, but he's right. :) I've broken several because I've overheated them.
Sean
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Like Hillbilly said..too much heat........bob