Primitive Archer

Main Discussion Area => Arrows => Topic started by: Tom B on January 03, 2009, 10:03:30 am

Title: tension failure in bamboo arrows
Post by: Tom B on January 03, 2009, 10:03:30 am

having made some arrows from pseudosasa japonica (arrow boo) in the past ,i am stuck.Iswitchedto an alc.lamp for this go roundon the advice of mechslasher.the boo doesn't seem to sweat.too many failures in tension.can it be too dry?any help appreciated.tom

Title: Re: tension failure in bamboo arrows
Post by: mullet on January 03, 2009, 11:40:32 am

 If it's not sweating before you smell it that's what I'd say is happening.How old is it?

Title: Re: tension failure in bamboo arrows
Post by: artcher1 on January 03, 2009, 11:54:47 am

Hi Tom, how you doing these days?  Where's the boo breaking at, nodes, internodes or both? -ART B

Title: Re: tension failure in bamboo arrows
Post by: Tom B on January 03, 2009, 12:19:59 pm

hey  Art how u doing?The canes have been cut for a year.they are failing internodally,right in the scorch marks,but no sweating.thanks for the help

Title: Re: tension failure in bamboo arrows
Post by: artcher1 on January 03, 2009, 12:51:33 pm

Doing good Tom. Maybe you have some immature stuff. You get the boo from Chris? I don't notice any sweating with bamboo, just the river/switch/hill cane. This arrow boo is thinned walled to begin with and needs a little more delicate touch to deal with. If you have scorched marks then that may be the cause of your problems. Scorched marks are often caused by double heating an area. For example, when you're moving your shaft over your heat source and you stop to reverse your motion you double heat that particular spot. Try heating in one direction only. Don't believe you can get this bamboo too dry for straightening but scorching can certainly damage it. ART B

Title: Re: tension failure in bamboo arrows
Post by: Tom B on January 03, 2009, 01:23:13 pm

thanks art.i will try that.livenlearn.was considering re-hydratingthanks again tom

Title: Re: tension failure in bamboo arrows
Post by: cheapshot on January 03, 2009, 02:43:08 pm

I bought some Bamboo from Hobby lobby, not sure what kind.  It has good spacing between nodes and really thick walls. I have the same problem with faliure if I over heat an area. I usually use a candle for straightening cane and don't have much trouble with river cane.
I noticed the hobby lobby stuff does seem to be drier than the river cane. I sometimes put some vegetable oil on a shaft that is particularly crooked, it seems to help distribute the heat somewhat. Whatever the stuff is it makes a good tough arrow.

Title: Re: tension failure in bamboo arrows
Post by: Mechslasher on January 03, 2009, 06:45:40 pm

i agree with art.  if the boo has scorch marks, then it weakens the walls considerably, especially at the nodes.  never let the boo heat up enough that it turns black. 

Title: Re: tension failure in bamboo arrows
Post by: Tom B on January 04, 2009, 09:23:35 am

thank you all.things went much better when i remembered to only try to compress a crooked area.and slowly.

Title: Re: tension failure in bamboo arrows
Post by: Hillbilly on January 04, 2009, 10:52:29 am

Usually when that happens you're getting it too hot, unless like Art said it's young thin-walled stuff.