Primitive Archer
Main Discussion Area => HowTo's and Build-a-longs => Topic started by: tenbrook on October 23, 2011, 11:17:23 am
-
Bamboo Arrow Build-A-Long
First go to Home Depot and buy some 72" Bamboo Plant Stakes. They come in a 6 pack. Buy as many as you like expecting to get 3-4 usable shafts per bag.
You will also want to pickup some 16D Duplex Nails.
(http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k258/matter_daddy/DSCN2360.jpg)
Now go through the bags and pickout the straightest pieces with a OD (outside diameter) of between 7-10mm. It helps to have an open end wrench handy to help gauge the OD. We are going to be making these into 32" shafts so the OD only needs to be between 7-10mm for a 32" section.
(http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k258/matter_daddy/DSCN2446.jpg)
You should now have a pile of hand picked 72" Bamboo Plant Stakes with an OD of between 7-10MM over a 32" section.
(http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k258/matter_daddy/DSCN2445.jpg)
Now we need to cut the Bamboo Plant Stakes down so they are more manageable for the straightening process. Bamboo likes to split when being cut so be careful here and use a sharp/fine tooth saw.
(http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k258/matter_daddy/DSCN2447.jpg)
When cutting the Bamboo you need to find the best section of your 72" stake. Bamboo has a natural taper. The thick end of you bamboo is going to have the point. The thin end will have the nock. Take this into account when cutting the Bamboo. You will want your cut at the nock end to be about 1.5" past a node. We will be using the node to help setup the Self-Nock later on. Go ahead and cut the shafts down to only about 36-40" at this point. You want to leave them a little long to help with straightening.
In the pic below you can see where you want to have the cut for the nock end in relation to the Bamboo node.
(http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k258/matter_daddy/DSCN2451.jpg)
For straightening the shafts I like to use a heat gun. Just about any heat source will work.
Some people like to straighten the nodes first. Some like to do the mid section first. It does not seem to matter either way so choose which one you like. I start with the nodes.
I take my heat gun and place it under the node while spinning the shaft. Once the section I am heating gets hot enough the Bamboo will bend very easy. Just bend it as straight as possible and move on to the next node.
(http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k258/matter_daddy/DSCN2460.jpg)
After you do the nodes move on to the section between the nodes.
(http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k258/matter_daddy/DSCN2459.jpg)
-
Bamboo Arrow Build-A-Long
Next we need to cut our straightened shafts to length (32") and sand down the nodes. Some people leave the nodes as is. I prefer to sand them down. The choice is yours. You will also want to sand the entire length of the shaft with 80gr sandpaper.
(http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k258/matter_daddy/DSCN2461.jpg)
Before and after of the sanded nodes.
(http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k258/matter_daddy/DSCN2464.jpg)
When cutting the nock end only take off a little bit. You want to leave a node about 3/4" above the nock end (skinny end) for setting up the Self-Nock. After cutting the nock end measure 32" and trim the excess off the front. Do not worry about node placement on the point end (fat end) it does not matter.
(http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k258/matter_daddy/DSCN2463.jpg)
You should now have nice pile of straightened, sanded, cut to length (32") shafts with an OD of between 7-10mm.
(http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k258/matter_daddy/DSCN2465.jpg)
-
Bamboo Arrow Build-A-Long
Now we will attempt to spine our arrows. Once again some people do not bother to spine their Bamboo Arrows. I will be. For optimal arrow flight you will want your arrow spine to match the weight of your bow.
I do not have a spine meter so this is how we will be doing it.
Take two of your 16D Duplex nails and nail them level to a flat surface 26" apart.
(http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k258/matter_daddy/DSCN2466.jpg)
(http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k258/matter_daddy/DSCN2467.jpg)
Next go into your quiver and grab an arrow that shoots well out of your bow. Place the arrow on the two nails and hang any 2lb. weight from the middle. Make a mark in the middle where the arrow flexes to it furthest point.
(http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k258/matter_daddy/DSCN2468.jpg)
(http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k258/matter_daddy/DSCN2469.jpg)
Now go through your Bamboo Shafts and do the same thing. Place the shafts that are +/- 1mm from your mark in a separate pile. While doing this spin the shaft with the weight on it and find the stiffest side. This is the side you want facing the bow. Make a small mark on the nock end so you know where to place your Self-Nock.
(http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k258/matter_daddy/DSCN2470.jpg)
(http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k258/matter_daddy/DSCN2471.jpg)
(http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k258/matter_daddy/DSCN2473.jpg)
You should now have pile of spined, straightened, sanded, cut to length (32") shafts with an OD of between 7-10mm and a mark for your nock.
(http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k258/matter_daddy/DSCN2472.jpg)
-
Bamboo Arrow Build-A-Long
Now we will be sealing our shafts to protect them from moisture. Just about anything will work here. Before appling my finish I like to straighten the shafts on last time.
(http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k258/matter_daddy/DSCN2474.jpg)
After straightening apply your finish however you like. Some spray, some wipe. I just use an old rag to wipe on a nice thick coat then set aside to dry.
(http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k258/matter_daddy/DSCN2475.jpg)
You should now have pile of sealed, spined, straightened, sanded, cut to length (32") shafts with an OD of between 7-10mm and a mark for your nock.
(http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k258/matter_daddy/DSCN2476.jpg)
-
Bamboo Arrow Build-A-Long
On to the Self-Nocks. This is where the project becomes more fun IMO.
(http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k258/matter_daddy/DSCN2488.jpg)
First I drill a 7/64" hole 3/8" from the back of the arrow at the nock end (Skinny end) on the same side I marked the stiff spot on the arrow.
(http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k258/matter_daddy/DSCN2490.jpg)
Then using a razor blade I cut into the hole I just drilled.
(http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k258/matter_daddy/DSCN2495.jpg)
Do the other side and pop out the center.
(http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k258/matter_daddy/DSCN2499.jpg)
Get a piece of 80gr sandpaper and fold it in half twice so it is 4 layers thick. Use this to clean up the nock.
(http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k258/matter_daddy/DSCN2500.jpg)
All cleaned up.
(http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k258/matter_daddy/DSCN2502.jpg)
Now take a piece of 220gr sandpaper and place in over the sharp edge of a piece material. Use the edge of the sandpaper to creat an angle at the end of the nock.
(http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k258/matter_daddy/DSCN2504-1.jpg)
(http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k258/matter_daddy/DSCN2515.jpg)
We have to wrap the Self-Nocks to prevent them from splitting. I'm using Artificial Sinew. Any thread will work.
(http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k258/matter_daddy/DSCN2521.jpg)
I start by gluing my Sinew down with a little dab of Super Glue.
(http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k258/matter_daddy/DSCN2522.jpg)
Then I just wrap down the arrow about 1/2" and secure the Sinew again with a little Super Glue. Try and get this nice and tight.
(http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k258/matter_daddy/DSCN2523.jpg)
Cut off the extra and coat the whole thing in clear nail polish or Super Glue. You will also want to saturate the inside of the nock with Super Glue to add strength.
(http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k258/matter_daddy/DSCN2524.jpg)
(http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k258/matter_daddy/DSCN2525.jpg)
Nocks are all finished up!
(http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k258/matter_daddy/DSCN2527.jpg)
-
Bamboo Arrow Build-A-Long
Time to turn the 16D Duplex nails into points. Take a nail and chuck it up in your drill.
(http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k258/matter_daddy/DSCN2478.jpg)
Now head over to your sander and spin the head with the hand drill while you slowly taper the tip to a fine point (both the drill and the sander are moving in this picture even though it does not look like it).
(http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k258/matter_daddy/DSCN2479.jpg)
Finished head should look like this and is now ready to be installed in our shafts.
(http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k258/matter_daddy/DSCN2482.jpg)
(http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k258/matter_daddy/DSCN2485.jpg)
-
Bamboo Arrow Build-A-Long
Now we will install our 16D Duplex Nail Points into our shafts. If you want to cut your shafts shorter then 32" now is the time to do so. I am leaving these full length.
(http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k258/matter_daddy/DSCN2528.jpg)
First drill out the center of the shaft with a 5/32" drill bit (or a little smaller size OD drill bit then the nail). The shaft will want to split so go slow.
(http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k258/matter_daddy/DSCN2529.jpg)
Next heat up the nail red hot and push the nail in the shaft. Make sure the nail is red hot or it will not want to fit all the way. Go slow and dont push to hard. Once the nail fits all the way in let it cool for 10-15 minutes.
(http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k258/matter_daddy/DSCN2531.jpg)
(http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k258/matter_daddy/DSCN2533.jpg)
Once its cool to the touch pull out the nail and squeeze in some Gorilla Glue. I like Gorilla Glue because it fills the gaps. Any glue will do. Then I wet my nail (Gorilla Glue likes one side wet) and insert it in the shaft.
(http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k258/matter_daddy/DSCN2534.jpg)
(http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k258/matter_daddy/DSCN2535.jpg)
Come back in a few hours and the Gorilla Glue should be dry. It will fill any gap it between the head and the shaft with foamy glue.
(http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k258/matter_daddy/DSCN2545.jpg)
Give the tip a good sanding to clean up the extra glue and to slightly taper the area around the marrige between shaft and point.
(http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k258/matter_daddy/DSCN2546.jpg)
-
Bamboo Arrow Build-A-Long
Now sand the whole shaft (except the Sinew wrapping) with extra fine steel wool.
(http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k258/matter_daddy/DSCN2551.jpg)
After a good sanding with the steel wool apply the final few coats of finish. Unlike the first coat (heavy) this time do 2-3 (light) coats.
(http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k258/matter_daddy/DSCN2552.jpg)
-
Bamboo Arrow Build-A-Long
Now that our finish is dry we will attach the fletching.
(http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k258/matter_daddy/DSCN2563.jpg)
Glue your feathers on to the shaft using your jig. I use Duco Cement.
(http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k258/matter_daddy/DSCN2565.jpg)
(http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k258/matter_daddy/DSCN2567.jpg)
(http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k258/matter_daddy/DSCN2568.jpg)
(http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k258/matter_daddy/DSCN2569.jpg)
(http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k258/matter_daddy/DSCN2571.jpg)
Then add a little dab of Duco Cement to the front and back of each feather.
(http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k258/matter_daddy/DSCN2572.jpg)
(http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k258/matter_daddy/DSCN2573.jpg)
(http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k258/matter_daddy/DSCN2575.jpg)
Just like the nock I start by gluing my Sinew down with a little dab of Super Glue.
(http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k258/matter_daddy/DSCN2576.jpg)
Then I just wrap down the arrow about 1/2" and secure the Sinew again with a little Super Glue. Try and get this nice and tight.
(http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k258/matter_daddy/DSCN2577.jpg)
Cut off the extra and coat the whole thing in clear nail polish or Super Glue.
(http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k258/matter_daddy/DSCN2578.jpg)
(http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k258/matter_daddy/DSCN2579.jpg)
Finished!
(http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k258/matter_daddy/DSCN2580.jpg)
-
Bamboo Arrow build-A-Long
Feel free to ask any questions.
Also, be sure to post pictures in this thread when you finish your arrows. I can't wait to see them!!!
I'll show you how to attach a glue-on broadhead next.
Thanks and enjoy!
Tenbrook
(http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k258/matter_daddy/DSCN2581.jpg)
(http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k258/matter_daddy/DSCN2584.jpg)
(http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k258/matter_daddy/DSCN2585.jpg)
(http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k258/matter_daddy/DSCN2586.jpg)
(http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k258/matter_daddy/DSCN2588.jpg)
(http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k258/matter_daddy/DSCN2587.jpg)
-
Bamboo Arrow Build-A-Long
Now I'm going to show you how to attach Glue-On Broadheads and Glue-On Nocks.
(http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k258/matter_daddy/DSCN2592.jpg)
First drill the front of the shaft (point end, fat end) with a 1/4" drill bit a little over 3" deep. The shaft will want to split so go slow.
(http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k258/matter_daddy/DSCN2593.jpg)
Next cut a 3" peice of 1/4" hardwood dowel.
(http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k258/matter_daddy/DSCN2594.jpg)
Squeeze in some Gorilla Glue. I like Gorilla Glue because it fills the gaps. Any glue will do. Then I wet my 3" piece of 1/4" dowel (Gorilla Glue likes one side wet) and insert it in the shaft.
(http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k258/matter_daddy/DSCN2597.jpg)
(http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k258/matter_daddy/DSCN2598.jpg)
(http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k258/matter_daddy/DSCN2600.jpg)
Now lets do the same thing on the nock end.
(http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k258/matter_daddy/DSCN2601.jpg)
Drill the back of the shaft (nock end, skinny end) with a 3/16" drill bit a little over 2" deep. The shaft will want to split so go slow.
(http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k258/matter_daddy/DSCN2603.jpg)
Next cut a 2" peice of 3/16" hardwood dowel.
(http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k258/matter_daddy/DSCN2602.jpg)
Squeeze in some Gorilla Glue. I like Gorilla Glue because it fills the gaps. Any glue will do. Then I wet my 2" piece of 3/16" dowel (Gorilla Glue likes one side wet) and insert it in the shaft.
(http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k258/matter_daddy/DSCN2606.jpg)
(http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k258/matter_daddy/DSCN2607.jpg)
(http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k258/matter_daddy/DSCN2608.jpg)
Once the glue is dry we can taper the ends and glue on the Point and Nock.
(http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k258/matter_daddy/DSCN2609.jpg)
Use a taper tool on the Point and nock end.
(http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k258/matter_daddy/DSCN2611.jpg)
(http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k258/matter_daddy/DSCN2610.jpg)
Clean up both ends with some sandpaper.
(http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k258/matter_daddy/DSCN2612.jpg)
(http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k258/matter_daddy/DSCN2613.jpg)
Once tapered you can mount either a Field Point or a Broadhead. I'm going to mount a Broadhead.
(http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k258/matter_daddy/DSCN2618.jpg)
Place the broadhead on the stove and let it heat up.
(http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k258/matter_daddy/DSCN2620.jpg)
While the Broadhead is heating up melt a little Hot Melt Glue on the tip of your shaft.
(http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k258/matter_daddy/DSCN2622.jpg)
Next use plyers or an oven mit to pick up your hot Broadhead. Place Broadhead on the tip with Hot Melt Glue and spin it until it gets a nice fit. Once it feels like its on there centered put it under cold water to cool the Broadhead and set the glue.
(http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k258/matter_daddy/DSCN2623.jpg)
Finished.
(http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k258/matter_daddy/DSCN2624.jpg)
-
Bamboo Arrow Build-A-Long
(http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k258/matter_daddy/DSCN2630.jpg)
(http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k258/matter_daddy/DSCN2632.jpg)
(http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k258/matter_daddy/DSCN2631.jpg)
(http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k258/matter_daddy/DSCN2634.jpg)
(http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k258/matter_daddy/DSCN2635.jpg)
(http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k258/matter_daddy/DSCN2636.jpg)
(http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k258/matter_daddy/DSCN2637.jpg)
(http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k258/matter_daddy/DSCN2638.jpg)
-
Awesome thread. Very helpful. Thanks.
-
This is an excellent thread. I'm gonna pin this up in the "How To" thread later for posterity!!!
Very well done! 8)
-
Thank you Tenbrook! Very well done!
-
Very nicely done!! thanks! that will help me alot!!!!!!!!!!!! 8)
-
Very cool Tenbrook,someone was asking for one of these recently.
-
Talk about perfect timing. I just finished up a quiver made of woven switch cane but the modern arrows I bought to get started just don't do it justice. I was planning to make up a batch of matching cane arrows to go with it today and you posted just in time to follow along. I got as far as sealing them this evening, once I finish them up later this week I'll try to post some pics.
-
Great thread tenbrook!! I've not made any cane arrows, but if I ever score any cane, I'll be looking for this thread again. Awesome how-to.
-
This is an excellent thread. I'm gonna pin this up in the "How To" thread later for posterity!!!
Very well done! 8)
Thanks Pat.......I would be honored!!!
I'm glad everyone likes the Build-A-Long. It was allot of work but well worth it. I must admit I'm proud of the way it turned out.
Hopefully this helps anyone looking to make some cheap Bamboo Arrows. These things fly GREAT!!!
Please post the pictures of your finished arrows here. I would love to see them!
Thanks again!
Tenbrook
-
Are you kidding ME !!!!!!!! this is awesome!!!!!! I could see me going into the zone and ending up with an arm load of arrows!!! I'll bet this is a fun project to get the whole fandamily involved in thanks ever SO much wow!!! JEFFW BTW I hope you didn't get glue on your nice floors?? JEFFW
-
Yes Sir!!!
Excellent Thread!!!
Have my Lowe's Boo waiting to be turned into arrah's.
Great Work!
Thank You.
-gus
-
What spine weight did these come out as, and how consistent was the spine weight? How do they shoot compared to e.g. POC shafts?
-
Great thread tenbrook
very good info for us newbies
I especially like how you do your
self knocks.great build along
-Bo-
Laporte TEXAS
-
Awesome thread, thanks for sharing.
-
Thanks a lot for all the hard work you put into this. I normally make wood shaft arrows but next time I'm at the hardware store I will have to pick up some garden stakes and, following this excellent how-to, turn 'em into feathered projectiles!!!
-
Great post!
I do almost the exactly same thing with my arrows, but I don't seal them (for no particular good reason).
One thing that I do that is a bit different is that I actually weigh all the shafts, select those that are in the ballpark for grains/inch (for my final shaft length), straighten them, rough spine them, cut them to the length that I want, then weigh each shaft (and mark with a piece of tape)-----then create my point on the duplex nails, then figure out how much to cut off each nail so that the total shaft + shortened nail = my desired arrow weight.
It's pretty easy to allocate a certain number of grains per 1/4" of nail (depending on your nails), and then you can just cut off 1/2", 1/4", etc...or more to create arrows that are more or less weight matched.
Cheers,
J
-
What spine weight did these come out as, and how consistent was the spine weight? How do they shoot compared to e.g. POC shafts?
I didn't have a spine meter (see bananas ;) ) so I just used an arrow that I allready knew shot well out of my bows for comparison. The arrow I used was spined 55-60#.
IMO when built well these shoot just as good if not better then POC shafts. The reason I say better is because of Bamboo's natural taper they seem to be more forgiving of spine and therefore can be shot out of a wider range of bows.
Remember to post some pics of your finished arrows. I can't wait to see them.
Thanks again everyone for all the nice comments!
-
Super thread,Kick Azzz small game arrow ( Or for practice ) Thanks for your efforts ' Frank
-
well I got one arrow done 'cept the point, thinking about puting a stone one on it(http://i623.photobucket.com/albums/tt320/bubncheryl/Picture.jpg)
(http://i623.photobucket.com/albums/tt320/bubncheryl/Picture001-3.jpg)
thank's for the build-a-long, helped alot, Bub
-
i would have never though to use garden stakes, very detailed thanks for posting.
-
well I got one arrow done 'cept the point, thinking about puting a stone one on it(http://i623.photobucket.com/albums/tt320/bubncheryl/Picture.jpg)
thank's for the build-a-long, helped alot, Bub
Sweet.......That looks great!
Glad you liked the buildalong and your welcome.
Tenbrook
-
Great post!
I do almost the exactly same thing with my arrows, but I don't seal them (for no particular good reason).
One thing that I do that is a bit different is that I actually weigh all the shafts, select those that are in the ballpark for grains/inch (for my final shaft length), straighten them, rough spine them, cut them to the length that I want, then weigh each shaft (and mark with a piece of tape)-----then create my point on the duplex nails, then figure out how much to cut off each nail so that the total shaft + shortened nail = my desired arrow weight.
It's pretty easy to allocate a certain number of grains per 1/4" of nail (depending on your nails), and then you can just cut off 1/2", 1/4", etc...or more to create arrows that are more or less weight matched.
Cheers,
J
Seems like a great idea and you are getting matched weight shafts, but.......
IMO. When you cut the nail you are changing your point weight, therefore changing the spine of your arrow. The more of the nail you cut off, the lighter you are making your point weight and the stiffer your arrow becomes. Making it so you no longer have matched spined arrows.
Like I said this is just my opinion and I am no expert.
Hope this helps. :)
Tenbrook
-
Tenbrook
You have presented a very thorough and detailed account for preparing bamboo arrows from some available supplies and for those of us that like creating our own, it should prove a great benefit. Thank you.
-
Thanks a million for this post. I am taking my little baby Juniper bow and my Osage, for a back up, bow to the West side late hunt in a couple of weeks. ( Western Or,) I am short on Arrows and was afraid of commiting the ultimate crime, next to poeching, and use modern arrows. :'( But thanks to your post my spirit is rekendled and I went straight to home depot and got me some Bamboo now I don't have to worry about the >:D Taboo. OOOOHHH! THANKS! I normaly use Goose feathered Wild rose but no time for cureing. Now all I need is Goose feathers and I think I found those Yeah. :laugh: ;) The good spirits once again with me.
-
Great thread! I've been making tomato stake arrows since I finished my first bow about 3 years ago. I love them. They are tough as nails. But, I'm not too old to learn new tricks :) I never thought of using a razor blade to split to a predrilled hole for the nocks. I'll give that a try. Lately, I've been using a Dremel tool with a cutting wheel. The cutting wheel is a bit thinner than needed for the string to slide on, but this allow me to correct a bit if I don't get the cut dead center because I use the cutting wheel to sand the gap wider anyhow.
I've not used the Gorilla glue. Got to give it a try.
Is the hot melt glue you use the same stuff as you can buy anywhere for the hot melt glue guns? Or is it specially formulated for archery purposes?
A couple note:
Lowes sells the bamboo stakes individually so you can pre-sort them before you buy them.
When I cut the stakes I tape them with a clear scotch tape. I find this helps prevent splitter. You still have to go slowly, though.
-
Thanks a million for this post. I am taking my little baby Juniper bow and my Osage, for a back up, bow to the West side late hunt in a couple of weeks. ( Western Or,) I am short on Arrows and was afraid of commiting the ultimate crime, next to poeching, and use modern arrows. :'( But thanks to your post my spirit is rekendled and I went straight to home depot and got me some Bamboo now I don't have to worry about the >:D Taboo. OOOOHHH! THANKS! I normaly use Goose feathered Wild rose but no time for cureing. Now all I need is Goose feathers and I think I found those Yeah. :laugh: ;) The good spirits once again with me.
I'm glad you liked the tutorial.
Post some pictures of your finished arrows here. Can't wait to see them!!!
-
Great thread! I've been making tomato stake arrows since I finished my first bow about 3 years ago. I love them. They are tough as nails. But, I'm not too old to learn new tricks :) I never thought of using a razor blade to split to a predrilled hole for the nocks. I'll give that a try. Lately, I've been using a Dremel tool with a cutting wheel. The cutting wheel is a bit thinner than needed for the string to slide on, but this allow me to correct a bit if I don't get the cut dead center because I use the cutting wheel to sand the gap wider anyhow.
I've not used the Gorilla glue. Got to give it a try.
Is the hot melt glue you use the same stuff as you can buy anywhere for the hot melt glue guns? Or is it specially formulated for archery purposes?
A couple note:
Lowes sells the bamboo stakes individually so you can pre-sort them before you buy them.
When I cut the stakes I tape them with a clear scotch tape. I find this helps prevent splitter. You still have to go slowly, though.
Try the Gorilla Gule I think you'll like it! ;)
The hot melt glue is just some stuff of the shelf. I used to use "Ferr-L-Tite" but found regular Hot Melt Glue works better for me.
Thanks for the Lowes tip. We don't have one around here or I might have to make a trip. I also like the Scotch Tape idea. Great thinking!
Thanks again!
Tenbrook
-
Thanks Tenbrook for all the info.
-
great buildalong! Just went to home depot and picked up 3 bags of bamboo. So far i have 6 ready for straightening. Bye bye port orford cedar!
-
Meant to get these up sooner but kept getting sidetracked with other jobs and just got a chance to finish them up today. I started with two fletched with chicken feathers and one that I used a turkey feather that I found and tried a couple different styles to see what I prefer. I need to find a source of better feathers before I make more, but overall I'm pretty happy with these. They definitely shoot better than the carbon ones they sold me with the bow at Bass Pro. Both the arrows and the quiver are made with switch cane that grows all over the place around here. Thanks again for the great guide.
Brick
(http://i1041.photobucket.com/albums/b416/brick872/Cane%20Arrows%20and%20Quiver/DSC_3504.jpg)
(http://i1041.photobucket.com/albums/b416/brick872/Cane%20Arrows%20and%20Quiver/DSC_3506.jpg)
(http://i1041.photobucket.com/albums/b416/brick872/Cane%20Arrows%20and%20Quiver/DSC_3495.jpg)
-
great buildalong! Just went to home depot and picked up 3 bags of bamboo. So far i have 6 ready for straightening. Bye bye port orford cedar!
NICE! Post some pictures when you finish em' up. ;)
-
Meant to get these up sooner but kept getting sidetracked with other jobs and just got a chance to finish them up today. I started with two fletched with chicken feathers and one that I used a turkey feather that I found and tried a couple different styles to see what I prefer. I need to find a source of better feathers before I make more, but overall I'm pretty happy with these. They definitely shoot better than the carbon ones they sold me with the bow at Bass Pro. Both the arrows and the quiver are made with switch cane that grows all over the place around here. Thanks again for the great guide.
Brick
(http://i1041.photobucket.com/albums/b416/brick872/Cane%20Arrows%20and%20Quiver/DSC_3504.jpg)
Those arrows look awesome.........Fantastic job!!!
-
here are a couple i made , the top one is a 3 fletch with an abowyer point made from a spoon,the bottom one is a 2 fletch w/a trade point. they fly pretty well and i do plan on making more.
-
here are a couple i made , the top one is a 3 fletch with an abowyer point made from a spoon,the bottom one is a 2 fletch w/a trade point. they fly pretty well and i do plan on making more.
Those points look deadly.
Great work!!! ;)
-
Thanks for the wonderful tutorial!
-
Thanks for the wonderful tutorial!
Thanks Bud!
I like the arrows you posted in the other thread. Hope this buildalong helped you out.
Tenbrook ;)
-
Thanks for the wonderful tutorial!
Thanks Bud!
I like the arrows you posted in the other thread. Hope this buildalong helped you out.
Tenbrook ;)
I found your tutorial too late, but I see now that I really don't need to buy straightened bamboo shafts from 3Rivers anymore. I made a couple of arrows from bamboo garden stakes a year or so ago, but they're pretty rough :) I'm glad to learn it's really not a stretch to get some nice arrows out of them with just a little extra effort. Cheers!
-
Great build along. Just out of curiousity, and I may have missed this in the thread, what weight bow do you shoot? And you normally get about 3 to 4 arrows per bag that shoot from your bow? Thanks.
~Barry
I shoot 49#@29.5".
When I say I get 3-4 useable shaft from a bag I am talking about a very wide spine range. In other words I am NOT getting 3-4 useable shafts with matched spine per bag.
Hope this helps.
Tenbrook
-
hey buddy I am using your boo arrow build along (awesome by the way), but I have no "known spine" arrows to get a baseline, I am looking for 60-65# spine. how far would you guess the arrow should bend below the plain of the nail for that range? I'm thinking 1-1.5" but it's just a guess. :-\
I got 1/4" for a 60-65# arrow.
Remember this is a pretty rudimentary way of doing it and your are only going to get "in the ballpark" without a true spine tester.
Hope this helps and good luck!
Tenbrook
-
The bamboo arrow shafts and arrows from the far east use hot steel plates to roll the nodes flat. If you sand them off the bamboo will be greatly weakened at the nodes.
-
You can sand down the nodes but only after all the straightening is done. I prefer to roll them flat. I heat a node well and then roll it between a hardwood block and a hard, smooth surface. You can compress then to almost the same diameter as the internode.
-
Excellent buildalong! Jawge
-
My thanks as well!!
I just spent some time and made a 'reference book' of this for my shop.
Bevan
-
Question,
When you say 7-10mm and 3/8", are you talking mid shaft, nock end, point end?
Thanks,
Bevan
I try and keep em' between 7-10 mm for the entire length of the shaft. ;)
-
You can sand down the nodes but only after all the straightening is done. I prefer to roll them flat. I heat a node well and then roll it between a hardwood block and a hard, smooth surface. You can compress then to almost the same diameter as the internode.
This is what I have found as well.
Make sure all the straightening is done before sanding the nodes otherwise they will break.
I have never tried rolling the nodes flat with heat and compresion. I will have to give it a try.
Excellent buildalong! Jawge
Thanks!
My thanks as well!!
I just spent some time and made a 'reference book' of this for my shop.
Bevan
Great!
-
Thank is the coolest thread I have ever read! Thanks
Tom
-
Great buildalong, tenbrook!
I've got a question for all you guys about points for cane arrows. For a while I've used duplex points, but I've found that over time the impact in targets (and trees and rocks when targets are missed) tends to drive these into the shaft and cause it to split. But also with tapered, glue-on points it's hard to get some that mate perfectly and I usually end up with a small lip at the back of the point. This tends to snag when pulling the arrow out of a target and pull the point off. I LOVE cane arrows, but this one little issue has got me questioning whether or not I want to continue using them.
Ok, I guess that wasn't really a question, but a statement. So here's the question, how do you guys solve this problem?
-
Jonathan, you can use an upholstery thread wrap soaked/covered with epoxy or super glue behind your duplex points to prevent splitting. Or do like me, carefully fit the field points or add a hardwood foreshaft.
Take and bevel the back of your field points using a file before installing them to help prevent snagging.......Art
-
Thanks for the tips, Art. I've tried wrapping behind the point with artificial sinew before and coating that with superglue, but over time the glue wore off and the sinew started to fray. Might be the wax coating on the sinew not allowing the glue to fully penetrate?
I'll have to try filing down the back edge of the glue ons. I checked out a few of your arrows at Pat's last summer and they are amazing! I can't believe how smooth of a transition you're able to get between the cane and foreshaft.
-
Yeah, that artificial sinew and super glue just isn't a good combination for what you need Jonathan. Upholstery thread works much better. I've used the thread and epoxy years ago on the old fiberglass behind the points with excellent results. So I know it'll work fine for bamboo also.
Bamboo comes in all sizes so it's a good idea to have the different size points available (5/16", 11/32" and 23/64") for a better fit.
-
Here are my latest. Tonkin cane, sinew & yucca fiber wrap, with hide glue. Stone points.
-
Close up if the business end. Some of those are Douglas Fir.
-
very nice work
-
Lookin' sweet my friend.
Nice arrows! ;)
-
Morning everyone, I found this thread duing the holiday break and was inspired to make up 6 arrows from cane I had cut last year. I decided to include the advice of not sanding the nodes to preserve some more strength in the nodes. So I heated and rolled the nodes under a chunck of pressure treated 2x6.
The nodes did not flatten flush with the shaft, but I was able to easily reduce the flare a lot. But since they are not flush it has caused me some grief with the fletching being long enough to go beyond a node. I have some fletching that extends just beyond the node so the ends of the fletching are wanting to sit proud above the shaft a bit. The problem is made worse by my not stripping the feathers carefully enough(i guess). I will still be able to have fletchings that are between 4-5 inches long, and the test arrow seems to shoot well from my bow but it is something to consider when making your arrows. Either get the nodes flush to the shaft or cut your fletchings to length based on distance between the nodes. And strip your feathers carefully.
Anyway, thought I would share. I don't have any pics this morning but I hope after work this week to finish at least a couple arrows so I will try to post some pics then.
Paulc
-
Morning everyone, I found this thread duing the holiday break and was inspired to make up 6 arrows from cane I had cut last year. I decided to include the advice of not sanding the nodes to preserve some more strength in the nodes. So I heated and rolled the nodes under a chunck of pressure treated 2x6.
The nodes did not flatten flush with the shaft, but I was able to easily reduce the flare a lot. But since they are not flush it has caused me some grief with the fletching being long enough to go beyond a node. I have some fletching that extends just beyond the node so the ends of the fletching are wanting to sit proud above the shaft a bit. The problem is made worse by my not stripping the feathers carefully enough(i guess). I will still be able to have fletchings that are between 4-5 inches long, and the test arrow seems to shoot well from my bow but it is something to consider when making your arrows. Either get the nodes flush to the shaft or cut your fletchings to length based on distance between the nodes. And strip your feathers carefully.
Anyway, thought I would share. I don't have any pics this morning but I hope after work this week to finish at least a couple arrows so I will try to post some pics then.
Paulc
Thanks for the tip.
Fletching over a node would be a PITA.
Since I use a node to setup my Self-nock it never seems to be a problem. The nodes are far enough apart that if there is one on the nock then the next one would be at least 10-14" higher making room for your fletching to fit.
Thanks again and post some pictures of your finished arrow when you get a chance.
Tenbrook ;)
-
I use silk embroidery floss (lots of color choices) for my wraps and I found that you can buy Krazy Glue comes in a brushable form that goes on purple and dries clear. I saturate the wrap and also carefully brush some along the base of the quill on the fletching.
-
I use silk embroidery floss (lots of color choices) for my wraps and I found that you can buy Krazy Glue comes in a brushable form that goes on purple and dries clear. I saturate the wrap and also carefully brush some along the base of the quill on the fletching.
Thanks for the tip.
I sometimes use Upholstery Thread. Man that stuff is strong!
Have to try the silk. Bet that looks nice.
Do you have any pictures?
Thanks
Tenbrook
-
This is the most useful buildalong I have seen yet, home depot only sells those stakes in the planting season so I have to wait >:(
-
THEY have 'em. by the way a pack of 10 at home depot stakes is the price of 1 at lowes so im gonna buy them at home depot, but i plan on using fletching tape not sinew wraps. will post pics on this thread when done
-
This is cool i hope to get to home depot soon so i can get started
Way Cool 8)
-
THEY have 'em. by the way a pack of 10 at home depot stakes is the price of 1 at lowes so im gonna buy them at home depot, but i plan on using fletching tape not sinew wraps. will post pics on this thread when done
Can't wait to see the pictures....You do great work!
-
This is cool i hope to get to home depot soon so i can get started
Way Cool 8)
Thanks! ;)
-
Hayawatha, u dont need to go 2 home depot. If you de-bark some of those old hickory staves for me I will pay you in bamboo shafts, or arrows, or glue on nocks&heads or fletching. But if you do decide to take the trip over mid winter break while I'm away I could take some of those arrow materials off your hands for some of those items above that you would still need
-
This is the best build along I have seen anywhere!
I have been making some woods for a trad event that is brutal on arrows. 3D targets often surrounded by rocks or hard timber. Really sorts the men form the boys BUT make sure you take LOTS of arrows. Many are trying bamboo arrows for their toughness so, with this build along, I'll be able to come up with some really tough arrows. I think I will try footing and weighing them to match the spine and weight and FOC of my normal arrows.
THANKYOU :)
-
Your welcome....Glad its going to help! ;)
-
Would the bamboo garden stakes be tough enough for Crossbow bolts? 16"to 20"? Has anyone tried?
-
Had a looooooooong day today at home depot and after sorting and cutting 11 bags of bamboo today here is what intact to say.
1 garden shears work ok to get the shafts cut down if u r careful
2 bamboo can just plain crush and splinter under pressure
I ended up with sixty some odd shafts, seven of which may be too small in diameter...'too tired/lazy to upload pix,'will do it later.
I feelmasmcontentnasmcan be after creating so many blank uniform shafts :) gotta luv the feeling of the beginning of a great project
-
Some of the spots that the nock nodes are at are a little flattened from another branch sprouting from there, is there any way to round it out or should I just leave it
-
While straightening inbroke 8 shafts and got about 20 straightened so far out of those 20 I sanded 7 and out of those only 2 are the Right spine, the rest are too stiff
Should I sand more in hopes of lowering themspine
-
How much too heavy are they. Are they within range of using heavier tips to soften them? Otherwise I suppose its just a bit more sanding but that is a better problem than arrows that are too soft.....
-
Tenbrook,
Outstanding build along. Thank you for all of the great tips. I'll be using them to make my arrow work much less complicated.
(http://i190.photobucket.com/albums/z314/Bowferd/arrows/008.jpg)
-
loved this buildalong, very helpful and great arrows
-
This is a really good thread! I can't wait to try making arrows like this!
Nathan
-
I cut 7 that were about 7 mm Down the entire length, was gonna use em outta my lighter poundage bow but now I'm thinking of just putting 125 grain tip on to make em stiffer if i wanna use em outta my heavier bow
P.s. If anyone thinks that it's tough
To straighten shafts over a heat gun, try it over a candle
-
Got a few more done, will try to post pics after school 2 morrow
-
got more done and i am loving them ;D
& i used a better camera
-
P.S.
I used grains of rice for nock indicators along with the cockfeather
-
Nice... I like the Rice idea.
:)
-gus
-
Great lookin' arrows!
Good job.
Tenbrook
-
Just made a couple of arrows just like the build along. Easy to do and a lot of fun.
-
I have built BAmboo Arrows for over 40 years and have always reinforced the Knock and point with a dowel , Nic4e build up. Thanks
-
Nice work! I want to try this. I've never made arrows before & this looks like a good start. The duplex nail is a great idea for points.
Why do you keep your arrows at 32"? Do you have a long draw? Most "experts" I've heard or read have said make the arrow barely longer than your draw, 1 inch extra for broadheads.
Do you buy your feathers or gather them in the outdoors?
You said some people don't sand the nodes. Seems like this would make the arrow totally inaccurate, several nodes would hit & bounce from the rest wouldn't they?
-
ncpat, dont let that 1'' past rule bother you. When it concerns length you should worry about arrow spine and not how close th tip is to your hand
-
Do any of you have any other cheap ideas for field points, I dust don't like how the nail looks
-
@newindian i think it was bevan who shaped his nails with glue and they looked awesome, maybe he will post a pic or 2,
@ncpat, my uncle had a great idea, to cut them shorter would make them stiffer, so instead of inserting a dowel and adding a glue on point, insert a nail w/o the head and taper it like you would a dowel and then add the glue on head, much more weight to counterbalance the stiffness from cutting short, then to mess w/ weight you can change glue on head weight of the nail length(+ or - weight)
-
This is not only my first two arrows made from this method, but my first two arrows ever made, fletched, or anything other than just gluing on tips. Its a hard life being a broke college student, but worth it enjoy making everything from scratch. This was a load of fun, thanks for the tutorial! I definitely learned a few things along the way to try on the next ones. Can't wait to fling 'em.
-
This is not only my first two arrows made from this method, but my first two arrows ever made, fletched, or anything other than just gluing on tips. Its a hard life being a broke college student, but worth it enjoy making everything from scratch. This was a load of fun, thanks for the tutorial! I definitely learned a few things along the way to try on the next ones. Can't wait to fling 'em.
Your arrows look great! I really like the fletching.
Good job! ;)
-
Just made a couple of arrows just like the build along. Easy to do and a lot of fun.
Glad you liked it!
-
I have built BAmboo Arrows for over 40 years and have always reinforced the Knock and point with a dowel , Nic4e build up. Thanks
If you saw the part where I mounted a field point I did use a dowel to reinforce the point section of the shaft. However when using the duplex nail this is not necessary as the nail provides all the strength needed.
As far as the nock end. I set it up right in front of a node for the extra strength it provides. Never had a problem. I also saturate the nock in CA glue when finished.
I would love to see some of the arrows you build. If you get a chance please post a picture or two.
Thanks! :)
Tenbrook
-
hi guys . im new to the site i have been lookin over the site for months now . i am tryin to make me sum cain arrows . and i just have a ? do u ever get the shafts compleaty strate or . do u just go on getting them as strate as u can get them. and as longe as there is no majar wobble to them.
-
I haven't been at this long myself, but I can't say mine are "straight as an arrow". Mine always seem to have some sort of dip and curve, especially around a drastic node. However, I found that they fly pretty darn good considering, so just make a couple as straight as you can and try 'em out, that's about all you can really do anyways. And post some pics.
-
ok thank you for the info . i hope to be able to make sum really good arrows .but for the first try at it . im not sure how good they well be . i do have sum pics . i am going to have to try and find me sum Feathers thout about usein sum tape to make Fletching. to try them out . here is one of them that is done .well almost .
-
Nice Job Littlehunters!!!
-
thank you vary much . its not as hard as i thout it would be .and bye useing my little round fire pit the shafts can roll acrose the top of it so i can test of strait they are while i am heating them up to straitin them so it has worked out purty good . im thakin about makein sum foreshaftes for them. cus i cut them a lil short at 29 witch is not a problem but i should have made them 32 33" so i would have sum more room if the tip broke .what types of wood works good for foreshafts?
-
How long is your draw length? I cut all mine at around 29" and have no problem. I also shove a dowel down both ends, cut a self nock and taper down the tip for glue on field points. Pretty sure any good arrow wood would make a good foreshaft. I'd glue on a couple tips and see how you like it.
-
yes ill have to try that . my draw length is 28 . with the 40lbs Recurve Bow i am shooting
-
I went to the True Value and they had packs of 25 3' bamboo but I didn't think I'd get more than 5-6 usable shafts out of the pack for me, but maybe 10 for my son. A few of them were split. But the bug has been planted. I'll be heading to Wally World tomorrow.
I'm thinking hardwood re-inforced self nocks, 1/4" dowel reinforced tips for glue on points.
Has anyone gotten shafts that spine #75 or more?
-
Nothing that stiff from home depot of lowes so far...
-
I bought the pack of bamboo from lowes probably a month ago and finally made up a few last night. gave up on trying to find my heatgun and resorted to a candle.. tedious but i needed some arrows.. what good is the bow i finished if i dont have anything to shoot ;D
got the straightened.. sanded nocks cut and a 2 feather turkey fletch done.. only had 24 fletchings so im gonna make quite a few beater arrows till i get good with traditional equip.
anybody else have field/target point ideas besides the duplex nails? i dont really have a way to sharpen them without spending an hour on each point by hand... anything store bought or homemade?
-
38 special cases are pretty good for blunts and if you like they made a whole topic about homade points that's got some pretty good stuff
-
You can buy glue on field points. If you go this route, get different diameter points; bamboo tends to come in a variety of sizes.
OR, you can use screw on points since bamboo is hollow. But you'll most likely need to file it down some to get it to fit.
-
I thought about regular screw in points but wasnt sure. Might try those on next batch
-
Glad I saw this thanks for posting I was just thinking of a way to test the spine weight and make them even as I have a set of arrows and some shoot straight and some shoot high and left need to do some matching up on them. Thanks for the info
-
Thank you to tenbrook for making a great build along. Here are my first pair. The points are obsidian and were purchased at a rock shop and I imagine that they were not made for hunting, just display. I am not sure if they will survive the test shots because they are not an uniform thickness throughout the point. Thanks again :)
-
Your arrows look amazing Strong Leaf.....Very good job!!! ;)
-
I read through the whole thread and didn't see anything on making foreshafts. Anyone want to show how to do that bit?
Are the foreshafts tapered or are they like the 3rivers tenon cuts?
-
I read through the whole thread and didn't see anything on making foreshafts. Anyone want to show how to do that bit?
Are the foreshafts tapered or are they like the 3rivers tenon cuts?
Your best bet would be to do a search here or make a new post in the arrow forum.
Thanks
Tenbrook
-
I read through the whole thread and didn't see anything on making foreshafts. Anyone want to show how to do that bit?
Are the foreshafts tapered or are they like the 3rivers tenon cuts?
From what I'm seeing, both the foreshaft, and the tenon cut horn nocks are a solution looking for a problem.
The bamboo seems good enough with a reinforced self-nock, and a glued on tip.
-
From what I'm seeing, both the foreshaft, and the tenon cut horn nocks are a solution looking for a problem.
The bamboo seems good enough with a reinforced self-nock, and a glued on tip.
That is good news!
-
I read through your build-a-long a few times while waiting on my cane to dry. Great job!(http://i1273.photobucket.com/albums/y406/Gsulfridge/86DD961D-D432-4E36-B11B-071CD785CB07-17408-000023B1A6FA941C_zpsb0051680.jpg)
(http://i1273.photobucket.com/albums/y406/Gsulfridge/322A382B-9DE6-4C87-8493-AA2EC9E8DF8A-18150-0000255E3314DD51_zps1786f957.jpg)
-
nice looking arrows.
-
I read through your build-a-long a few times while waiting on my cane to dry. Great job!(http://i1273.photobucket.com/albums/y406/Gsulfridge/86DD961D-D432-4E36-B11B-071CD785CB07-17408-000023B1A6FA941C_zpsb0051680.jpg)
(http://i1273.photobucket.com/albums/y406/Gsulfridge/322A382B-9DE6-4C87-8493-AA2EC9E8DF8A-18150-0000255E3314DD51_zps1786f957.jpg)
VERY nice!!!
;)
-
Sweet arrows, makes me want to start another batch
-
Thanks tenbrook, I'm now hooked on arrow making, this stuffs great
-
Nice batch! ;)
-
This is great! I have been using these stakes to make arrows for a bit now and everyone keeps saying I am crazy for it. I would actually go through stacks of them until I found the straightest ones and I glue ratchet heads as blunt tips for stump and small game shooting. I did not wrap he knock and mine were just buzzed out with a bandsaw and quickly sanded. I will be updating my technique with these tips thanks !!!!
John
-
This is great! I have been using these stakes to make arrows for a bit now and everyone keeps saying I am crazy for it. I would actually go through stacks of them until I found the straightest ones and I glue ratchet heads as blunt tips for stump and small game shooting. I did not wrap he knock and mine were just buzzed out with a bandsaw and quickly sanded. I will be updating my technique with these tips thanks !!!!
John
Thanks!
-
Nice job! I might have to give it a try.
-
Nice job! I might have to give it a try.
Thanks!
-
Thanks a bunch, Tenbrook, for your work here. I had a great time working with these instructions and got great results!
-
Tenbrook,
Thanks for the build-a-long. Here are my arrows.
George
-
Thanks a bunch, Tenbrook, for your work here. I had a great time working with these instructions and got great results!
Your welcome my friend!
-
Tenbrook,
Thanks for the build-a-long. Here are my arrows.
George
PERFECT!!! VERY nice job on those!
-
Great tutorial. This is my first visit to this board and my first post. I am just getting into Traditional Archery. I am going to get started on these arrows today. What length feathers are you using? There aren't any pre-cut feathers available locally, so I am left with ordering some online.
Thanks.
-
All done!!!!
Thanks for the inspiration.
-
and some more.....
-
I bought three bags....saved 8 shoots....picked one out and it broke as I was bending too hard during straightening. I actually think these are a little TOO DRY and need to be greener but worked on another anyhow. The next I got somewhat straight doing nodules first and then shaft in between later. I did not want to use sinew or pine pitch for my PRACTICE work since I dont have very much...so pulled out some serving string from my flemish string gear....the glue pot...and some super glue.
Not the prettiest but it spins true...and after I make another I will shoot this first one to see how it flies in a worn out block target or into some dirt/sand....so if it is destroyed I wont cry after putting three days into this first ugly one. LOL I found someone that has some bamboo in their yard growing wild...and they are always having to pay someone to cut it ...so going to see if they have any young shoots I can cut green and tie in bundles for next go around. Thanks for the tutorial.... now to finish my hickory bow by myself and after a few more bows maybe start on knapping. LOL
(http://pic100.picturetrail.com/VOL285/1460516/24045051/409749909.jpg)
(http://pic100.picturetrail.com/VOL285/1460516/24045051/409749892.jpg)
(http://pic100.picturetrail.com/VOL285/1460516/24045051/409749883.jpg)
(http://pic100.picturetrail.com/VOL285/1460516/24045051/409749891.jpg)
-
Nice work fellas!
-
Great detailed thread. I love cane arrows. It's nature's carbon fiber. I have developed a two fletch method for cane arrows that uses duct tape that I really should post. Love that cane!
-
I was looking for a slick way of using screw-in points on my boo shafts and I lucked on to Chicago extension screws. The ones I had in my junk drawer are 8-32 thread(standard for points) and the outside dia. is the same as the shoulder on the points (.200"). I found some more at Home Depot. Just drill the end of the arrow with a No5 (.205") drill, push the extension screw into the hole the right distance, add a couple drops of CA. You can see all the parts in the picture. I'm going to wrap the end for a little insurance.
-
Wrapping is a must on cane......
DBar
-
This is an excellent tutorial! I have played around with the idea of making my own arrows, and bamboo appeals to me on a few levels. I think it's meant to be, because I just found a heat gun in the basement of my work! Will have to test it out and get a hold of some of the other materials. Hopefully my next post on this thread will be some nice bamboo arrows.
-
Brock, if you cut the bamboo pull it over and cut the top part of the mature bamboo. The new, green shoots are too immature to make a good arrow once it dries.
-
Awesome thread
You don't drill the nodes prior to heating? I've read that they can blow up if you don't. korean fletchers seem to drill them?
(edit: This shouldn't matter with tonkin bamboo, guess sasa koreana is much more hollow)
-
Just received a ton of bamboo. Will post pictures after I find time to heat straighten some, fletch them etc. Just tried to heat treat one in the electric stove downstairs, was pretty frustrating. Maybe I should make arrow straightening tools, not easy to be precise by just using a towel.
Seems like heat straightening is the hardest part. Maybe a heat gun will help.
-
Do you have a barbeque? Or grill down in the States? I set it at about 300 degrees and stick the shaft in the rotisserie hole. Leave the lid closed. Use the lightest oven mitts you can find to bend them into shape. It only takes 30 seconds or so. This will get you close.
-
Do you have a barbeque? Or grill down in the States? I set it at about 300 degrees and stick the shaft in the rotisserie hole. Leave the lid closed. Use the lightest oven mitts you can find to bend them into shape. It only takes 30 seconds or so. This will get you close.
30 seconds of heating each time? Or total?? or for a section?
-
About 30 sec each time, the first time for each arrow takes a little more. My barbecue is long enough to heat almost the full length. You can get most of the big whoop de do's out on the first go. Your time will vary so sneak up on it a bit. I use these gloves. The black spots are silicone lumps. They are nice and light and way less cumbersome than a towel. They came in my Christmas stocking, I have no idea where they came from.
-
Thank you
Nice anonymous gift haha, ended up being really useful
-
In case someone hasn't seen this, hoping it could be useful and/or interesting -
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VK5INvoNTdk
Thinking of making a straightening tool like that.
I'm guessing tonkin bamboo is much less hollow than the Korean bamboo arrow canes, so poking holes is unnecessary.
The heatbox looks a lot like what a grill could work as.
-
I think the Korean guy is using green(fresh) bamboo. The garden stakes are mostly dry. He has to poke holes it it to let the steam out. Dry ones not so much.
-
I guess this is why you keep a wet sponge (or wet ball of paper towels?) around to cool it down?
It still didn't seem to want to bend much, even when burning hot.
It didn't seem to get red like in the pictures. Just slowly blacker and blacker.
This is from the same company mullet got his shafts from, but the western counterpart. Most of them seem like garbage, others seem good but I've broken a few of them so far...
vv It looks significantly more burned in real life.
(http://i.imgur.com/FXBZHFsl.jpg)
(http://i.imgur.com/flVdNXsl.jpg)
-
Um, you may have gotten it too hot, they bend when hot but if you start to caramelize them they harden.
-
What were you heating them with?
-
thanks. A wagner heat gun. 950 to 1150F setting. What setting should I use?
-
I use the hot setting on mine. Hold it 3-4 inches away. The boo doesn't have to change color to bend. Just a little to hot to hold. I only asked because I thought you might be using a torch. I've found(especially on my first few) that if they are going to break, they break at a node.
-
By straightening it with my hand as cedar shafts are apparently done, I found that I don't need much heat (with an electric stove), so much that I can do it with my bare hands. Was using a towel before until I realized that apparently I don't need it. I'm wetting the shafts before straightening... does this seem straight enough? Far from perfectly straight, but it's hard to straighten more.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B4gVPmGducMFTlEwQlJuMnRXcEU/view?pref=2&pli=1
...And I ended up making the shaft bent after trying to find the 'stiff side'. I guess this shaft is too wet. Or kinda green.
-
Annnd I broke it by trying to apply dry heat to get rid of the moisture while straightening it since it was returning to how it originally was.
...
-
It looked straight enough, not that that helps now :( Are you using Garden stakes or fresh bamboo? Garden stakes should be dry enough. I work on about 10 arrows at a time. Straighten a bit and let it cool while you work on the next. You shouldn't need to wet them at all.
-
They are garden stakes, but some look kind of green.
10 at a time? I have so much trouble with 1 at a time :P
Maybe this batch is bad... dunno.
Will try low heat for longer periods of time, it shouldn't even burn my hand at all.
edit: lower heat that still burns hand but not enough to be red hot (just barely, on the spiraly stove) seems adequate. with moistening before heating, could use a lot less but i guess i wouldn't recommend it???
-
I usually heat them enough that I need gloves but maybe I'm a wuss. Some stakes are died green but I don't think that's what you're talking about. You would be better off doing ten(or five). If you do one and give it enough cooling time you're going to be standing around doing nothing for most of the time. This encourages rushing and bending and rebending the wood too much. Do ten, then you can rush all you want and they will still have proper cooling time. I'm thinking back as I write this and I do remember steam coming off some of the stakes I've done. Maybe they aren't as dry as I think. Anyway even the ones that steamed straightened out OK. This is one of those things that is difficult to get going on but all of a sudden things fall into place and it starts going way easier. It took me about 15-20 arrows to twig. I've finished about 50 arrows and maybe have that many straightened shafts waiting. I would call my arrows adequate.
-
Most of the shafts I've gotten seem way too thin for my 60# hornbow. Even though I only have an about 28" draw with this bow, a very thick and stiff shaft with no head or fletchings went tail right (arrow on right side, thumb draw) when shot at full draw. But then it wasn't that straight, and the nock wasn't carved that straight, not in line with the arrow...
That last arrow, I heated with lower heat and no moisture. It had to be hot enough to burn my hand to bend. But the stove wasn't red hot.. and the shaft looked a little green. Still, it was much stiffer than most of these shafts. Some are ridiculously bendy. Good for lighter bows..
-
The garden stakes I get(brand name Evergarden) come in 3',4' and 6'. If you get longer ones you can use the fatter end. The 6' are about 1/2". I use about 40# spine and do better if I start with 4' ones.
-
Cut your cane shafts long and find the "arrow" with proper spine along its length before cutting it to length. You'll be surprised it doesn't have to be all that big in diameter to make a proper arrow shaft.
-
And the diameter will vary a lot with garden stakes. I have a "matched sorta" set of six arrows, all 42-43# static spine and the dia varies by 1/16".
-
Cut your cane shafts long and find the "arrow" with proper spine along its length before cutting it to length. You'll be surprised it doesn't have to be all that big in diameter to make a proper arrow shaft.
So, with a spine tester.. Do you always have the nock right before a node?
-
I do if I can but normally I run an 1/8 or 3/16" drill into the end and glue in a short length of dowell, maybe 1-2". Either way cut the nock and wrap it with something. I use Kevlar thread I got for fly tieing.
-
I used to cut nocks at a node but don't anymore. It's not necessary. I do try to set the nock end up so the fletching doesn't lay across a node but has a clear internode to lay on. I also don't add a filer to the center of cane arrows, point or nock end. Sinew wraps will hold everything together. My 30" hill cane arrows are about 5/16" at the nock and 3/8" at the point(55#@26"draw). I find it hard to make a matched set of cane arrows so I make them one at a time and see how they shoot individually. I pick the best shooters for hunting, the good shooters for target and 3D and with the poor shooters I make fluflus.
-
Used to use nylon thread but sinew is so much better
Thanks
-
There was a source about heat straightening bamboo that mentioned heating either the inside of a bump (convex part) or the outside (concave) first. But I don't remember which and I can't find the source. Anyone have any idea what it might be? Thanks.
The soapstone straightening tool mentioned in primitivepathways looks interesting..
I'd like to know how to make simple self nocks that are clean and well aligned with minimal tools if possible.. I only have needle files. Should it be just by being careful? :p
maybe if I stop being broke, I'll invest in a good drill.. and some razor blades.. huh
-
Not sure where you're located loon but see if you have a Harbor Freight store nearby, they sell cheap tools for cheap, cheap enough to make it worth it, you can get a decent cordless drill for $15 or so.
-
I tried the trick of clamping a couple of hacksaw blades together to cut the nock but I always pulled a splinter off the back side. This may not help you but what I use now is the little composite discs that come with a Dremel(or clone) tool. I make a cut to the depth I want and then finish it with needle files. I use 10 strands of Fast flight with 60# test Spiderwire for serving. One of my needle files(an oval about 1/8" x 1/4" finishes it to just the right width.
-
There was a source about heat straightening bamboo that mentioned heating either the inside of a bump (convex part) or the outside (concave) first. But I don't remember which and I can't find the source. Anyone have any idea what it might be? Thanks.
The soapstone straightening tool mentioned in primitivepathways looks interesting..
I'd like to know how to make simple self nocks that are clean and well aligned with minimal tools if possible.. I only have needle files. Should it be just by being careful? :p
maybe if I stop being broke, I'll invest in a good drill.. and some razor blades.. huh
Here's a good tool thats quite good at cutting nocks, it's a ceramic tile file/saw. I got a nice thin blade that makes lightof it, and being round finishes off the nock bed nicely, iI also got a steel rule witha strip of sanding cloth glued to it if I need to widen a little.
Ruddy Darter
-
What diameter is the blade? The one I have has a .112" dia blade. I'm looking for about .075".
-
I'm trying to locate mine ( need it soon to start a batch of warbow arrows), I haven't used it for a while and it's probably in the shed(dark now here), I would think it's around 2.5-3mm mark as it files a groove a little narrower than my round rat tail file. I don't make strings less than 16 strand ff for warbows, which I did not consider, and I always had to widen the nock with the sand cloth stuck on a ruler, cuts out the initial slot nice and speedy. Maybe there is small diameters that can be ordered online?( I'll have a look myself a bit later bearing in mind I'm U.K)
Ruddy Darter.
-
Does bamboo shrink or expand when heat-treated/heated? Wish I could find that source about which side of the bend to heat first... been searching online for maybe an hour and am going crazy. No idea how I found it.
I think I'll stick to just needle files and maybe a knife for making nocks, just gotta be careful to make them even?
-
Does bamboo shrink or expand when heat-treated/heated? Wish I could find that source about which side of the bend to heat first... been searching online for maybe an hour and am going crazy. No idea how I found it.
I think I'll stick to just needle files and maybe a knife for making nocks, just gotta be careful to make them even?
Can't help with the shrinkage. My gut says it shrinks a touch but??? Don't worry about where to heat first. Some straighten the nodes first, some the internodes. I straighten the worst bend first.
If you are just making a few arrows for yourself time isn't that important. Needle files work great. Get a fine brass brush the keep them clean. With bamboo you will probably have to replace them more often, it's hard on edges.
-
Would steam bending bamboo shafts be a bad idea?..
-
It would work but whether it would be worth the extra wait for it to normalize, if that even applies. If you were doing it over a pot of boiling water it would probably be slower. Ah ship, give it a try, it won't hurt anything.
-
I used to cut nocks at a node but don't anymore. It's not necessary. I do try to set the nock end up so the fletching doesn't lay across a node but has a clear internode to lay on. I also don't add a filer to the center of cane arrows, point or nock end. Sinew wraps will hold everything together. My 30" hill cane arrows are about 5/16" at the nock and 3/8" at the point(55#@26"draw). I find it hard to make a matched set of cane arrows so I make them one at a time and see how they shoot individually. I pick the best shooters for hunting, the good shooters for target and 3D and with the poor shooters I make fluflus.
I just split one that wasn't filed at the node... but I've split some that were as well. Maybe the sinew wrapping wasn't enough/should've used glue :/
It was poorly filed on one side, sort of narrow
-
A heat gun is making it easier, at a rather low setting for it (750 for large zones, I guess 550 or 450 for acute bends in a small area). Seems like I can take care of bending between nodes, but at the nodes all sorts of weirdness happens, I just end up putting a bend right next to the nodes. Sometimes it's hard to tell if it's at the node or near the node, or I put bend near the node when trying to take bend out of a node. This is with my hands this way (from the choctaw school website)
(http://i.imgur.com/cwVNPt7.png)
Previously I was doing it by grabbing the arrow with one hand and pushing it against the heel of that hand with my other hand.
I have one which is almost sort of done, has 2 bends I have to take out. One near the nock I already cut and one near the head. But it's a rather short arrow, 27" or so draw..
Also, has anyone had experience with which way to put the arrow makes a difference? If you put the thinner end towards the point, does it act stiffer or weaker than the other way around? Hoping I can find out today..
After a few times of spending several minutes cutting shafts with a serrated knife, I found out that just putting a knife (or chisel if you're afraid of ruining it somehow i dunno) and hammering it onto a shaft with a stone I found somewhere works pretty fast. But if the knife is thick or not sharp enough, the bamboo will split. :\
-
I like to straighten between the nodes first, then let it cool completely (work on another shaft) then I can see how much the node needs to move. If I put the node right on the edge of my bending tool (stick from my tree out back) I can focus the bending force right on the node. It will bend a little on either side too, but on the third pass that can be straightened. It takes several sessions to get all the bends out. Be patient.
-
For the duplex nail points, does anyone put it on a drill but not use a grinder, but just spin the nail's head on a rock or something? It'd probably turn a lot of the rock to dust..
-
I got some 16D duplex nails. Lowe's didn't have any, had to order on Amazon. ProFit brand, bright finish, 5/32" diameter (9 gauge, 0.15625") or 4mm (0.15745") measured with plastic calipers.. even though some chart says they should be 8 gauge
-
Thanks for sharing this. I can't wait to get some supplies and try to make some.
-
I can't stand fletching with Duco Cement. It takes too long to dry and many of my fletches are falling off. Maybe I should clean the shafts beforehand... and get a better fletching jig?..
-
I haven't done much fletching yet myself but I plan on getting some of that fletching tape since I intend to wrap the front and back of the feathers real well anyway I figure the tape will do a good enough job of holding the middle of the feather down.
-
Yeah... true... good idea :p Suppose I will refletch my arrows with tape.
A bit hard to make my thin silk lay nice and even on the fletchings, and it breaks easily when passing through things. I should get some of that UV resistant thread.
-
superglue together with some instaset works great for me when fletching. cut one, glue one. Cut one, glue one. Once they are all on, wrap em top and bottom.
-
When I went on the Ravenbeak arrow building workshop Jamie taught me a neat trick. He dampens a small rag with the CA accelerator and wipes the fletching area of the arrow. Clamp the fletch in the clamp and apply a bit of CA to it. Then when you slip the clamp into the jig and it hits the arrow the CA goes off immediately. No waiting. Just for those of us that find waiting for CA to set is just tooooo long ;D ;D ;D.
-
bought tape, hopefully fletching by hand w/o a clamp won't be too hard.. ..
-
I'd just use the tape with the clap for ease of alignment. Just like DCs example above, you should be able to clamp the fletch, tape it, put the clamp home in the jig and bam, move to the next one.
-
what jig? ..
Maybe I'll try making one some day
-
Oh my bad, thought you were using a jig with the glue.
-
I discovered a weakness with bamboo. You can't drive over them with your car :( :( :( ;)
-
I discovered a weakness with bamboo. You can't drive over them with your car :( :( :( ;)
Well crap, now I have to reconsider my ammunition...
-
I was wondering what to do with all the dup heads nails I bought to make a string jig:) !! Now I got to go to Home Depot or Lowe's. Haven't made any primitive arrows yet, but I like the fletching tape on my modern arrows. Haven't had one come loose yet :)? Nice build up Ten Brooks. When I get some arrows made up, I will post the pics, assuming I have picked up on that photobucket trick :) :( Hawkdancer
-
Anyone used just a drill and not a sander for the duplex points? I tried spinning it on a file but it didn't seem to work..
-
I tried that. It doesn't work. Just ruined a file. I think you need the added movement of either the belt sander or the bench grinder. Could be you just need the right surface (angle grinder wheel, or cutoff wheel maybe?) On a belt sander I can grind a point down in a matter of less than a minute.
-
If you move this thread here, it ought to still be a sticky. This is the thread that got me to PA, and many of us still use it as a reference when making arrows. I would hate to see it get buried. Please consider my request. This and the gizmo thread may be the two most important threads on the site.
Thanks.
-
Thanks for stickying it!
Wish there was more info on arrow straightening though, it's so difficult..
-
It's really just practice. Just keep at it and all of a sudden one day you'll say, "This ain't so tough."
-
Found a good deal at Marden's (a discount store). $.99 at 33% of for about 5 in a package. Only about 4 ft long but can't beat the price. Gonna give this a shot soon.
-
I tried that. It doesn't work. Just ruined a file.
Sorry...
I might try just hacksawing the outer head off, then hammering to a point.. I need a better hacksaw anyway.
-
I used an angle grinder and a drill for one. It didn't come out symmetric.. maybe I shouldn't apply any pressure with the drill, and try to keep a consistent angle. it's a bit difficult to deal with two hand-held power tools, especially when one is as crazy as an angle grinder.
Also, most of the duplex nails just aren't straight. >:( Maybe that's why the point didn't come out symmetric, and centered!
-
Just put dowels in 2 cane arrows. both my nock and point ends are splitting.Either my dowls are too large or my drill bits are too small. I will get this but it took me years to do these two so.........
-
Chief Rid, I went to the dollar store and bought some bamboo skewer sticks and glue them into each end of the bamboo shafts by using titebond II. That really beefs up the ends of the arrows and allows me to use a taper tool for standard nocks and field points or cut the ends for self nocks and stone points.
I glue in about 3" of skewer stick.
-
Thanks JEB. Do you just cut the lengths and use enough of them to fill the hole without splitting the shaft? I was just thinking. I use the 3 Rivers taper tool so the shaft diameter has to be exactly correct for the tool to work. Has anyone solved this problem?
-
Right, I may have to sand the skewer stick a bit so it will slide into the hole and then cut the stick to length. Some don't think it is necessary but there is something about a hole in the middle of thee arrow doesn't sound right.lol
-
I glue about an inch of skewer in the nock end. One of the best things I ever bought was a complete set of numbered, lettered and fractional drill bits. Canadian Tire puts a set on sale for $60 every once in a while. Every drill bit made between .060 and .500. I just measure the skewer with calipers and pick the drill that is a few thou bigger. Perfect fit every time
-
I went ahead and sanded the dowls to fit. I worked a bit more on sizing for my 3Rivers taper tool and sharpened the blades and adjusted for the speed nock and the ribtech broad head. I have not put finish on yet. I think this one may work. I'll try to work up a .38 shell case blunt with one tomorrow. I did a little better at straightening a few so I have some to play with. I kinda lost track of my tomato stake cane for now. I will try to sort one of them out tomorrow also. Using the masking tape to prevent splitting during the sizing of the dowls made a big difference. :BB
-
I applied a Tung Oil finish and fletched it up. I am scared to death to shoot it. I have not decided on a point. I might just put a judo on it and see how it does.
-
I put on a field point and it shoots great! I can't wait to make another.
-
Decided to be a bit different when I made mine. I used an Alligator Gar Scale for the tip and used real wild turkey wing feathers and real sinew for the self nock and pine tar for the hasping and real sinew to finish it out. The gar scale is similar to enamel like our teeth and is naturally sharp to the touch especially the natural serrated edge on one side.
-
The all primitive sure adds to the journey. That is a wall hanger for sure. I am really impressed. I shot mine into one of those new new fangled bag targets today and the nock flew off and the point stayed in the target when I pulled out the arrow. It flew pretty good. I need to make a lot more. I think I have about 3 that are ready to put on nocks and points.
-
I purchased two bundles of bamboo shafts from Home Depot. I did good to get 4 arrows good enough to use for arrows from each bundle of 12. Each had to be heated and bent straight. Probably good for rabbit shooting at 10 yards but for me not good enough for deer hunting. That's my input.
-
Nice Build along and beautiful arrows everyone
here is my 2cents worth
Dont have Home depot here in the UK but very similar Bamboo many people have in there garden and there is a massive hedge of it on local Common which gets cut a lot so i made a few arrows last year from it .
same basically But i always glue some lightweight dowel in the Nock end before make the shape - and last time also did the Horn slice for strength
I also put dowel in the tip as you did But wanted the tip heavier so drilled and glued in a 10mm length of Nail before fixing the tips on -
Used those tip adaptors so can screw on different tips - works well .
Mark