Primitive Archer

Main Discussion Area => Arrows => Topic started by: razorsharptokill on November 04, 2019, 12:54:34 pm

Title: Shafts from bamboo flooring?
Post by: razorsharptokill on November 04, 2019, 12:54:34 pm
 There must be a reason that no one is doing this I suppose. I have never seen any. It would seem that if it was a good choice there would be some seen. Too weak spine properties?
Title: Re: Shafts from bamboo flooring?
Post by: Mesophilic on November 04, 2019, 02:07:59 pm
My guess would be that it'd only be as strong as the glue holding the bamboo lams together making it a risky endeavor.
Title: Re: Shafts from bamboo flooring?
Post by: razorsharptokill on November 05, 2019, 09:15:17 am
Flooring is a solid aprox 5/8" plank.
Title: Re: Shafts from bamboo flooring?
Post by: Hawkdancer on November 05, 2019, 01:04:57 pm
Best way to find out is try a couple and see if it works.  May not be worth the effort, or it could be a source of good straight shafts!
Hawkdancer
Title: Re: Shafts from bamboo flooring?
Post by: Mesophilic on November 05, 2019, 01:27:14 pm
I'm not up to speed on the regulsr changes in flooring industry but all of the bamboo flooring I've looked at is made in a process similar to this:

  ttps://www.builddirect.com/learning-center/flooring/how-bamboo-flooring-made/
^
Add H

Not sure what the boiling and steaming would do for its dynamic integrity.   But I am fairly certain that your safety will rely on trusting their laminating process if you use a product like this.  Approach with caution, we have alot of very creative DIY people in archery and sometimes there's a reason why you can't find much info on a tooic/product.

But then again, maybe this is the answer to my problem of wood and bamboo shafts breaking all the time from being too dry.
Title: Re: Shafts from bamboo flooring?
Post by: DC on November 05, 2019, 01:49:47 pm
If I had a piece of flooring kicking around I'd give it a try. Even the stranded stuff. Carbon fibre is fibres glued together and they make a decent arrow ;). I would make a shaft and give it a good bend, see if it breaks. I might be concerned about the weight. Solid boo can get heavy, but I like light arrows. It might be hard to work. All these things can be sorted by trying it.
Title: Re: Shafts from bamboo flooring?
Post by: Mesophilic on November 05, 2019, 04:51:15 pm
Except for the weight issue, might actually be worth a try.  I foud this thread over on paleo planet from '08 where a guy did some strain testing on a bamboo flooring bow.

  ttps://www.tapatalk.com/groups/paleoplanet69529/making-and-breaking-bamboo-flooring-bow-t21054.html
^
H

60" bow finally broke at 36 inches of pull on the tiller tree.

ETA:
I also found a listing for solid laminated bamboo shafts on alibaba (not going to even post a partial link)

Quote
Professional Archers' Use Splicing Solid Bamboo Arrow Shaftings


Diameter;7.2~8.5mm
Material:tonkin bamboo
Length:30~33inch
Spine rates:30~60#
Weight:35~45grams/pc
Title: Re: Shafts from bamboo flooring?
Post by: bownarra on November 09, 2019, 06:32:10 am
Flooring bamboo is made from the inner fibers. They aren't stiff at all or very strong. The node positioning is totally random and you can get a bunch of nodes together which would make a weak spot. The boards may be 5/8ths thick but they are lots of thin 5/8ths wide pieces glued together. I've used a lot of bamboo flooring for making cores on glass bows and have come across plenty of dodgy gluelines. there is no way I would use it...bamboo splinters are grim :)
Title: Re: Shafts from bamboo flooring?
Post by: artcher1 on November 09, 2019, 10:32:23 am
"there is no way I would use it...bamboo splinters are grim"

My thoughts also...…...Art