Sanding nodes quickly

[Tom Leemans]

I just wanted to share how I sand the nodes of my tonkin shafts. Sorry no pics right now, but I can probably post some later if need be.

I took a couple of plastic lids from some 1 gallon ice cream containers and cut the rims off to make them even more flexible. I drilled a 1/4" hole in the center of them after applying self ahesive 80 grit sanding discs to them. I bolted them together (bolt head, washer, disc, washer, disc, washer, nut) with the sanding surfaces facing together and chucked them up in a drill press. Now you take your freshly starightened arrow shaft and chuck it up in a cordless drill. (Not too tight!) Turn on the drill press and start spinning the arrow shaft with your cordless drill and force it between the two discs. It will go in rather easily. It takes a little practice, but you catch on quick. Wear a glove on your free hand to support the other end of the shaft while you work. You will have to seal the shaft now anyway, so I finish up the shaft by using a thin, fine grit sanding pad on the shaft while I spin it with the drill.

[Justin Snyder]

Great idea Tom, thanks for sharing.

[stringstretcher]

I see someone else saw a video.  I have the same set up on a bench grinder.  Works great on tonkin, but be carefull with Jap Arrow Bamboo or you will have all noodles......

[artcher1]

Just be aware, nodes are the weakest part of the shaft and anything you do to the them only makes 'em more weak............Art 

[matte]

I only use our local Switch cane and never really need to sand the joints other than to clean the shafts. Like Art said, "be careful the node is the weakest point" I have had them break easily with little side pressure.

[Tom Leemans]

I leave the nodes a little proud on my arrows. I sand them just enough to smooth them over. I've only used tonkin so far but I've seen cane arrows with the nodes sanded way down and I cringe too.

[aero86]

ive sanded with tonkin too, but didnt know about river cane.  i may make a few two different ways, and see what i like..

[osage outlaw]

I would like to see some pictures if you get the time.  thanks.

[chamookman]

I learned a neat trick from a Fellow down in Kentucky a few years ago regarding River Cane. Using a torch in the straightening prosess, He would gently apply heat to the nodes till pliable and GENTLY compress the node with a pair of pliers. Works great and no sanding. Bob

[aznboi3644]

I've only made one arrow out of my home grown bamboo...filed the nodes...shot the arrow at a tree and it just bounced off with no damage at all.

I'll try compressing them though.

[crooketarrow]

   Heating the node work to make them smaller.  But when ever you use heat arrow or on bows you change the wood cels.Which weakins it. On arrows this works but our arrows weakin to side ways movment.

[Hillbilly]

I leave the nodes a little proud on my arrows. I sand them just enough to smooth them over. I've only used tonkin so far but I've seen cane arrows with the nodes sanded way down and I cringe too.

River cane is considerably tougher than tonkin, or at least the varieties of both that I've used. I sand my nodes down flat, and they bounce right off rocks and trees. Never broke but one cane arrow after shooting thousands and thousands and thousands of shots with even-sanded node arrows, and it broke right behind the point after hitting a 1/2" pice of steel. I've shot cane arrows through sapling trees with several inches of the point end sticking out the other side of the tree and the nodes didn't break. A sanded-flat node on a cane arrow is still ridiculously stronger than a cedar or any other commercial shaft.