Sanding nodes on bamboo shafts, Advice needed

[StickMan47]

I'm trying my hand at making my own primitive arrows with bamboo and was wondering how smooth ya'll get the nodes sanded in relation to the rest of the shaft? I made just one so far, took me 3 days start to finish, but it flew pretty straight. Now I'm working on some more.

I got the shaft pretty darn straight with the heat gun but after I straighten then sand the nodes I still feel just a bit of a bump. Is this normal or do I need to take more off? I'm using only hand tools (half round bastard file and sandpaper) on these, and trying to stay as primitive as possible.

So what do you guys do?

[JackCrafty]

With Tonkin bamboo I sand everything flush.  With any other type I leave it a little bumpy.  I usually do cross section cuts on scrap pieces to check if the nodes are not too thin after sanding.

[Grasshopper Mouse]

Keep in mind that the arrow flexes when you loose it. You'd be surprised how little it actually touches the riser of the bow as it leaves. It's likely quite unnecessary to completelt eliminate all the little node bumps.
Take a look at this slow motion video. If you've never seen this it can be quite a revelation.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=96KGWC0PB6s&list=TLZUlDXn_25A8

Guy

[Pat B]

A well tuned arrow should not touch the bow at all once loosed.
 I don't sand the node but some folks do. If you do sand the nodes that should be the last thing you do before you build the arrow.
 What I do is heat the node then compress them by rolling the shaft on a hard, smooth surface with a smooth block of wood. On most cane shafts I can get the node compressed almost the diameter of the shaft.

[Tom Leemans]

On my next batch, I'm going to try rolling them like Pat mentioned, but what I do is sand them just enough to smooth the nodes. They fly just fine. (and that's with tonkin)

[Pappy]

I do them like Pat. Only difference I have a shaft tammer[I think that is what it is called] from Ace.
 Pappy

[Pat B]

Pappy, I also use a shaft tamer but for those difficult bends in the shaft.

[StickMan47]

Thanks for all the helpful advice everyone, much appreciated.

Jackcrafty, I never thought about trying a cross section cut, will have to give that a try and see how much I have to work with.

Guy, gonna check out the link, thanks.

Pappy, on that first shaft I did wind up rolling it between two pieces of cedar boards I have. seemed to work out pretty good. I'm not sure how much difference there is between the bamboo I have and the cane you got but I'm happy with that first one. I tried working a couple more last night and they seemed a little harder than that first one, maybe they were just a little more crooked.

Pappy, I haven't run across a shaft tamer before. When you mention Ace are you talking about the hardware store or an archery supply place?

[Grasshopper Mouse]

Sherwood Shafttamer:
http://www.archers-review.com/images/109.jpg

Ace Roll-R-Straight:
http://www.acearcherytackle.com/tools.php

Guy

[StickMan47]

Thanks Guy. I see what Pappy and Pat were talking bout now. Them look pretty handy! I was driving home today tryin to devise in my mind a way to make myself an arrow straightener. Got the wheels to turnin some. Gonna see what I can come up with.

[Pat B]

I read a suggestion the other day about using a small pulley, like for a tiller tree, like the Shaft Tamer to straightening shafts.

[nclonghunter]

One thing that helped me was to lay a yardstick on a long board and draw a straight line with a black marker. Lay the cane shaft on the line and see what isn't straight. Heat it and bend it until it lays straight along side the line. You can rotate the shaft as you eyeball it.


I have imagined in a primitive setting a string could be made and rubbed with charcoal, then popped like a chalk line when preparing to make a saw cut. I will use a chalk string with red chalk to pop a line down a bow for removing wood equally.

[seminolewind]

With Tonkin bamboo I sand everything flush.  With any other type I leave it a little bumpy.  I usually do cross section cuts on scrap pieces to check if the nodes are not too thin after sanding.
[/quote

+1

[StickMan47]

I got some more shafts straightened today. These will be my very first try at arras. I'm thinkin about doin the points, fletching, and nocks one arrow at a time; seems like each one I work on is easier than the last and a little better too! I'll post up some pics when I get finished with all 5. Get ya'lls critique on em.

[Tom Leemans]

Like with most stuff, you'll get faster as you go. Some processes you can't rush, but you'll find what works quicker, and what you actually don't have to do.