Bamboo Arrows first try

[loon]

I don't think I could make one of my carbon arrows spin like a top... much less on my finger. Unless you don't let go, in which case it does makes sense. You would spin from the nock end and make the point touch the finger?

I'm a little confused about this too. "If the point and the nock line up", two points will always line up. Maybe just a little more info. Thanks

same

I guess it'd be some weird thing about it not wobbling on the finger if spun... like that. maybe i'll make a video and ask if it's like that

I put the point on my finger with the arrow vertical and spin it like a top. If you feel a wiggle it needs more work. Even with a crook or two in the middle, if the point and nock line up it should spin true and when it does it will fly true.

So the spin test is fine... The arrow spins until it stops without falling off

wow. how..

[cantshoot]

Going as though to balance the arrow on your finger regularly... Then twist the nock between your fingers so it spins. Turns around maybe three or four times and then you are back to balancing it... Not sure how relevant it is though.

[Pat B]

The arrow spins for a second or 2 and if I feel a wobble I look for the source of the wobble and correct it. It's not hard to spin an arrow on your finger tip. Even a cave man can do it. I've always spun arrows to see if they are true, even in my compound days. Even then with aluminum arrows or to be sure the point insert was installed true.
In one of the first few issues of Primitive Archer there was a series called "Arrows: 101" I think. It discusses making simple primitive arrows from natural materials  and how crooked arrows work and how to set a crooked shaft up so it will shoot off a bow.
 Consider the plane of an arrow. If the nock and the point line up perfectly along that plane the center section of the arrow can have a crook up, down, left or right and as long as that crook comes back inline with the plane of the arrow it should fly well. You still have to consider spine.

[DC]

Do you guys mean if the point and nock line up while the arrow spins on the point?

[loon]

DOH! wow. Thanks, I get it, and I can actually spin it...

I guess it's something like, if you draw a line between nock and point and the mass of the shaft is equal on both halves of the shaft ("cut" across that straight line) then the nock and point are "in line" and the shaft will spin true? ie an S shape would be better than an U shape

This makes me so relieved... now I won't have to spend hours trying to get a single shaft to perfect!

[cantshoot]

DOH! wow. Thanks, I get it, and I can actually spin it...

I guess it's something like, if you draw a line between nock and point and the mass of the shaft is equal on both halves of the shaft ("cut" across that straight line) then the nock and point are "in line" and the shaft will spin true? ie an S shape would be better than an U shape

This makes me so relieved... now I won't have to spend hours trying to get a single shaft to perfect!

I think it's more like, if the nock is out of line the torque from spinning it will cause it to jump.

[Pat B]

I'm making a crooked arrow for the arrow trade. When I'm done I'll post a pic.

[Aaron H]

Build-a-long Pat B!!!!!

[Pat B]

I'm already at the point mounting stage now. I "straightened" the crooked arrow yesterday.

[Urufu_Shinjiro]

So think of it kinda like a snakey bow, the limbs can snake back and forth all they want as long as the tips line up and your string is centered on the handle. So draw an imaginary line from the point to the nock, lets use the arrow in a vertical position for this image, now even if the nock is straight up and down if it is off to the side it will not spin true and you'll have issues, or even if it is centered but at a slight angle off to the left or right you'll have issues, but if the tip and the nock fall right on that imaginary line the middle bit can be wonky/crooked, and you're right about the mass being more or less balanced because you can't get away with TOO much or it won't be balanced/spin true, but within reason it doesn't have to be a perfect carbon straight arrow to be a great arrow.

[loon]

so besides the mass thing, also need the nock and point angle/orientation to be the same?

If the vertical spin test is all that's needed, I guess that's all I need to know :p

[cantshoot]

Engineering school was years ago... But what my gut is telling me right now is that it's a combination of the two... Natural tendency is to rotate about the center of mass. If that's in line between tip and nock , great. If not, the centripetal force will not be balanced and result in a larger vibration the farther the com is from the axis of rotation?

Something like that. Anyway thanks for the interesting conversation guys

[bjrogg]

If you look at a crank shaft in a car it spins at much higher RPM than arrow and is much more "crooked" than any arrow but the ends are true and everything else has the right amount of wieght in the proper places to balance it out. Even a round tire on a round rim will shake if it's not properly balanced. I suspect you could make a perfectly straight arrow fly poor by having more wieght on a one side taking it out of balance.
Bjrogg

[Dakota Kid]

I typically roll mine on the table and watch both ends for wobble, not paying much attention to the center. As long as the tip and nock stay centered during  the roll, I've never had an issue.

[Justin.schmidt23]

Great job man. I just tried this last night.  Me and straightening bamboo don't belong in the same sentence lol. I'll stick with wooden dowels.