cane arrows?

[adam]

Hey guys,
     I'm getting ready to build some cane arrows and have read a few tutorials on how to do this. I have found alot of useful info. The only thing i haven't seen is people doing a spine test on the arrows. In the tutorials i have seen, they go from straightening the arrow to fletching to shooting. I never see anyone do a spine test. I was just wondering if this wasn't necessary since the cane has a natural taper or it just wasn't shown?? Thanks for any help!

[ozarkcherrybow1]

I sort through mine and set aside any that are extremely weak or don't bend at all, by simply flexing them in my hands. I then take them all through the straightening process before I can put them on a spine meter. By this time you will want to make them all into arrow. After spine testing them, I sort them, basically, into lighter or heavier shafts. My spines may vary 20lbs in a given group, but they all seem to fly great anyway. I have had good results with up to 70lb spine shooting from a 57lb selfbow, and as light as 48lb spine.
 I think that the natural taper is the main reason for the success. Just go for it and experiment for yourself, I am sure that you will be pleased with the outcome of your labor.
  Terry

[Pat B]

The main thing I check with a spine tester for cane arrows is finding the stiff side of the culm. Generally that will be on the side the leaf scars are on. Being that boos have alternating leaf scars there are 2 sides to check.
   Cane arrows are less spine sensitive because of their natural taper. You can reduce the static spine by 10# or so just because of the taper and for each inch over 28" you can decrease the spine by 5# per inch. With these 2 values you can make a cane arrow that will fit your bow by making your arrows a little longer(to decrease the spine)than your normal arrows. This formula is with a 125gr point. Increasing or decreasing point weight will also change the dynamics.
  Most of my bows are in the 55#@26" range...and are selfbows. I cut my arrows to 29". By using cane arrows cut to 29" I can shoot 70# spined arrows with good results.
   This also is the case with hardwood shoot arrows.
      Pat

[Swamp Pygmy]

By adjusting the length or thickness of the wooden shaft you can adjust point weight to the correct spine.

[nchunter]

This is what has worked reasonably well for me.  If you have wood shafts that you already know the spine of, you can measure the deflection as shown below.  Then find yourself a length of cane that gives you the same deflection.

 

[nchunter]

BTW, now (dead of winter) is a great time to go in the cane breaks and harvest cane.  The sap is down and the snakes are hibernating!

[john fletch]

nchunter - that certainly works if you have a good deflection chart.  I got my spine tester about 35 years ago and although the brand name has changed it appears to be the same design as one that now sells for $135 in a popular catalog/website.

I always check my spines ewven if the source says they are in a particular group rating.

Can any of the rest of you answer me this:

I had over 100 5/16 shafts in a box that I had sort of lost for over 2 years marked 30-35#  I just found them a few weeks ago,  I rechecked a few which lead to rechecking them all.  I had used my spine tester in Washington over 3 years ago and duly marked that box.  Now the majority read between 35-40# with a few near 445#

The difference is three more years of age, and moving to a higher altitude drier climate.

Is this typical with shafts (they had never been treated)?

[Pat B]

I'd bet it was the humidity change. The dryer shafts in Montana are stiffer.  Pat

[adam]

Thanks for the info guys!

Does anyone have any links where i can get some more info on building these arrows?? Thanks

Adam

[Pat B]

Which arrows are you wanting to know how to fix?

[nchunter]

Adam,

Once you have a piece of cane that's about the right spine, just heat the crooked spots and straighten.  I think there's an entry in the How-To Resources on straightening.  A heat gun ($10 from Harbor Freight) is a good, efficient way of heating the cane, but a candle works too.  You don't have to get it very hot - just wear lightwieght gloves so you don't burn your fingers.  Straighten the most crooked parts first (usually the nodes) and work your way down to the less crooked parts and before long it'll be straight (or straight enough).

After it's straight, either compress the nodes by heating and rolling between two blocks of hardwood.  Or lightly sand the nodes to remove the sharp "bulge".  I used to compress the nodes, but cane arrows are so tough that I've found that sanding the nodes - while no doubt weakening the cane somewhat - still makes a cane arrow that never breaks, and it's a whole lot faster.

Next step, cut to length (your drawlength plus an inch) by rolling it under a razor knife (i.e. boxcutter).  Then drill out the closest nodes at both ends and plug with 3-4" long sections of dowell rod or large bamboo shishkabob skewers.  Titebond II is a good wood glue to use for that.  Wet the inside of the end of your piece of cane with glue and a Q-tip first, then wet the dowel and insert.  

After the glue is dry, sand tapers on the ends for the point and nock (those pencil sharpener-type taper tools don't work so well with cane).  I use a small belt sander for this.  If you want to be more primitive, you can cut your own nock into the cane with a hacksaw blade, instead of gluing on a plastic one.

If you want to coat your cane arrow shafts with lacquer or something, you'll need to lightly buff the surface with scotchbrite or sandpaper, or it won't stick.  Also, I've had problems getting Fletchtite or Duco to stick to cane, but now I've discovered fletchtape which is great stuff and sticks well to anything!

[adam]

Thanks for the info Nchunter.

Pat, I'm looking for more info on making bamboo arrows.

Adam

[Pat B]

Adam, NChunter explained it pretty well. The best thing to do is go out and get some cane and give it a try.   I use our gas kitchen stove when straightening cane and hardwood shoot arrows.    Pat