Bamboo flooring for arrows?

[Cutty47]

I saw a mention on the Howard Hill Shooters email that some guys are planing their own arrows out of "3/8 square action 'boo stock...

Anyone tried this yet, and if so, what do the diameters spine out to roughly...what about weight?

Sounds interesting

[Jason Kendall]

Someone did a while back and I dont think it worked out very well, I cant remember who it was but they made a bunch and let people try them to get opinions.

[the Ferret]

That was Troy Breeding. I got a couple dozen. He couldn't get consistent weight or spine out of them and they are difficult to keep straight. They were pretty heavy physically.

Doesn't make much different for a close up bowhunter like me, but for a 3D or target shooter they wouldn't be very good.

[Cutty47]

Darn...like I said...sounded interesting...thanks guys...huge fan of both of your work, by the way...

[**DONOTDELETE**]

I was just getting ready to try turning some shafts out of some exceptionally nice vertical grain laminated flooring....One thing to remember....Is .....all bamboo is not created equal....for years they have been trying to work the bugs out of engineered bamboo flooring....they have come up with some nice stuff recently that isn't cuping and is much more stable material....i just installed about 800 feet of this stuff for some folks and it's geogeious stuff.....i bought a box myself to play with....you should see the bow lams this vertical grain stuff turns out! beautiful!!!! i'm going to lay up some recurve limbs with it in June...... i'll let you know how the arrow shafts come out if you want Cutty? let me know....Kirk

[wapiti]

I would give tamarack a try if I were wanting to make an arrow from scracth. If that was too heavy I would go with ponderosa pine.
  Aren't you busy enough getting ready for the guest season! lol

[Cutty47]

Hey wapiti...unbelievably busy right now...but I've only got a pair of honeymooners right now...and they're THE BEST GUESTS...

...just make sure you knock when you change out their towels and take the trash...lol...

[Cutty47]

Kirk...I'd love to hear how those arras turn out...and the 'curve limbs too, once you get around to it...

This winter I'm finally going to get around to building my first...going to be a reverse handled LB, though...

[wapiti]

Well Cutty if you are up this way take a few and stop by. Waiting for pump supply to call back at this moment (irrigation issues). Cutting into my stumping time!GRRRRRRR.
 I am thinking of getting a veritas dowler and trying to make a few errors, I mean arrows, this winter. I shot chundo for awhile and liked how durable they were.

[**DONOTDELETE**]

Will do Cutty......Hey Wapiti,,,,have you really built arrows out of pine? I'm thinking it would be too soft and really unstable....i've worked with it in other aspects.....warps like a big dog!

[wapiti]

Ponderosa is a very straight grained wood. I haven't made arrows from it but I see no reason it wouldn't make a good arrow wood if it is dried proper. Tamerack (larch) is very straight and dense. Not well distributed in MT but some areas like the Flathead have a lot of it. Not enough time right now to experiment but this winter when things slow down I hope to.

[Cutty47]

Waipiti, I think there was a fellow up in Victor who used to make and sell Larch shafts...the guy who would know is Bob Burton of Whispering Wind arrows...

If Ponderosa does work, I've got a lifetime supply for both of us...and the whole board...lol...

[wapiti]

Jeesh I can't remeber his name right now but he sold all of his equipment to the guy Dick Robertson is training to replace Yote in his shop. He works for Neville Log Homes now I think.

[aromakr]

wapiti:
That's Paul Hopkins, I did not know he sold the equipment though!! He would run Dymond wood shafts thru his pole sander when I need them. Stop by sometime when your in the area.
Bob

[**DONOTDELETE**]

What about western red cedar guys? it's awfully soft light wood....but very straight grained stuff...any experiece out there with that?

[wapiti]

I plan on it Bob! Still working out the kinks in the new job. Place was left hanging here and there. But you can bet I will be stopping in.

  Western red cedar would be ok I guess but it has a tendancy to sliver off. The cabinet shop I worked in built several from it for rustic style or log homes and it always had that problem.

[Cutty47]

Bob, I'd love to stop by and chat sometime with you as well...I'm just starting to make the switch from carbons to woodies with my longbows and would love to pick your brain...plus pick up some hex-pine and a dozen of your finest customs...you do amazing work.