bamboo shaft topics

Pete; there is a great difficulty obtaining quality bamboo shafting. Here are some of the issues;

There are only several useful species, Pseudo sasa japonica, Sasa Coreansys, and several of the Arundinarias. Maybe others.

Even the smallest defect, an insect borer hole or cut on the skin makes the shaft a reject. Only fully mature, healthy shafts qualify. Excessively tapered or kinky shafts less useful. The suppliers are not sensitive to this at all.

Shafts need to be matched somehow by diameter and/or weight.

How to arrange the nodes on the finished set affects weight and diameter.

Here is my solution. Take all the shafts and cut them cleanly 1/2 inch above the uppermost useful node. Cut all the shafts 36". Weigh each shaft and write the weight at the nock with permanent marker.

Group them in bundles to the nearest gram. In this way the nock can occur above the node, or the shafts can be cut down to make the nock at the internode. Eighter way, the shafts have been preselected for the best set.

One needs several hundred prepared shafts to make groups of 6 and 7 identical shaft sets by this method.

A friend bought some ten dollar each prepared shafts from a well-known bowmaker. The weights were as much as 4 grams different, which does not make a set, and two shafts had borer holes hidden in the finish. The horn nocks were also too tapered to open up for standard string with serving. Not worth all the work necessary to finish out.

jack farrell wrote:

Pete; there is a great difficulty obtaining quality bamboo shafting. Here are some of the issues;
= oh , i didnt imagine.

There are only several useful species, Pseudo sasa japonica, Sasa Coreansys, and several of the Arundinarias. Maybe others.
= i see.
sasa japonia we have it here.

Even the smallest defect, an insect borer hole or cut on the skin makes the shaft a reject. Only fully mature, healthy shafts qualify. Excessively tapered or kinky shafts less useful. The suppliers are not sensitive to this at all.
= you are saying in the U.S. not ALL ( meaning seldom few ) so called shaft supplier is not these senstive and 'caring' right? but why?

Shafts need to be matched somehow by diameter and/or weight.
How to arrange the nodes on the finished set affects weight and diameter.
Here is my solution. Take all the shafts and cut them cleanly 1/2 inch above the uppermost useful node. Cut all the shafts 36". Weigh each shaft and write the weight at the nock with permanent marker.
Group them in bundles to the nearest gram. In this way the nock can occur above the node, or the shafts can be cut down to make the nock at the internode. Eighter way, the shafts have been preselected for the best set.
One needs several hundred prepared shafts to make groups of 6 and 7 identical shaft sets by this method.
= thanks for these detail information

A friend bought some ten dollar each prepared shafts from a well-known bowmaker.
= okay....

The weights were as much as 4 grams different, which does not make a set,
= is this really a need - that critical


and two shafts had borer holes hidden in the finish.

The horn nocks were also too tapered to open up for standard string with serving. Not worth all the work necessary to finish out.

= so it comes even with hornnocks. ?
you may be referrring to 3 rivers company, they sell tempered bamboo shaft even with ready horn nocks. but how good are they really?thats another story to tell. i really dont know and wish to have the feedback of peolpe how had tried them.

i heard sasa japonica is also being grown in the U.s.
and despite of that . still no quailty bamboo shaft meant solely for shaft use is not yet even solved up to now. ?- i'll be darn , but why ? if its really true sasa japonica is being avaiable in the U.s. in 'plant' form -why do they still have that 'quality shaft' problem lingering?
i bet someting' in between' the system ,ther mut be something wrong.

okay , betwen the two :quality woodshaft and quality bamboo shaft. which one archer usually prefer? i wonder

best ,
pete :D

Pete; I am not speaking about 3 rivers but I have seen their advertisment. the shafts are sold individually, meaning that a group of these shafts will not make a set. You will notice if one buys their wood shafting, no matter what type, they are matched. They recomend these bamboo shafts for SCA purposes, meaning a theatrical sort of use.

I grow P japonica in my yard. The vast majority of shafts are too heavy for arrows. Of those suitable only a fraction work perfectly for bows of my draw weight. Canes of 2-4 years age are perfect, require months of drying before subjecting to my above mentioned process.

But for you, this selection process would maximise efficiency of giving the customer just what is wanted, minimising shipping of unuseful material, elevavating the value of each individual shaft, and therefore better profit and customer satisfaction.

Once people get used to bamboo shafting, it is very hard to go back to wood. And carbon and aluminum look like ammo for compounds. -j-

Pete; I am not speaking about 3 rivers but I have seen their
advertisement.
= okay

the shafts are sold individually, meaning that a group of these shafts
will not make a set.
= well whatever.

You will notice if one buys their wood shafting, no matter what type,
they
are matched. They recomend these bamboo shafts for SCA purposes,
meaning a
theatrical sort of use.
= oh ?there is even for such use?

I grow P japonica in my yard.
= oka

The vast majority of shafts are too heavy for arrows.
= so even if you grow it yourself. You will not be sure you get the right type all the time right?

Of those suitable only a fraction work perfectly for bows of my draw
weight.
=As I figured.

Canes of 2-4 years age are perfect, require months of drying before
subjecting to my above mentioned process.
= I see.

But for you,
a) this selection process would maximize efficiency of giving the
customer just what is wanted,
= indeed it is a selection for serious bowyers. Otherwise just get the
common bamboo that most people used in their garden,then problem solve instantly right?



b) minimising shipping of unuseful material,

= of course unless you have other uses of these poles for gardening
perhaps ahaha.


c) elevavating the value of each individual shaft, and therefore better profit and customer satisfaction.

= yes the theory of ?balance?

I was once ask of finding container load of so called shaft meant for archery.
I also have been ask before of shipping container load of buffalo horns too.
Both kinds of offers I immediately have doubts.

Though I presume the ?would be? buyer and seller perhaps thought all buffalo horns can easily just be use like that in archery instantly. Perhaps peole don?t know it that of a mountain piles of bulk of horns, only says 5- to 10 % is acceptable for bow use And you lucky if you can find that in pairs. .


And perhaps the ?would be? buyer and seller would also thought all
these bamboo stick can easily be used in archery.

I just knew it.its not as easily as once may think of after reading your procedure. Because if its that easy ,there should be no shortage of quality shaft to begin with in the market. And wont cost that much
.
Or could it be that there might be shafst. But yet no quality bowyers
Had put his concentration to these.

Or the environment doesn?t allow that guy to be in a very good position to supply such

There must be something wrong despite a big market right infront of peole.





Once people get used to bamboo shafting, it is very hard to go back to
wood. And carbon and aluminum look like ammo for compounds. -j-

you mean the most natural quality bamboo ,well prepared can even beat the man made stuff? But we are in the hi tech age right? I wonder why?

Best,
Pete
philippines
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