Carbon Arrow Shafts for Bridge Hammock

**dedominick** · 10-11-2011, 19:24

Has anyone tried using carbon arrow shafts as supports for a bridge-type hammock? I think its a brilliant notion... but have no clue as to its practicality or feasibility. I did a search to no avail.

**BER** · 10-11-2011, 21:01

My brother in law asked me that the other day too. I have zero experience with arrow shafts. When I was exploring CF tubing on the web yesterday, the longest CF arrows I saw were 31", which would be long enough for the foot end of my bridge, but not the head. I'm not sure how stiff the shafts are or how much compression they can take.

**BearChaser** · 10-11-2011, 21:44

I shoot archery, use carbon shafts, and would not even think about it. I don't believe they would work. I wouldn't even try it. When those things break, they don't break clean. If your lucky enough the foot end would break first and more than likely only rip, poke, or tear your hammock up sumtum fierce. Even the strongest carbon arrow shafts I don't think would work. If they would, it would be a shock to me. I just don't think the spine is strong enough. If you want, goto a sporting goods shop and check out the carbon arrows and just start flexing them, you will see they flex fairly easily.

**bodhran4me** · 10-11-2011, 21:46

I have no idea of how appropriate a choice arrow shafts would be for this application, however if length is a problem then the following link shows how to make collabsable arrows. I would wonder if it would make a weak (or strong?) point in the shaft. I will let smarter folks than I weigh in on that.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xBHvIdYB9DM

Aside from that, slingbows are cool !!

**packeagle** · 10-11-2011, 21:48

The flex of carbon arrow shafts is actually desirable for archery. The way you test a shaft to see if it has splintered is to bend it. They are not strong enough to support the forces IMHO. Like stated above they don't just break, they explode and fragment.

**JerryW** · 10-11-2011, 21:49

My first reaction is *be very careful*! The diameter and wall thickness of arrows would likely be too small to handle the enormous compression forces of a bridge hammock. Any slight flex and it would bend and break, possibly sending shards of carbon tube in every direction.

A larger diameter, thicker wall carbon tube(tent pole?, kite strut?) might work, but I don't know of a way to calculate the proper size. The trial and error method could get very expensive.

We know that an aluminum hiking pole will work, as well as an aluminum tent pole, but how does that relate to carbon fiber?

Grizz? You out there?

Jerry

**gnome** · 10-11-2011, 22:50

with my bridge I use a ti goat adjustable hiking pole, it is carbon fiber and collapses down for the head end, the foot end I use a 3/8 carbon fiber tube. hasn't failed yet@@@ gnome

**Catavarie** · 10-11-2011, 22:52

Or you could go with carbon fiber golf club shafts, longer length and thicker walled, still uncertain if it would be strong enough to avoid flexxing, as that would cause the snap of the pole.

**the_gr8t_waldo** · 10-12-2011, 00:05

you could use the shafts as a start, and lay up carbon fiber on the outside untill ya feel good about the strength. most of the carbon fiber should be layed end to end,(running the length), rather than the easyer spiral. this way it would be a whole lot easyer to splice two shafts together also.

**slowhike** · 10-12-2011, 02:03

Originally Posted by JerryW

We know that an aluminum hiking pole will work, as well as an aluminum tent pole, but... Jerry

I'm getting ready to own my first bridge hammock! I've ordered the recommended pole sections but I was wondering about the possibility of using my Black Diamond trekking poles instead.