Bamboo Splinters from nodes

[bigcountry]

Well, I am almost finished with my IPE/Boo bow.  I was rubbing my hands across the back, and feel little roughness on some nodes.  Edges generally on the nodes.  Before tillering, after removing the rine with scrapers and sandpaper, I have rubbed over the boo starting with 220, then 400, then 600, then 800, then 1000 grit.  Its so smooth, you can almost see yourself.  Is this back doomed for failure?  I have perfect arcs on the tiller except for 2" at the fades.    I went over the nodes again tonight at the nodes.  Some went away, but some appear like little dots.  I sand and sand and can't get it out.

Any ideas?  I havne't fired the first arrow thru it yet, and its 52lbs at 26". 

[knightd]

Do you have a pic?? from the sounds of it you may have sanded to much off them..

[bigcountry]

Nothing to see on the picture.  Only way you know they are there is when the bow is braced or drew some, you can feel it iwth your finger nails.  You can't really see it now.  Other than where I feel it is a tiny little dot.

Our camera went out, and all I have now is a cell phone, and you won't be able to see anything with that.  I was told you can sand the nodes almost all the way down.

[knightd]

Some guy's do that but I have had trouble with sanding them down that much in the past.. I just touch them enough to take the Sharp edge off of them.. At this point all you could do is shoot it and see how it goes..

[bigcountry]

Well crap Knight, I just looked at your website,  you seem to know a think or two about boo.  I didn't know you couldnt sand them down quite a bit.

[knightd]

Well you could shoot it a bit and see what happens or you could try wraping it at the nodes?? 

[Pat B]

A drop of superglue and a wrap at the splinter will keep it from lifting.  I've seen David's boo bows up close and personal  (he gave me one )and I can tell you he does know his stuff.

[markinengland]

I would shoot the bow as it is but keep a careful eye on the potential lifts. If the bow has been well worked on the tiller and hasn't broken if it does "go" it is likely that you will hear a nasty little crack sound but that the bow won't break. Glue down the small splinter or crack that lifts and bind tightlyover it and a littlebeyond it. This has worked for me on bamboo (and hickory) backed bows that are fairly highly stressed. It does sound to me as if there is some lifting going on where you can feel the roughness. I guess the safest option would be to bind now, but then you would never know if you could have got away with it!
I think you can get away with sanding down a bit on some bamboo but not on others.
Nodes contain kinked power fibres or what is essentially bamboo grain. Flatten them too much and you cut through this grain. Some bamboo has the power fibres closer to and concentrated at the surface which makes this more of a problem. Some bamboo like Tonkin has the power fibres spread more evenly through the thickness so a little too much sandingisnot quitesomuch ofa problem. Some bamboo has flat nodes to begin with. All this means that what works on one persons finished bow may not work on another, I am not sure it is ever safe to sand nodes completely flat though.
I had some similar problems with a bamboo backed Ipe RD lifting at the nodes and backed the whole bow with a strip of silk glued down with Titebond 3. It carried on shooting fine.
Mark in England

[bigcountry]

A drop of superglue and a wrap at the splinter will keep it from lifting.  I've seen David's boo bows up close and personal  (he gave me one )and I can tell you he does know his stuff.

When I first saw his post, I was hoping he never worked with boo and was just posting to be posting.  Wishful thinkin on my part.  I then go to his webpage, and thought crap, I screwed up.

I decided to finish tillering watching closely and if it gets worse, just sinew wrap it.  I have a bunch of deer back sinew shredded (around 12", wish I could get some longer buffalo back sinew for it.  I am thinkin a smart man would go ahead and be safe than sorry.

I got the boo from Richard Scafford.  I am thinking I might call him and see what kinda of boo it is.

[Ryano]

Big country, it does sound as if youve sanded the nodes to much. Its actually pretty easy to do. If it were me I'd add another backing of silk or linen to the whole bow instead of wraping the splinter though.....I'd do it now though before a splinter raises even more.

[bigcountry]

Big country, it does sound as if youve sanded the nodes to much. Its actually pretty easy to do. If it were me I'd add another backing of silk or linen to the whole bow instead of wraping the splinter though.....I'd do it now though before a splinter raises even more.

Problem is the burr is on the edges of the nodes.  I would have to put the backing over the sides.  I trapped the limbs before I started tillering.  That might have been a mistake. 

I felt rough spots between the IPE and boo while tillering all up the limbs where it was bending.  I just sanded with 1000grit until glass smooth and havn't felt any more spots there. 

Ryano, does silk really add that much protection? 

thanks to all who replied.  I am not whining but does everyone got thru such trouble starting out?  I have been at it for over a year now, and I still suck.

[Rich Saffold]

I don't remember what I sent you BC, but the yellow bamboo is the only one I use which actually has nodes of any size. I don't remove rinds and only remove the rough part of the yellow nodes and while I may smooth them a touch its usually on a thicker backing than most use, and I'm very careful when doing this as well.

Exposing the fibers under the rind looks cool, and sometimes it will be fine. I have just seen too many of these bows start lifting these fibers, and partly why I like using bamboos  I cut myself which have markings on the rind which make the bow unique.

Rich

[bigcountry]

I don't remember what I sent you BC, but the yellow bamboo is the only one I use which actually has nodes of any size. I don't remove rinds and only remove the rough part of the yellow nodes and while I may smooth them a touch its usually on a thicker backing than most use, and I'm very careful when doing this as well.

Exposing the fibers under the rind looks cool, and sometimes it will be fine. I have just seen too many of these bows start lifting these fibers, and partly why I like using bamboos  I cut myself which have markings on the rind which make the bow unique.

Rich

Thanks Rich, I guess you live and learn.  I sent you an email, so you don't have to worry about responding.   So sounds like the bow isn't doomed just might have to change my plans a bit and wrap or back with silk.

[Rich Saffold]

Mark,
I just responded to your e-mail , but for those reading here if you glued it up with TB3 you can use heat to remove the bamboo and try again with another piece.

Hey its only wood..well ok grass

Rich-feels your pain

[Mechslasher]

i never touch the nodes.  sanded on my first bbo and the splinters lifted from every node.  learned that lesson well.  i'd back the bow with silk, and maybe put a snakeskin over it, as i dislike wraps.