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Offline jturkey

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hickory or bamboo
« on: February 12, 2011, 07:45:30 pm »
ok just for my knowledge but first let me thank pat b for your help. now would bamboo or hickory work better in my area north ms where the humidity is 60% or better year round?
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Offline half eye

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Re: hickory or bamboo
« Reply #1 on: February 12, 2011, 08:09:38 pm »
Hey JT,
     I live in Northern Michigan and our humidity is way high also....all year around, even the other day we had -5 and 62% go figure. I've made bows with both bamboo and hickory backing. They both worked very well.....usually I prefer the hickory. Also I use TBII for glue and have not had any trouble at all with losing performance or set issues etc. I also use spruce pitch and grease for the finish (NA Style) and dont really know if that makes a difference or not.....it's just what I use is all.
    Hope that helps ya out a little.
rich
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Offline eflanders

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Re: hickory or bamboo
« Reply #2 on: February 12, 2011, 10:23:57 pm »
Bamboo is not nearly as susceptable to moisture (relative humidity) as Hickory.  If you have a choice, I would use Bamboo in the area you live.
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Offline Pat B

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Re: hickory or bamboo
« Reply #3 on: February 12, 2011, 10:36:57 pm »
Like Rich said humidity doesn't seem to effect hickory backings too much. I never noticed it like with a hickory selfbow. I prefer hickory backings over boo for a few reasons. The first is the simplicity of preparing and applying it and the second is the durability factor.   Boo is a great performance backing but is more susceptible to failure than hickory. I've made lots of hickory backed bows and the only one that failed was because of rotten hickory. I've only made a few boo backed bows and probably half failed either at a node or lifted a splinter. The splinter was a result of not properly removing the rind and I nicked(unknowingly)the power fibers when I lightly scraped it.  Lots of folks make beautiful, great shooting boo backed bows but for me, I'll take hickory.
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Offline ken75

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Re: hickory or bamboo
« Reply #4 on: February 13, 2011, 12:59:48 am »
yeah Pats my hero !! hickory is a kickbutt wood as a backing or a bow it is nearly industructable (my success is proof of that)

bamboo.....is a grass  >:D
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Offline hillbilly61

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Re: hickory or bamboo
« Reply #5 on: February 13, 2011, 11:10:45 am »
never had Hickory backing strips (would like some to try) but use boo and love the stuff.
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Offline jturkey

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Re: hickory or bamboo
« Reply #6 on: February 13, 2011, 11:20:11 am »
me to i usually do not back any of my bows and i make alot of board bows. but i was planning on backing and putting a little d/r into it. on a maple or red oak boardand see if i can get a little bit stronger bow out of it.
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