Bamboo backed bow??

[David_Daugherty]

I have made a few bows now and feel comfortable with the process.  So was considering making a bamboo backed bow.  Is there a specific type of bamboo I need.  Or can I just go out and find some with a large diameter and cut it, split it and allow it to dry to use for backing?

[Gordon]

Just about any species of bamboo will work if you can get it wide enough. I use moso because it grows to large diameters.

[tgtmatt]

How long does bamboo usually take to dry?

[DarkSoul]

No, you don't need a specific species. Some are better (madake, tonkin) than others, but all are strong enough for bow backings. I, too, use moso as it's easy to get, affordable and grows in a large enough diameter (over 3 inches across I consider usable).

There are several topics on how to select, cut, process and dry bamboo. Take a look at this topic.