Boo Osage

[DC]

Is Boo Osage as effective as Boo Yew? I've always thought(for no particular reason) that an Osage back was about as good as it gets. I've only made one Osage bow so there's not a lot of experience here. Lets assume a good Osage back.

[Eric Krewson]

Bamboo is light, coupled with an osage belly the combination produces some high performing bows with low limb mass, I have made over 50 of them.

[PatM]

It's generally the ability to glue up a bit of reflex that gives combinations a bit more oomph than a self stave.

[Hawkdancer]

What is the procedure for getting the wood and the bamboo fitted?  Is it better to use just one piece of bamboo?  Also, what thickness of boo?  Thanks,
Hawkdancer

[silent sniper]

DC, I find bamboo backed osage bows to be some of the most durable bows that can be made. I have not had the chance to work with yew, but I believe osage and bamboo are a perfect match.  Bamboo is light and strong which pairs well with the flexible and almost uncrushable nature of osage.

Also to answer you question about staining bamboo, I add stain after tillering and before I do the final sanding. I can sand off any spots where I accidentally get stain in places where I don't want it.

Cheers,
Taylor

[DC]

I have one piece of Osage I'm trying to decide what to do with.

[Dances with squirrels]

I guess I don't understand your question DC. An osage back? What does that mean? An osage selfbow?

Are you asking us to compare a bamboo backed osage bow (BBO) to a bamboo backed yew (BBY)? Or to compare a BBO to an osage selfbow?

I once made 3 bows of the same d/r profile, same draw weight, same trapped cross section. One was a laminated maple and fiberglass longbow, the second was a BBO, and the third was a BBY. The Yew bow was lighter in physical weight and consistently outshot the other two by about 10 yards I think. I can't remember the distance exactly since it was a long time ago.

I never directly compared the exact same profile between an osage selfbow and a BBO. But I think they would be similar. I'd guess the BBO bow would be a little bit lighter in physical weight for it's draw weight. Like Pat said, it's the ease and variety of altering the side profile while gluing on the bamboo that makes them fun to build.

[Dances with squirrels]

If you get to building bamboo backed bows, you just have to try bamboo backed yew. Lovely, lovely combo.

That said, my all time favorite bamboo backed bow is a 58" trilam deflex/semi-recurve... bamboo back, tapered yew lam in the middle, and a parallel lam of osage on the belly.

[DC]

I meant Boo backed Osage. I was just under the impression that Osage wouldn't get mush better with a backing. I've made lots of BBY. Can a BBO compare with BBY. DWS doesn't think so. RSVP

[Bob Barnes]

I'm with Eric and believe bamboo backed osage is about as good as it gets.  I have owned dozens of custom bows and my BBOs shoot as well as any bow I have ever owned....not effected by hot or cold and can be left strung all day while hunting, just to spring back once unstrung.

[PatM]

I remember Marc saying that Ipe is a better combo with bamboo than Osage. 

[leonwood]

Yeah I would love to know too!
I am building my first bamboo backed osage as we speak...
Does anyone heat treat osage before glueing the bamboo on the back? I do with yew/boo and that gives me some crazy good results

[Eric Krewson]

I have reflexed the osage core on a few bows prior to glue-up and heat treated the osage after most of the tillering was done, for performance toasting the belly gets my vote.

[bownarra]

A lam bow can be made in whatever shape you desire (within reason of course ) a self bow not so much....
The glued in reflex of a lam bow will hold better than heated in profiles on a selfbow.
A glueline will also stiffen the stave somewhat.
It looks cool.
Osage /ipe with boo back are both right up there but osage can be bent into tighter profiles with the aid of heat. With ipe the only way for the extreme bends is to know your 'recipe' and make thin enough lams to conform to the form or maybe use kerfs. Osage can handle pins better in a lam bow than ipe.

[PaulN/KS]

What's the best glue these days for the osage/bamboo glue ups ?