Bamboo Bow 57lbs at 30.5"

[Bamboo-Bows]

Finished a new one this week that I'd like to share with you.

The bow pulls 57lbs at 30.5 inches and has a max draw of 32. I made a set of arrows to go with it.
I put a stingray arrow pass and rattan wrappings in the centre. The bow is made out of a bamboo backing, belly and core.

I used swan feathers for the arrows. Swan feathers are great fletchings even in the rain. These feathers are not dyed or bleached and still have some grease on them. I split them by hand and burn them into shape.
The string sits in the centre of the bow and can be shot with either mediterranean and/or thumbring release.

This bow has a core of bamboo, greenheart and black locust. Using strips of wood the core becomes very stable. I used bamboo strips hardened over a coal fire to get the most out of the material. The bamboo becomes stiffer but there is a fine line to hardening and burning. Something that has been done for millennia. You can compare it with heat treating a belly of the bow like you would with a selfbow. It makes it better resistant to compression.
Using strips in the core really benefits the stability.

Stats:
Lenght:               68 inches long
Drawweight:        57 lbs at 30.5 inches
String:                Dyneema 12 strand
Material:             Bamboo back and belly. Greenheart, black locust and bamboo core. Horn nocks


Foto 10-04-2021 13 53 23 by Bamboo Bows, on Flickr

Foto 14-04-2021 10 56 09 by Bamboo Bows, on Flickr

IMG_4603 by Bamboo Bows, on Flickr

Foto 05-04-2021 15 45 31 by Bamboo Bows, on Flickr

Foto 05-04-2021 15 23 10 by Bamboo Bows, on Flickr

Foto 05-04-2021 15 23 03 by Bamboo Bows, on Flickr

IMG_4613 by Bamboo Bows, on Flickr

[Parnell]

Very beautiful work, all the way around.  Excellent pictures and clearly stated post.  Very nice job!

[Del the cat]

Nice job.
You say "core of bamboo, greenheart and black locust. Using strips of wood the core becomes very stable"
How is that core laid up? Slats running conventionally like a laminate or back to belly |||||||| ?
Del

[hoosierf]

Super cool bow.

[bownarra]

Looks good from here
Have you got any pictures of the core and how you made it? Especially where it transisitiopns from limb to handle area.
I've been meaning to try these sort of bows for agres but never got around to it.....

[simk]

Great Bow all over! Love it 
Whats the physical weight?
How do you tiller these? Is it possible to tiller any on the belly after the glueup or do you just have to have all the tapers right before glueup?
cheers 

[Pappy]

Beautiful bow, nice work.
 Pappy

[BowEd]

Very well done.

[elisonj]

Nice one! Congrats!

[Santanasaur]

Beauty. Very impressive profiles and construction

[RyanY]

That color combo is just gorgeous. Love the look of this one.

[elijahjmhutchinson]

Beautiful work! Its fun to see these asiatic bow styles with the dramatic curves.

[Bamboo-Bows]

Nice job.
You say "core of bamboo, greenheart and black locust. Using strips of wood the core becomes very stable"
How is that core laid up? Slats running conventionally like a laminate or back to belly |||||||| ?
Del

The core is laid up just like a yumi core. The strips are put side by side and then laminated together. So they run on a 90 degree angle in stead of normal laminates.

[Bamboo-Bows]

Great Bow all over! Love it 
Whats the physical weight?
How do you tiller these? Is it possible to tiller any on the belly after the glueup or do you just have to have all the tapers right before glueup?
cheers 

The bow is already left the workshop  So I did not weigh the bow. It is possible to some extend to tiller the bow after the glue up. But if the shape and tapers don't match it won't work very well, it will result in a weaker bow with less speed.