Bamboo backed bow making

[Jacob1]

I got some bamboo for backing and some ipe for the belly but also have some red oak that I’m making into a bow could I combine all three the bamboo oak and ipe because the ipe is a little thin only 3/4 inch  and I don’t know if it would come out the draw weight I wanted

[Pat B]

You could build a 200# hickory backed ipe with a 3/4" thick ipe board...without the red oak.  Make a 66", 1 3/8" at the fades, out about 6" and taper it to 1/2" tips(for now). Use part of the remainder of the ipe for the handle riser and add about 3" to 4" of reflex at glue up.
 I would start tapering and tillering the ipe before adding the hickory backing so the ipe has a smooth reflex bend in the bow.

[Jacob1]

Wow I guess I greatly underestimated the strength of ipe

[Pat B]

With a 1/8" backing the ipe will probably turn out to be 1/4" or so. Using the full 3/4" board you will be able to get the plain of the belly below the handle securing it won't pop off.

[Jacob1]

I have a big unplaned  bamboo strip that is about 2 inches wide so would it be possible to just split it in half and make two 3/4 wide bows?

[PatM]

It can be done.

[Marc St Louis]

In this case it's best not to be greedy.  A 3/4" wide hunting draw weight bow can be tricky to tiller

[bownarra]

Forget the tri-lam to begin with. Make yourself a simple dual lam bow. You will then have a working bow to copy. The core on a tri-lam flatbow would need to be thin or tapered at about 0.003" per running inch or else you could easily find yourself running out of belly!
You don't say what style of bow you are looking to make? Flatbow of some sort or a bendy handle bow?
3/4" wide is asking for trouble!
I make my boo backed ipe elbs 1" wide at the handle.

[Jacob1]

I was looking to make a English longbow of about 60-80 pound draw weight