Primitive Archer
Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: BowSlayer on September 20, 2013, 01:41:56 pm
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I started college last week and right next door is a place that sells hardwood flooring. And I might have acces to some bamboo flooring boards that are 62" long. Could I make a flat bow if I glued on a risor/handle. Would I need to back it? Any info is great. Thanks.
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bamboo flooring is planed flat..so the nodes and power fibers are exposed and violated to much to handle tension loads in bows....you can use it in cores tho in a trilam...but I think that's a lil bit too much for you right now.. ;)
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:o You haven't made any trilams with bamboo flooring, do you , Mr. Hawk? :-X ;D
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bamboo flooring is planed flat..so the nodes and power fibers are exposed and violated to much to handle tension loads in bows....you can use it in cores tho in a trilam...but I think that's a lil bit too much for you right now.. ;)
What if I backed it? With ash or if I get some hickory?
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If you're talking about backing bamboo boards I'd say no because bamboo is horrible in compression which is why it's used for backings not belly wood
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If you're talking about backing bamboo boards I'd say no because bamboo is horrible in compression which is why it's used for backings not belly wood
Could it be used as a powerlam in a trilam bow?
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If you're talking about backing bamboo boards I'd say no because bamboo is horrible in compression which is why it's used for backings not belly wood
Can you share your experiences with that? .....I have a James parker bamboo back and bamboo bellied bow with an osage and ipe core that spits 10 gpp arrows in the 180's fps...and it isn't a set stricken bow either(a bow that fast isn't belly noodle wood)....traditionally the Japanese made all bamboo bows.....and rightfully so because it does work well as a belly.....now obviously lots more can be said and written about this(a whole books worth)....I'm guessing you have zero experience,and are repeating something you heard by someone else who didn't have a clue what they were saying,and regurgitating false information
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If you're talking about backing bamboo boards I'd say no because bamboo is horrible in compression which is why it's used for backings not belly wood
Can you share your experiences with that? .....I have a James parker bamboo back and bamboo bellied bow with an osage and ipe core that spits 10 gpp arrows in the 180's fps...and it isn't a set stricken bow either(a bow that fast isn't belly noodle wood)....traditionally the Japanese made all bamboo bows.....and rightfully so because it does work well as a belly.....now obviously lots more can be said and written about this(a whole books worth)....I'm guessing you have zero experience,and are repeating something you heard by someone else who didn't have a clue what they were saying,and regurgitating false information
Not even gonna argue with you I used bamboo twice took boat loads of set don't try to guess what I've done
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I've made tons of bows using bamboo flooring. It's good for cores and bellies. Never had a problem with it. Terrible for backings though for reasons stated above by Blackhawk. I've backed it with ash, hickory, maple, and standard bamboo backings and they've made nice bows. Got anywhere from 25#'s -75#'s depending on how thick I cut the flooring. It even makes nice handle risers as well. As long as you have a good backing, I say go for it!!!
G
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@ Joe....then its obvious it was operator error and not the bamboos fault,and the many thousands of succesful bamboo bellied bows more than proves its good in compression ...you can't say its bad in compresion when you were the one at fault....jus saying
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@ Joe....then its obvious it was operator error and not the bamboos fault,and the many thousands of succesful bamboo bellied bows more than proves its good in compression ...you can't say its bad in compresion when you were the one at fault....jus saying
Cool I don't know why I even commented I only make self bows anymore
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@ Blackhawk and Joe- If that bamboo bow took alot of set as Joe said, Then it could be that either the bamboo or any other wood used on those bows had too much moisture content. I've made that mistake before. :( Now I make sure that all bamboo I use is right were it should be when it come to MC.
Blackhawk is right though.... it was bowyer error. This includes know the MC of the materials being used. Moisture meters are are one of the best tools any woodworker can own!!
G
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Cool. Good to know it works. I think they might even have some oak and other woods that might work well. Hey warpath got any pics? Post em here or Pm them to me so I can get an idea of what type of bow it makes. Thanks.
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If you're talking about backing bamboo boards I'd say no because bamboo is horrible in compression which is why it's used for backings not belly wood
Can you share your experiences with that? .....I have a James parker bamboo back and bamboo bellied bow with an osage and ipe core that spits 10 gpp arrows in the 180's fps...and it isn't a set stricken bow either(a bow that fast isn't belly noodle wood)....traditionally the Japanese made all bamboo bows.....and rightfully so because it does work well as a belly.....now obviously lots more can be said and written about this(a whole books worth)....I'm guessing you have zero experience,and are repeating something you heard by someone else who didn't have a clue what they were saying,and regurgitating false information
it's a poor carpenter that blames the tools, I have seen LOTS of boo belly bows and all boo bows
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@ Joe....then its obvious it was operator error and not the bamboos fault,and the many thousands of succesful bamboo bellied bows more than proves its good in compression ...you can't say its bad in compresion when you were the one at fault....jus saying
x2 all day
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Ok you guys I get it you don't have to keep on
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Bowslayer- Sadly no pics as it's been over a year since I've made one. However, If you want to send me some of that flooring, (Enough for 2 bows,) I'll make them up and send one back to you. >:D
G
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I used it once in a tri-lam warbow as the core. I'll definitely do it again, but only as a core if it's flooring.
And... Joec123able... it's OK not to comment if you don't know. Lots of people have lots to talk about, but few have anything to say. Bamboo makes an excellent belly. I've never done it, but I've seen bows that have it and they've all been top shelf. I'm not pickin' on yah... just sayin' a closed mouth gathers no foot. ;)
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I used it once in a tri-lam warbow as the core. I'll definitely do it again, but only as a core if it's flooring.
And... Joec123able... it's OK not to comment if you don't know. Lots of people have lots to talk about, but few have anything to say. Bamboo makes an excellent belly. I've never done it, but I've seen bows that have it and they've all been top shelf. I'm not pickin' on yah... just sayin' a closed mouth gathers no foot. ;)
:P
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Bowslayer- Sadly no pics as it's been over a year since I've made one. However, If you want to send me some of that flooring, (Enough for 2 bows,) I'll make them up and send one back to you. >:D
G
Sure. If I get some then ill send you two. How wide do you want it? Ill also have a go myself at making one. Thanks
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Bowslayer- The wider the better. No less than 2" though. PM me when you're able to get your hands on some and I'll send you my address.
G
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Cool. Thanks
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The shipping back and forth on that might get a bit expensive fellas. ;) It seems to me, that Marc did an article on something similar. Maybe it was that he glued some up similar to bamboo flooring. My memory sucks now a days. Either way it might be something worth looking at. Josh
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Hi everyone ,Bowslayer, just make sure the flooring you get is the vertical type and not the horizontal type of flooring .
The horizontal tends to delaminate , the vertical works very well for middle laminations and ok for the belly .
A lot of makers use this and its called action boo.
You can make real boo back, action boo core and real bamboo belly ,they normally use it as a lam in between
F+"%^ G*"$$ :-X ,
sorry , cant be using that sort of language in a primitive forum ;)
Good luck
Roger
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Yeah shipping might be expensive :-\ the boards im looking at are vertical grain so it might work. Gundoc do you have a link so I can check it out. Thanks everyone for the replys :laugh:
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No, I sure don't. If I did I would of put er up for your perusal. It was in the mag a few years ago. I don't have any idea how to go about looking it up either. I do wish i could be of more help. Josh
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The outer fibers on bamboo are stronger than the inner fibers. I have only seen a couple of James bows and they had the outer fibers on the belly. James is also a very advanced bowyer. I have played with bamboo boards as a belly wood and find it very average and prone to taking set like most other white woods, but I haven't played with that many as a belly wood so don't consider myself any kind of authority on it.
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I have some Bamboo flooring, billets, that I picked from a PA member named bowmonkey years ago. The Bamboo that was used was no doubt from large diameter poles and most of the power fibers have been planed away. Makes me suspect that not all Bamboo flooring are created equal.