Author Topic: bamboo flooring practice  (Read 2222 times)

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Offline sound maker

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bamboo flooring practice
« on: June 19, 2012, 10:14:44 pm »
  So I am going to end up trying to make a fair number of short bows for a number of months coming and was wondering if using the bamboo flooring from home depot that are 3' long to make some bows (no hunting weight here :P just some target shooters :laugh:) and was wondering if by doing this for a number of bows if it will help me be able to do the 55" - 50" or shorter short bows that I'm going to try and help get use to tillering these short bow so when I start the other bows I have a better idea of what I want to do and how to do it and know if I can get my draw weight  ::). I'm also wanting to do these bamboo flooring bows for some time now too for the little indian bows >:D.

thanks for any advice.
I am not the best but learn from the wise and you'll end up being called he best!
 What one person calls common sense another calls wisdom.

Offline Prarie Bowyer

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Re: bamboo flooring practice
« Reply #1 on: June 20, 2012, 12:36:39 am »
I haven't tried it as a belly material but I've heard it's not great on the belly.  If you do use the vertical grain carbonized stuff.  3' is fine and  you can put a splice in the blank to make it full length.  Just avoide a working handle there.  I love the stuff as a core for other belly woods and bamboo backed.

Offline DarkSoul

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Re: bamboo flooring practice
« Reply #2 on: June 20, 2012, 05:24:51 am »
Why do you want to use bamboo flooring as opposed to 'normal' boards of oak, ash, hickory etc.? I don't see why that would be better. Those floorings are only 36 inches, which is too short for a shortbow. You'll have to splice them, as Prarie mentioned. Furthermore, these flooring boards have a thin (approx. ¼") top layer. It's not solid bamboo all the way. It's usually a thin top layer glued down onto more bamboo (glued perpendicular to the top layer) or plywood. That means you have to remove that base layer, since only the top layer is useable. Those thin slices of bamboo are excellent cores in laminated wood. But their grain is too violated to use them for a backing, and the stuff is also not good in compression. For tillering practices it can be used, but I don't see why you would want that, knowing that the bow will be shortlived and knowing that you can also practice tillering shortbows on other species of wood, that will be more succesful.
However, for your application, the biggest drawback will be the limited thickness of the layer of bamboo.


By the way, make sure you get the side pressed bamboo, and not the plain pressed.
"Sonuit contento nervus ab arcu."
Ovid, Metamorphoses VI-286

Offline bhenders

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Re: bamboo flooring practice
« Reply #3 on: June 20, 2012, 09:53:34 am »
I got some six foot vertical bamboo flooring a couple of years ago and sawed each one into four slats.  It was vertical bamboo clean through and works great in bows.  Unfortunately, I don't think they make the six foot solid bamboo flooring any more because I can't find it anywhere.  I should have bought an entire box when the flooring store went belly up...

Offline Prarie Bowyer

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Re: bamboo flooring practice
« Reply #4 on: June 20, 2012, 09:59:27 am »
I can't find solid anymore but it's not necessary you can splice even through a bendy handle.  It's ALOT less expensive to use the short stuff.  It should be bamboo all the way through.  Vertical grain is best but I've heard of guys using horizontal.  I like the carbonized but I'd like to get some natural also.

Offline sound maker

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Re: bamboo flooring practice
« Reply #5 on: June 20, 2012, 06:04:08 pm »
I was going to wander by some flooring store and see if they got any and if its in store or have to be order.
I am not the best but learn from the wise and you'll end up being called he best!
 What one person calls common sense another calls wisdom.

Offline bhenders

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Re: bamboo flooring practice
« Reply #6 on: June 21, 2012, 01:09:44 pm »
I just did a google search on 'solid vertical bamboo flooring' and found several places that carry it.  (amazon, cali bamboo) and have the 6 foot lengths.  So it is still being made.