Bamboo Qs

[grantmac]

Alright guys I have a few bamboo questions. I never thought I'd be able to find anything close to bow making size here but it looks like one of the local Big Box stores has some in the garden section.
First off diameter: What is a realistic minimum diameter, these ones appear to be 3-5"
Second price: They want $8 for about a 6-8' section, too much?
Lastly: Do you split it or cut it into strips? It's already dry and some pieces appear to be splitting on their own.

I've got some Ipe coming end of the week and I'd just love to try for a heavy weight with this stuff. I was going to do hickory backing but this boo has me thinking.
       Cheers,
             Grant

[Pat B]

I'd say 3"diameter would be a minimum but with ipe, a narrow bow is preferably. You can just split it into about 2" + strips(if big enough). You should get 4 or more backing strips from each 5" round so at $8 per round, that is $2  apiece for backing strips. If you ordered boo backing strips they would cost you $18 each plus shipping.   Pat

[Justin Snyder]

Try to find a piece that doesn't have a bunch of cracks or dents in it.  5" is plenty big. Justin

[grantmac]

Sounds like it'll work great for that Ipe I've got coming at the end of the week. I think I'm gonna go for a take-down ELB with some reflex. I realize that I travel too much not to have a travelling bow. Should be right around 70" when finished I think.

I was also thinking I'd try an asian-esq static recurve from bamboo with Douglas Fir for the siyahs, pretty much a total experiment in bow-building. I'm thinking a stretched hornbowish thing, I mainly want to give a thumbring draw a try with something that I can draw back to 31" but has a low draw weight. Worst case senario it costs me $5 and a days playing around.

Thanks for the info,
         Grant

[snedeker]

I use a saber saw with a pretty thin blade to rip out strips.   Choose a piece with the nodes as far apart as possible.

Dave

[markinengland]

Bamboo splits quite easily.
When I have bought bamboo I split it into slats about 2 inches wide as soon as I get it home. Changes in conditions can cause a whole load of splitting and cracking otherwise. I rough cut the slats on a bandsaw, removing the internal node webs and roughly thinning it as much as I can. I then leave it to dry. When it is dry it will be curved into deflex.
There is quite a lot of work and an incredible amount of dust/shavings involved in getting the bamboo thinned and flat on the back surface. I find a belt sander with a rough belt on it works best for me. I clamp the backing to a plank to hold it as I work on it. A small section of leather belt can be slipped underneath between nodes to keep it flat so it can be thinned. Once I have the slat basically as thin and I dare and flat I draw the finished bow shape on it, cut it out and tape it to te bow so I can then file it to final shape. You may then be suprised at how thich your bamboo backing seems to be as the bow tapers and you may want to thin it a bit more.
I have found that an Ipe belly copes well with quite a thick bamboo backing, but some woods apparently can't so need to be thin.
Mark in England

[woodenwonder]

What is this "big box store" you're talking about? I'm looking for some bamboo too. Gary

[grantmac]

Rona is the name of the place, it's Canada only though I think.
      Cheers,
             Grant

[grantmac]

Bumping this back up with another question.

I'm trying to do a fairly sharp bend on some of my scrap bamboo. I've always thought that dry heat for dry wood was best but I can get it to bend even as much as you would to flip the tips on a selfbow, if anything the heat seems to be tempering it and making it bend less in the spot I'm heating. Also the heat split at least one chunk I tried.
Has anyone been successful in steaming bamboo into shape?
       Thanks,
             Grant

P.S. I finished the glue-up on my Ipe/Boo combo and it looks massive, I think I could easily get 100lbs out of it. I think I'll settle for 75-80@31 though.