My first recurve...opinions?

[makenzie71]

Well I made a couple personal red oak longbows a while back and went to shoot the other day...the missus wanted to tag along and shoot, too, but she couldn't draw my light one (approximately 50lbs).  I'm going to make a recurve that pulls around 30lbs for her to start with...I might have to just get her a compound bow for the sake of holding (she's a dainty thing).

This bow is going to be a simple thing.  Fanciest bit on it will be horn nocks and an arrow cradle.  I've already got my jig setup to do my reflex.  I'm going to laminate two layers of 1/8" red oak to the full jig, then start tapering back to pyramid it down to the handle, which will be stacked to about 2" to give me plenty of carving room.

My BIGGEST question here is about something new I'm wanting to do:  bamboo backing.  As most of you are aware, red oak needs to be backed.  All my previous bows have been either fiberglass or kevlar backed and it works spectacularly, but it doesn't have the aesthetic feel I would like this bow to have.  Bamboo looks nice and, the bonus for me, it's a new thing for my to try.

Where do I get the bamboo?  We've got a few oddball wood joints here and none carry bamboo.  I can go to lowes and buy bamboo flooring, but they want me to buy a box to get any.

Something I thought about was bamboo blinds.  Would the little slats on these work?  Another thought was the bamboo sticks they sell at like hobby lobby for decoration..it's real, cured bamboo.  Would I be able to get this stuff and cut it into strips for my backing?

Another question about bamboo backing is can I san it to a smooth finish and knock down the nodes or do I need to cut the stuff in small enough strips to get the look I want to start with?  I want it to have a nice, smooth finish all around, but I don't know how that would work with the small strips.  I may have to turn to another type of wood to get a smooth finish and a "pretty" look...I mostly just want to avoid the composite materials.

Oh and what happened to the forum?  I don't post for a year and have to start a new account...

[Dauntless]

Red oak boards do not need to be backed if the grain is good.  I made this short one a couple months back, 60lbs at 26".  I had some grain runoff as well, but because it was 2" wide, it is still shooting hard.  At 30lbs, you can get even less picky with the wood selection.



As for finding bamboo, you can purchase some prepared backing strips online (or even from some guys here on the forums) or maybe find some raw logs in the garden supplies at your hardware store.  I think you do need to keep the nodes high, otherwise the fibres are cut through.

[Dano]

Bamboo flooring and such doesn't work for backing. You need to find like 3" bamboo poles or bigger and split it, plane it, etc. Most of the sponsors here carry it.  Also the nodes need to be left proud or you'll weaken the backing. I'd work on finding boards with good grain structure and skip the backing. Or move on to better wood.

[makenzie71]

The odds of finding proper red-oak planks is next to none.  Possible and probable are not synonymous.  Now, if I were splitting a whole tree for a proper stave, different story, but I'll be working off of the local hardware store's stock.

If I wanted, I could order a whole kit to build the bow and not have to worry about this type of stuff.  I can't buy that stuff locally, though, and I have a thing about dealing with the locals (I even avoid Lowe's/Home Depot when I can).

I'll look and see if I can find some 3" poles, but that's unlikely.  I've still got some hickory veneer I could use...I just hate using it on such a light bow.  Maybe I'll luck out and there'll be a plank proper enough for the 25lbs I'll be pulling.

[Dano]

You make it sound like it's impossible to find good board bow wood. Where do you live that makes it so hard?

[makenzie71]

Lubbock, TX.  Improbable, not impossible.  I actually did find two boards that "might" handle it, but I'm still a little reluctant considering how thin the tillers are going to be (again, shooting for 25~30lbs).  I just feel better backing them.  I've had too many of my red oak board bows break tillers on me.  After I get the rough cut done I'll see what I'm looking at.

I got a standard 1X2 with a decent grain that I'll split into two 1/2" slices...or three 1/8" slices, not sure how I want to go yet...then stack and laminate them on my jig.

I also found a spiffy 1X4 with a solid, but somewhat snakey grain...I can't wait to cut a real wavy bow out of it.  Going to be awesome.  Probably just look awesome, but all the same, awesome.

[Parnell]

Heya Makenzie,

When I first started I was looking in the 'standard' hardware stores.  I went to a hardwood dealer - gotta be one around? - and bought hickory or white oak boards that are quartersawn.  The grain usually runs parallel and I've had a lot of successes.  Plus, one board for 20 bucks or less can be made into several bows.  Hope this helps - good luckl.

Parnell

[makenzie71]

Yeah there's actually just one dealer around here...Acacia Hardwoods (you can google them in Lubbock, I think they have a website).  I've been tehre a few times but their selection is lacking...nothing quarter sawn last time I was in, but they do occasionally have some very nice osage, ipe, and yew...it's just hit and miss.  It's hard to find much in my area because Lubbock is a center of...anything...and it's not on the way to...anywhere.  There's some good places in Amarillo and I'll be looking next time I'm through, but I don't do that every weekend like I used to.

I try to stick to the mom-n-pop places if I can.  I actually had to hit Lowes to find what I did.  It's somewhat frustrating...I have the patience needed to build a proper bow but not to wait for proper materials lol.

[makenzie71]

Okay got started.  I actually ignored the advice here and grabbed a pieceof bamboo floorboarding lol...not because I think you guys are wrong but because I want to see how it works and to what extent I can push it.  I did a bend test with it and it'll pull the proper distance, but that was before setting it up with recurved ends.

It's not much of a recurve...I put an arch in the last 12" of each limp (24" limbs) that picked the tips up maybe 4~5".

My original idea to make a 25~30# bow is completely out the window, though...just going to have to try again.  This one pulls about 55# and it's not even flexed back enough to string properly.  I'll probably have to shave some of the backing off otherwise I'll go from a red oak bow with bamboo backing to a bamboo bow with red oak "fronting".

[Dano]

"I actually ignored the advice here and grabbed a piece of bamboo floor boarding lol." Imagine that, 

[makenzie71]

"I actually ignored the advice here and grabbed a piece of bamboo floor boarding lol." Imagine that, 

Good thing you're capable of picking out all the good parts.  I know you stopped there but some other things were written directly after that little tidbit.  Namely "not because I think you guys are wrong but because I want to see how it works and to what extent I can push it".  Probably completely irrelevant to someone of you're comprehension, but thought I'd repeat myself anyway.

I'm sure we have a whole new slew of members now and none really remember me, but I'm not really one to "follow the grain".  When I'm making a bow for money, to pay a bill or to fill a request, it's with elm or yew with ipe, rawhide, or glass/kevlar backing...not bargain materials I can find laying around like these little things.

For everyone's information, I carved the hell out of the bow and did eventually get it down to 35lbs.  The bamboo flooring has a contour to it and that had to be taken off, then it had to be shaved from it's 3/8" thickness down to about 1/8" of an inch.  The oak and the bamboo I don't think mingle well for this particular bow, though, because it's still pretty stiff. The limbs are a little thicker than 1/4" and I don't want to shave any more off.  I wish I hadn't shaved the bamboo down, though, because it looked cool when it was strung up but now it's too heavy for the missus, too light for me, and doesn't really have near as interesting a look.  I am certainly going to do another one of these but the other way around...bamboo flooring for the belly and then I'll back it in whatever else I can find.  On to bow #2.

I found a couple random pieces of oak that have great grain, but were only 4ft long 1/4" X 3" chunks.  I slash cut two of them for a splice and glued them together, with a third piece glued on top (think "pyramid").  I'm going to add an additional 8" piece of 1X2 oak to the center and cut it all out to be similar to a paddle bow, and I may blend another piece of oak on top of the splice for a little more support.  I'm probably going to back it in glass and leather, so I know people here are going to boo/hiss me for that but neener neener neener.  I've got a box of rawhide from my last bow...I might see if I've got enough to back this one.

Something I would really like to do is have a bow backed in a natural wood finish.  Has anyone tried using veneer for a quick off-the-shelf backing?

[Dano]

You just follow your own little grain if that's what floats your boat. People have been trying to use bamboo flooring ever since it came out, it may make a kids bow, but it don't hold up, I'm just sayin

[makenzie71]

Your Red Green quote is all that saved you from the full force of my internet wrath.


I did say, though, that the qoal was a <30lb bow, and that flooring would have looked killer.  I want to make a little bow that'll be cheap but not look as "utilitarian" as my two bows...which basically look like strung sticks (all function, no aesthetics).  That may be all she gets lol.

[Dano]

Red Green has saved me again.

This is a bow for the wife you said? Mine gets all kinda angry when I scrimp on her. Did I mention I do marriage counseling?

[makenzie71]

Mine's interest is fleeting in a lot of things.  Too early to tell about this one.  If she decides she really wants to keep it up then I'll probably buy her a compound bow for the break-over (as said, she's dainty [she prefers "dainty" to "wuss"]).  If not I'll put more effort into a proper bow when this one serves it's purpose.