Bamboo VS Lamboo

[Nathan Bowen]

I am interested in finding out what you guys think. I am interested in using one or both to build all bamboo bows(no glass), the back will be a piece of raw bamboo. Just wondering if both will work as a core ?
Thanks
Nathan

[PV]

The lamboo will take a LOT of set. The bamboo will take less.

[Jeremy]

Like PV said, the lamboo will take lots of set, but so will lams of natural boo.  In both cases the power fibers have been violated.  The lamboo will be less likely to fail though.  I've torture tested that stuff and have never seen it fail in compression.

If you're using the boo/lamboo as a core between two raw boo slats I doubt you'd see much of a difference between the cores.  The raw boo belly slat will take less set than the boo lams, but it'll still be a lot.

Adjust your glue-up appropriately and you'll be fine.  I've liked every all boo bow I've made but there are much better options.

[Pat B]

I have made 2 backed(hickory) bows with boo flooring. Both came out light and with more set than I planned on. Bamboo is stronger than the hickory backing and will cause more stress on the lamboo belly. I would use a more appropriate belly lam for a boo backed bow. If you want to use the lamboo, make it the core and add a compression strong belly wood, like osage, ipe, etc.

[Broken Arrows]

I say a full bamboo bow it was made by taking the bamboo 2" wide clean up the belly's and gluing them
so the back and belly was bamboo the weight and tillering was done by taking the bamboo off the sides it was also a D bow working through the handle this is a very hard bow to make. The best wood I have used is osage & IPE. Jim from Rudder Bows who was my teacher likes hickory I have a deflex reflex bamboo backed IPE that Jim and I made it pulls 65#@29"and shoots great.

Dave

[chrisg]

Ditto the set. I made one with raw boo front and back with thin maple and osage tapers. It was way too heavy at first and I was forced to take plenty off. Came out low and took set. If I was not chasing a lighter draw it would have been a fabulous 40-55#. Interestingly once it settled with string follow it has proved a good bow and shoots far and fast. Nice ladies starter bow and smooth at 28#. If I had known more I would have  not taken so much off trying to drop weight. Rather make another bow. A single central lam of IPE or osage and boo each side will make a nice bow. I agree with Pat though IPE rocks as a belly wood. Much cheaper than osage but osage is real fine.
chrisg

[dave_570]

Hi Nathan...check out  www.rudderbows.com.  they sell
flastflex bamboo core. in various thickness's. not
too expensive. if u call the owner jim bosewell,
he will help u out if u tell him what u want to do.