ACTION BOO QUESTIONS

[Cambow]

I just want to clear up a questions that I have...

I thought ActionBoo was laminated bamboo veneer wood that was made especially for the archery industry or something. i figured it was kinda like ActionWood??

A friend of mine recently told me that it was some sort of bamboo flooring that bowyers are using for bows? Is this true? That scares me! Does the bamboo flooring have the right kind of glue to be serviceable in a bow for years?

I hope someone can shed some light on this one for me. I took about 12 years off from bow building after my silent partner in the business was killed in a plane crash while scouting elk in Colorado. So I am just getting back into it and I don't remember ActionBoo back in the late 90's

[jsweka]

I can't really answer your question as to what exactly actionboo is, but I've been buying actionboo lams from either Binghams of Kenny McKenzie since 2007.  I shoot my bows a lot (anytime the weather is decent and I have some free time) and with literally thousands of shots from a couple of my bows, I haven't had any issues.

Sorry to hear about your partner.

[T Folts]

Action boo is one of the industry standards so I dont know whay you would worry about it.. its in several thousands of bows around the world I would imagine.

[Jason Kendall]

I have been using it for over 10 years without a problem.

[kennym]

Not sure when a-boo showed up on the bow scene, but many thousands of bows have it in as core, or complete limb.

It is very similar to awood, but the lams used in it are closer to 1/4" all glued up then sliced for vertical grain(like edge grain).

Don't use the horizontal grain a-boo flooring, don't think it would be much good for bows.

Here is a pretty good example of vertical vs. hor.

 http://www.nwbamboo.com/flooringtypesphoto.html

[Cambow]

I guess my real question is whether or not the flooring and the actionboo are being made by the same people... If so... I am fine buying bamboo flooring or countertop lumber and cutting it up for bow lams. How can we find out?

I am totally cool with the fact that actionboo has been used successfully for years... just wondering if it is smart to use the flooring material if you are cutting and grinding your own lams

[don s]

isn't the flooring boo refered to as lamboo? don

[Dick in Seattle]

When I started building a few years ago, lots of the people I talked with were using the vertical flooring, which they called lamboo, and liked it, so I did, too.  I also like it.  It's easy to obtain, very consistent and a pleasure to work with.  You buy a box of it and you have a lot of bowwood on the shelf.  It seems to give good performance.   Absolute state of the art top performance?  I wouldn't know, I don't work at  that level.   Will it last 50 years?  I don't know and won't be around to find out.

Subsequently, I started hearing about Actionboo, which I think is manufactured specifically for bows.  I have no experience with it and I'd really like to see someone very specifically explain the differences in structure and performance.  I think a lot of us would.   I think there is a lot of cross use of the terms and clarification would help.

I use the lamboo as core under veneers or figured lams.  I don't imagine the performance would differ under clear glass, but I don't think I could handle the appearance.  It would just look strange to me.

I might also note that other woods, yew, osage, maple give excellent performance as cores, but buying the wood is a bit dicier as you often have grain areas that aren't aren't usable.   I've recently built a couple of bows of clear walnut that kind of knocked my socks off.  For me, the beauty of the lamboo is its consistency and easiness to work with.

I'll be watching and hope that someone with some in depth knowledge of lamboo/actionboo comparison chimes in.

[D]

I got a bunch of boo flooring from a buddy that lays hardwood floors.  I haven't used a a lot of it.  Maybe four or five bows, but haven't had any problems.  As far as the whole technical aspect of it goes I have no idea I just got it and sayed what the hell why not and tried it.

[2treks]

Dick(and all) I know of no "action boo" made specifically for bow making. If a bow maker wanted to use flooring I would suggest to buy the highest quality you can find.Box store stuff w/short warranty had bad glue joints and big voids. flooring store stuff had long warranty and was good clean stuff thru and thru. I now use planks so I don't have the waste and I am not paying for machine work to cut T&G. I just have to buy a load of it at once. only a couple times a year tho. Hope this helps. OMO
Chuck
Oh! action-boo, lam-boo,  just names that some how stuck. as far as I know they are the same stuff. The idea is that it is lighter than maple/birch actionwood, but holds the stable and consistant traits we like.

[Cambow]

Does anyone know where to find this "high-quality" laminated bamboo? I would prefer to buy planks as well. I saw a place online that sold countertop size pieces of it. I wonder if that would be a good way to go?

[kennym]

Northwest Bamboo is where I buy mine, Chris Miller I believe. Says he sells to some bigtime bowmakers , and I know several bowyers who use his stuff.

I buy the stair riser vertical grain,comes in 3/4" 7.5" x 6' or he will cut in half for ya to save shipping....

[Cambow]

Thanks kenny... this is the ticket... I am going to order some