tri-lam or just bamboo backed?...Help

[lovethehunt]

Last fall I bought some osage lams from KennyM. One pair .210 parralel and one pair .180 tapered. I flattened out my boo this past weekend and was looking at my stack and not sure there is enough wood there to get a 66' hill style that is close to 53-55 @ 28. I found a source of Ipe today and picked up a 1x4x6 to add a core lam. Do you guys think I need one, if so, how thick? I will be building the bow 1 1/4 wide at the fades and 1/2 tips.

Thanks, Todd

[PEARL DRUMS]

Leave the osage out of the recipe, those are for glass sandwich bows. Make a bamboo backed Ipe rather. What part of the state are you in Todd?

[lovethehunt]

Pearl Drums, I am in St. Joseph.  I have read of using lams to build up to desired thickness, maybe I'm nuts (is that my wife talking?) but is that not what some of the kits are that are sold by 3 rivers and the others?

[Don Armstrong]

Pearly is right, get some Ipe or hickory and make a bow. You only use stack with glass bows. You would be following a formula which sometimes still comes out wrong. Don't ask how I know that. Kenny's lams are the best but intended for glass bows. Don

[rainman]

I disagree, you can build multi lam bows that are all would.  The Dryad Bushwacker is such a bow, just has horn on the belly, but 3 different laminations between the horn and bamboo.  I do agree for your first try at bamboo I would go with a solid belly.  As long as your belly would be at least 3/8 of an inch thick with osage laminations I think you would be ok.

[canopyboy]

I agree with rainman.  You can use lams without glass.  Assuming you're using boo, the grain in the lams doesn't have to be perfect either.  Boo is basically a natural substitute for glass.  If you put it on the belly and back, there is no reason you can't build up a core with lams (both parallel and tapered.)  However, I also agree that any stack dimensions you get from glass guys won't be quite right for the bamboo alternative.

[lovethehunt]

Thanks guy for your answers. I have built a boo backed bow with lams but was 'green' and had a hinge which ultamatly caused failure. The boo splintered and lifted at that spot. A second try with boo back and walnut belly is now 4 years old and shoots great. I just wanted to try osage but am not sure i have enough material (.390, between 3/8 and 7/16) to start with. I guess I am asking if Ipe in the mix if a good combo or is another wood a better choice. I have seen other all wood bows this multi species of woods in them.

Todd

[wood carver 2]

Maybe you can add a 1/8" belly lam to bring up the total thickness. Just a thought.    
Dave.

[tenbrook]

Ipe will work fine but if it were me I would use a lighter wood in the middle.  Something that glues up nice like Walnut.  Although the Ipe will work its a bit heavy for a core lam IMO.  Core lams need to be light weight and glue should stick to them well.  Ipe is the opposite of those properties.  Having said that it will work fine its just not the best.

Now as a belly lam Ipe is the best there is.

Hope this helps

Tenbrook

[lovethehunt]

Maybe this then? Save the Ipe and build another bow. I have enough to do two, a 1x4x6. I'm still not sure about the starting thickness on a bbo. Maybe another trip to the lumber yard for more walnut. I do have some hickory in the shop and some purple hart---now that would look cool to add some color.