Planing Help!?

[TheUnatural]

Hello everyone, I just had a quick question about planing bamboo (though this probably applies to planing in general). I am currently in the middle of making a Japanese bow (yumi) and I am using TBIII for the glue-up. Since this bow's lams are 7'6'' and need to be only about 1/4'' thick. My question is, since I'm using TBIII and have to make my surfaces as perfect as possible, how do I get my lams to that consistent thickness and flatness throughout the length of the lamination? Also, what grit sandpaper should I use on the 'boo before glue-up to make the TBIII most effective? I've heard some conflicting information (rough vs. smooth).

[Bowjunkie]

Why would they not be uniform in thickness and flat after running them through the planer? Isn't that what planers do?

[TheUnatural]

I don't have a planer, I'm using a plane.

[Roy from Pa]

I would use a long 12" block of wood and sand them length wise with 150 grit.

[onemississipp]

I would build a "u" shaped tunnel, with the sides 1/4" tall. Lay the boo in the tunnel and plane away!

[onemississipp]

Oh for glue up I would go with 80.

[TheUnatural]

I think I'm just going to break down and buy an electric planer at this point. Shoot, I usually take so much pride in telling people that I build bows without any power tools...

[Roy from Pa]

Ah shucks, if your gonna use glue ya may as well use power tools:)

[TheUnatural]

Originally posted by Roy from Pa:
Ah shucks, if your gonna use glue ya may as well use power tools:)

As opposed to what? Some bows require glue.

[fujimo]

readily available commercial glues, as apposed to fish, hide, flour (gluten) or milk(lactose) glue.

[TheUnatural]

Oh, okay. I thought there was some strange sect of bowyer-purist that didn't believe in using glue.

[LittleBen]

I have an electric hand planer, and I remember it tearing a little on bamboo at the nodes. I don't know if I would recommend that.

Personally I think the best thing would be a lamination grinder. You can make one from an edge/spindle sander or using a 1/4-3/4hp motor and a 3"x3" sanding drum.

I'm thinking you could make one for $150 or less. Alot less if you find a used spindle sander on caigslist or something. Theres a million how-tos on lam grinder so I wont get into it bu tyou can find them.

[Roy from Pa]

Was just messing with you on the glue and power tools. I use both a lot:)

[TheUnatural]

Originally posted by Roy from Pa:
Was just messing with you on the glue and power tools. I use both a lot:)

It's fine. For some reason I took what you said at face value, and it lead to some confusion.

[onemississipp]

Just for clarity a planer ( power type) will not make something flat. What you want is a  jointer, grizzly used to make a 4 inch one. I picked one up for 99.00 new.

[onemississipp]

Depending how thin you want something a drum sander is the next option, or build one as others have said.

Or just call kennym

[TheUnatural]

Originally posted by onemississipp:
Just for clarity a planer ( power type) will not make something flat. What you want is a  jointer, grizzly used to make a 4 inch one. I picked one up for 99.00 new.

Is there an advantage that a jointer will have over a lam grinder?

[Roy from Pa]

Would be a heck of a lot cheaper:)

[TheUnatural]

Originally posted by Roy from Pa:
Would be a heck of a lot cheaper:)

The jointer or the grinder? I assume you're talking about the grinder, because I can't find a jointer for under $150.

[Roy from Pa]

Well I was thinking about good lam grinders that go for in excess of $1,000.00.