Bamboo red oak

[Razorbak]

Has anyone made a bow by using a red oak board from Home Depot with bamboo backing before and how was it?  I have a hickory board but notice it has some knots in board and unsure if it would be workable . I'm a extreme newbie at building bows   I have a few red oak boards to learn in as that's all available in my area and the few wood specialty stores I have looked at has nothing that would work as either way to short or warped or cut  wrong

[LittleBen]

Not a good plan.

Red oak is a marginal bow wood because it is not strong in compression. It is already much stronger in tension than it is in compression.

Adding a very strong backing will not improve things.

You could always go and cut down a tree. You should have plenty of sugar maple in NH.

My rocommendation is crank out some simple board bows and then spend some money on some bamboo backing and some ipe or osage once your confident it wont be destroyed.

[Razorbak]

That's what I thought. So scratch that idea. LOL. I would go cut some but I can't walk that far in woods due my knees and leg. Still healing from work injury going on 3 1/2 years now. I will look into some wood somewhere. Thanks for the info   It will save some aggravation

[razorback]

Art, was wondering how you were healing, hope things are looking up for you. You could use the hickory board and put the bamboo backing on that. This is supposed to be a very good combination. Advice I got was to drill out the knots and plug them before putting backing on. Should give you a great bow. Post some pics of these bows you got done.

[PEARL DRUMS]

It will work if you thin your boo to a 1/16" and tiller very carefully. Most people who tell you it cant happen have never tried it.

[Razorbak]

Still healing. Slow process. But not much if choice. I would use hickory but way to many knots. Maybe when I get better I will try to bamboo back the oak   Guess I will work in some board bows until I get a couple under my belt   Thanks guys. Really appreciate the info.

[LittleBen]

Yeah, Chris is right. It's not that it won't work, but theres no real need to waste bamboo on a piece of red oak unless youre getting the boo for free. If I paid $15-20 for a piece of boo it's going on some ipe....

[Dan Landis]

You might be able to find a piece of ipe from a local flooring company, just an idea.

[ProArcher]

I built one with red oak, bamboo back and belly. It came out 42lbs @ 27” .
Dang fine shooter
 

[Traxx]

It has been done and not only work,but work well.
Manny did it a few years ago and proved em all wrong.It still shoots to this day.
His secret to getting it to work was as was mentioned already,to get the boo thin and to Trap the Boo.

YOWZA!!!!!!
PA,
Get them inner limbs bendin man!!!!
LOL

[LittleBen]

Yeah that'd be a whip tiller right there ...