bamboo core vs maple core

[MountainTool21]

Any performance loss or gain when going from
bamboo core limb to a maple core limb?
Thank you guys
Andrew

[Bud B.]

I had Mike Ballenger make me a longbow with both boo and maple. Bamboo might be tougher if glass back/belly. Maple is smooth. I have an all maple lam longbow with glass back/belly and it shoots well. It's over 34 years old.

Coin toss for me but a lean towards bamboo.

[flyfish1]

you will notice little to no performance gain speed wise. The biggest reason to use bamboo is because it is consistent for the bowyer to achieve desired weight, it is stable because it is manufactured (we are talking actionboo) and is good performance wise and stable side to side. Maple is not as consistent becase its not altered. However it is and always will be one of the best cores available and it is in untold thousands of bows out there. Some may say a little different feel drawing but I dont.

[flyfish1]

When I say not as consistent I mean real wood is not perfect and each piece may have different characteristics but bowyers take care of that part of it. I love maple cores.

[fishone]

Just my opinion, I feel bamboo is smoother on the draw and a little faster than maple.

[reddogge]

I never met a bamboo limb I didn't like.

[SERGIO VENNERI]

Maple!

[widow sax]

Bamboo for me.    Widow

[Jason Kendall]

I like Bamboo for longbows and Maple for recurves.

[Brianlocal3]

Personally I'd choose maple over boo all day long. As a bowyer I'm sure I'd go actionboo as the above stated reasons.

My issue with boo is upon release. I feel a "twangyness" or "buzzing" that I don't feel from maple or elm, or well any other wood really. I will say though that I LOVE the way boo feels while drawing the bow, it is very smooth.

Hands down one of my favorite cores is action wood. I have owned a few bows with action wood limbs and loved them

[**DONOTDELETE**]

I find all these opinions interesting, but based on speculation rather than facts...

i could show you test results on the two different cores, on two different bows, and give you two different winners...They both have their place.

I think i'll second Jason's response on bamboo long bows, And Maple RC's for glass bows...  

using carbon it's a whole different story. Maple is the best....and Maple action wood rules...

[MountainTool21]

Great info guys - Thank you
Cant wait to get my new recurve with maple limb cores.
Andrew

[Bob Morrison]

3x what Kirk said.....

[Pete]

Of the bows I've had with bamboo limbs, sure seem to be quiet. That is what I'm after .Pete

[oldway]

I have built several recurves and longbows over the years and tried many types of limb cores. But now I pretty much stick to laminated carbonized bamboo boards(actionboo)for making my laminations.Its very consistent,nice to work with and makes a very snappy bow.Maple in any form would be my 2nd choice.

[Fanto]

i have had a few longbows pass through my hands.

all 3 i have kept are actionboo cored, a stotler gamegetter elite, a PSE (Ragim) Sequioa and a Caribow slynx.

my recurves are all maple cored.

I like it that way. hadnt even really thought about it til this thread.

[damascusdave]

My 1960 Bear Kodiaks have maple cores...they are at least as fast as any of my bamboo core bows

DDave

[MountainTool21]

Great detail here guys, I really appreciate it. Most of the bows I've had come through these parts have all had bamboo or action boo. I should have my 2pc recurve with maple cores by March. I will add pictures then.

Andrew

[gringol]

Maple for a recurve and boo for a longbow?  Any idea why?

[longbow fanatic 1]

Thanks for the interesting discussion. I ordered my first longbow with Maple cores this month. All my other bows have boo cores. I'm glad to hear that Maple is a good core and can't wait to shoot it.