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bamboo self bow build
superdav95:
--- Quote from: Selfbowman on February 05, 2026, 09:40:52 pm ---Dave how much are tips behind the handle now and check after tiller complete. This will tell everyone just how good you are. Just saying.
--- End quote ---
lol,,, Ya i got lucky with this one it almost didnt make it! i just remeasured it and its around 3.25". it must have crept over the last day or so of me reducing it down??? not sure but its been consistently 3". Im gonna say the tips are 3" past the handle. It really hasn't taken any set yet that i can see. I figure the reason may be due to my being very deliberate on removal with sanding and then rechecking it.
As I closed in on it i switched to 220 paper and got it.
Badger:
There might be more significance to this bow that it appears on the surface. I really have never seen a bamboo bow perform at a high level. I know they have been building bamboo bows for centuries but I just have never seen one perform at a high level with my own eyes. If this one performs the way it looks like it will it is opening up the doors to a whole new category of bow building. Bamboo is relatively cheap and easy to work. Looking forward to seeing what the future will bring.
superdav95:
--- Quote from: Badger on February 05, 2026, 11:34:53 pm --- There might be more significance to this bow that it appears on the surface. I really have never seen a bamboo bow perform at a high level. I know they have been building bamboo bows for centuries but I just have never seen one perform at a high level with my own eyes. If this one performs the way it looks like it will it is opening up the doors to a whole new category of bow building. Bamboo is relatively cheap and easy to work. Looking forward to seeing what the future will bring.
--- End quote ---
Thanks badger!
I’m trying to curb my excitement about this bow a bit as it often can set us up for disappointment. I’ve done a lot of testing on these bows and others like it using just bamboo as the working limbs. The 5 piece builds were very good performers despite its limitations with glued siyahs and mass issues. Despite all this they performed good and was attributable to the limbs and the heat treatment. These recurve versions don’t have those same drawbacks or issues. Especially with having less mass out towards the tips. The incorporated tips were just what it needed. After much testing and breaking and fails I managed to get a few sets successfully recurved. Green bamboo is great for bending in recurves but very hard to get in my neck of woods. The other challenge with green for me even if on the odd time I could get some was drying time. It takes a very long time to dry properly without cracking excessively. This cannot be hurried too fast or else more cracks. Finding a way to get the recurves on dried moso slats was in order. My first attempt was a nice little 30lb bow. This prompted me to keep going and shoot for a 50lb set. It’s been a journey for sure to get this bow to this point. We shall see if it performs the way I suspect it will. I’m working on a some arrows. My home made spine tester is mia but I still have my digital depth guage so I’ll just make another I guess. I need good arrows to see good flight. I’ve had more then a few of you guys tell me this so I better not screw this up. lol. 😁
Badger:
I played around with bamboo bows just a bit now and then. Like you, I did the 5 pc with Syhas. I had often wondered whether pressure cooking might make them more bendable, but a large high-pressure cooker isn't really a practical solution. Harvesting and bending when green is a practical solution.
Bob Barnes:
Congrats Dave! :OK It will be too cool to see how this bow does at the Flats. (SH)
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