bamboo self bow build

[superdav95]

If you get this to work right with those tips stiff enough, you may well build the fastest self bow in the world with no hope of ever beating it.

Thanks Kevin.  Ya I’m hoping so!  If I can get it to be at 50lbs or just over that would be awesome.   Right now at brace it’s feeling like around 50-55.  This is purely based on my going by feel from build many of these.  We shall see.  I will only shoot this bow a few times here to speed test and keep my fingers crossed. 

[superdav95]

Very cool.  Clay Hayes did a video a year or two ago where he went to a tropical island, made a bamboo self bow with a snake plant fiber string, killed a pig with it, and cooked it in a primitive bamboo pressure cooker!   

So yeah, I guess it can work.  Yours looks a lot prettier than his.

Thanks WB.  I’ll have to see if I can find that video by clay.  I’m a huge fan of his work! 

[Pat B]

Very cool bow, David. Interesting build along.
 I've seen other bamboo self bows but they had the power fibers(outside) as the belly but I can see how the hollow belly style works for your bow. 

[superdav95]

Very cool bow, David. Interesting build along.
 I've seen other bamboo self bows but they had the power fibers(outside) as the belly but I can see how the hollow belly style works for your bow. 

Thanks Pat.  I’ve actually tried a couple of those too.  They are great for hastily made survival bows.  I did not see the same performance though.   

[superdav95]

A update on the bamboo self bow and a few more progress pics.  I got the handle sanded up and put a coat of tung oil on it to seal it a bit.  Ill add more later. the handle is made up of bloodwood, black walnut and black palm.   i also added thin horn plates for string groove nocks at the tips.  Ive had the string bite in and come close to splitting the bamboo on previous builds.  thanks for following along. 

[WhistlingBadger]

Really nice.  Those hollow-belly bamboo limbs look so cool.  I bet it's going to be faster than fast.

[mmattockx]

Another beautiful bow. You do some really fantastic work, Dave. I look forward to seeing some tiller pics and maybe a video of it in action.


Mark

[Robert Pougnier]

That looks amazing. Looking forward to seeing the draw pics!

[sleek]

Im looking forward to chronograph tests. The critical arrow weights to test are 450 grains and between 150 to 170 gr.  I have high hopes for this bow, especially in broadhead. Flight may prove difficult due to the longer draw length. Short stiff arrows do better than longer ones due to spine and weight.

[superdav95]

Thanks guys!   I’m hoping to get a string made this week if I can sort it out.  I’ve got some flax linen I’ll try first and if that fails I’ll used a sinew material string used for old tennis rackets.  I’ve heard of good results with those.  I’ll make a b55 string for now to do some testing but will need to get on the arrows like you say Kevin.  I’ve got some 29” shafts ready to get at those weights.  I plan to barrel round the mid section of the arrows.  I’ve got a few to replicate from Arvin so here’s hoping I can figure it out.  Thanks again guys for all the input. 

[Stickbow Felty]

Beautiful bow dave, love the woods in the handle.

[superdav95]

Beautiful bow dave, love the woods in the handle.

Thanks man.

[superdav95]

hey guys. i got it to brace and holy cow this thing is way heavier then i anticipated.  I had pre tillered both the limbs using my bench vice tiller set up before glue up so i knew that the bend would be close but its closer to 60-70lbs.  plucking the string it sounds like a piano string for cryin out loud!  The bend looks good and well balanced at this brace so i guess thats good.   anyway here are some brace pics at low brace of 5.25" from belly.  I want at least 6-6.25" Ill try posting a video too if i can get it to work.  Ive got some reduction to do which isnt all bad i guess.  Ill keep yall posted.   

Video clip

https://youtube.com/shorts/x4XMTLokRYk?si=yJx1ZzZbZ-2sG73X