Main Discussion Area > Bows
Question about Osage and bamboo?? And bow build
jameswoodmot:
Not sure it’s of much use but heritage longbows here in the U.K. are using bamboo back and bellies often with Ipe cores. The said the “engineered bamboo” outperforms just about anything else.
It’s a commercially available flooring that is heat treated as well as being glued up from strips.
I would wonder what the potential advantage to Osage as a backing could be? Maybe a better option would be a tri lam as a delicious Osage sandwich?
Hamish:
Hey James, I checked out Heritage LB. Bows look good.
I did a bunch of experiments with caramelized bamboo flooring about 20 years ago. They were all laid up flat with no reflex, (the days before I really appreciated Perry reflexing). I found the material performed well. It was really pleasant to shoot, like yew, but took a lot of set.
It obviously performs very well for Heritage, when reflexed. I think you could get better performance making your own, because the mass produced nature of the commercial boards aren't made up the very outer fibres where the strongest material is. Carefully hand selected and prepared you could ensure maximum power fibres.
It would be a hell of a lot of work, but I have heard of some guys doing it.
Selfbowman:
Guys have you ever seen bamboo with the nodes 30” apart? I’m supposed to talk to Jaap next week . He will probably tell me I am nuts. 🤠🤠but we all know that. I will see if he can prepare me 30” pieces with or without nodes and put a short 5” radius on one end for the fade ramps. I have some boo that would have one node in 30”. I don’t think I need to ramp the ends but about 3/4”. I’ll know more when I talk to Jaap.
Bob Barnes:
I like your experimenting... :OK If you end up with a bow that's lighter draw weight than you want, then you can bring the weight back up with something that I always wanted to try. I think a sinew backed osage with a tempered bamboo belly would be a good combination.
Chumash:
Try a sandwich:
bamboo belly, Osage Core with vertical grow rings, Hickory or Ash or Elm backing with horizontal grow rings.
With only the bamboo belly, a grip overlay and a linen backing you could get 18 to 20 lbs at 26" draw with a bow of 56 inches.
May be you need very thin laminates?
Navigation
[0] Message Index
[#] Next page
[*] Previous page
Go to full version