Primitive Archer

Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: plrbar on June 05, 2007, 09:30:46 pm

Title: all bamboo bow
Post by: plrbar on June 05, 2007, 09:30:46 pm

New to this site, I hope you can help.   I am trying to find information on how to build an all bamboo bow.  Back, belly and core.  I have some bamboo that is well aged.  None of the sites I have found have been complete.  They just show segments.

Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks

Title: Re: all bamboo bow
Post by: waterlogged on June 05, 2007, 10:17:34 pm

How much experience do you have building bows, and what type of bow would you want to make?

Title: Re: all bamboo bow
Post by: Pat B on June 06, 2007, 12:53:03 am

You could check out the PA archives for an article a few years ago about all boo bows built in Japan after WWII by Japanese bowers for the GIs.   Welcome to our site. Lots of good info here.      Pat

Title: Re: all bamboo bow
Post by: NOMADIC PIRATE on June 06, 2007, 03:45:39 am

get in touch with michbowguy, he made a few

Title: Re: all bamboo bow
Post by: kra on June 06, 2007, 07:42:13 am

Depends on the bow length, weight and design.
A brief way to do for a simple flatbow with slight deflex/reflex design,approx 66" and around 50#:

Look for bamboo with lots of power fibes in the outer layers. If you cut bamboo, you see dark spots, most near the outer layer. The more the better.

Prepare a handle with fine fade outs, create a core layer from bamboo flooring, tapered to the tips. Glue it to the back of the handle (some deflex appreciated ;-) ) and tiller the whole, slightly whip-ended.

Prepare two bamboo stripes for belly (make them thin!! and take care that the bamboo has a uniform thickness around the nodes.) and glue them to the core and handle with lots of reflex (you are looking for ~8" of reflex ;-) ).

Then prepare a stripe of bamboo for backing, well tillered to approx. 10# or less. Make it apretty thin and glue it to the rest Add some more Reflex (plus ~2-3 ").

Now give the glue some time to cure (days, not hours), add tips and then start tillering. If you prepared the components carefully, you'll are pretty near a good tille (but not the desired draw weight).

Tiller by removing material from the sides, scraping the back between the nodes and, finally, you may take off some material from the belly if nothing other helps.

Thatzs teh way in short words. But be aware, you should have some experience with bowmaking and bamboo already - and lots of patience!

Go ahead and good luck.

Title: Re: all bamboo bow
Post by: gpw on June 07, 2007, 10:19:44 am

Gentlemen , I recently acquired a sheet of bamboo flooring material  3/4'x7 1/2" x96"... comprised of bamboo strips glued together presenting a quarter sawn face to the board.... Seems like it would be a good material to experiment with ...anybody have any experience using this stuff ???

We used to get great Bamboo strips for bow work from 1 800 4 bamboo... Ratan too

Title: Re: all bamboo bow
Post by: plrbar on June 07, 2007, 08:35:27 pm

Thanks for all the information.  Something in the 64-66" around 55# is what I am wanting.  My experience is in mostly making fire wood.  I am very interested in doing this and the information I got here will be a start.  If I have more questions I will holler.
Thanks

Title: Re: all bamboo bow
Post by: Dustybaer on June 08, 2007, 04:26:13 am

hallo axel, schön dich hier zu sehen. 

kra, could you post some pictures of your fine bamboo bows? i'm sure people would like to see your amazing craftsmanship.  i know i would.   ;D

Title: Re: all bamboo bow
Post by: Pat B on June 09, 2007, 12:26:01 am

In vol 12, issue 4, winter 2004, is the article about the all bamboo bows built in Japan after WWII.
"Another Tale of Bamboo Composites", by K. Koppedrayer.    You could contact the Koppedrayers at Yumi for more info on all bamboo bows.    Pat

Title: Re: all bamboo bow
Post by: plrbar on June 12, 2007, 09:00:02 pm

Thanks Pat.  I'll give that a try.