Primitive Archer

Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: bd2cool on August 02, 2007, 06:32:20 am

Title: Ash/Bamboo or Walnut/Bamboo
Post by: bd2cool on August 02, 2007, 06:32:20 am

HI,

Has any one tried ash or walnut with Bamboo backing?

Thanks

Title: Re: Ash/Bamboo or Walnut/Bamboo
Post by: DanaM on August 02, 2007, 09:29:31 am

No experience with boo but I think bamboo would overpower ash don't have a clue on walnut.

Title: Re: Ash/Bamboo or Walnut/Bamboo
Post by: snedeker on August 02, 2007, 11:08:26 am

A bit too strong in tension for walnut too I think, which is lighter than ash

Dave

Title: Re: Ash/Bamboo or Walnut/Bamboo
Post by: adb on August 02, 2007, 12:02:34 pm

Hi,

I've had good results with maple backed walnut, but not bamboo. Ipe (brazilian walnut), however, is excellent with bamboo backing.

Title: Re: Ash/Bamboo or Walnut/Bamboo
Post by: Justin Snyder on August 02, 2007, 05:18:51 pm

Try hickory.  Justin

Title: Re: Ash/Bamboo or Walnut/Bamboo
Post by: bd2cool on August 02, 2007, 05:25:18 pm

Thanks,

I have two hickory/bamboo  and they both shoot great.
I didn't want to waste any bamboo on wood  that couldn't take it.

Title: Re: Ash/Bamboo or Walnut/Bamboo
Post by: Hillbilly on August 03, 2007, 08:36:21 am

The walnut backed with the ash would probably be a good combo, too.

Title: Re: Ash/Bamboo or Walnut/Bamboo
Post by: comix on August 03, 2007, 02:01:16 pm

I build an walnut (american walnut) with boo backing recently... worked fine for me.
Keep the limbs a little wider perhapes and the backing as thin as you can get it.

Title: Re: Ash/Bamboo or Walnut/Bamboo
Post by: Pat B on August 03, 2007, 02:46:00 pm

You can always use a trapezoidal cross section. That way your belly is wider than the back and the compression stresses are spread out more on the wider belly.    Pat

Title: Re: Ash/Bamboo or Walnut/Bamboo
Post by: M-P on August 05, 2007, 02:45:13 am

Hi, I built one bamboo backed ash bow several years ago.  I used 1 3/4 in wide lumber yard ash and strips from a narrow bamboo pole.  I split the pole and flattened each strip, then laid them parallel as baking.  The strips were quite thin,  ( almost like strips from a window blind.)  I got a shootable bow ~ 40# but ~ 1 3/4 inches of string follow.  My feeling has always been that even that thin bamboo backing over powered the ash.  Of course it could be that I'm just not talented a bowyer.              Ron

Title: Re: Ash/Bamboo or Walnut/Bamboo
Post by: medicinewheel on August 05, 2007, 03:35:58 pm

hi!  -  i have seen a fewl ash bows w/boo backing. all had followed these string A LOT. if you use boo on black walnut it might work with the bamboo thinned as much as possible if you make them long and wide enough AND working VERY carfully. but i would not think it's a first-class combo!
frank