Thank you for this channel. I have been watching many bow makers that have a lot of good information but I have always felt something was missing. I have a manufacturing management background with all of its processes. It is so good to finally find someone who has broken the process down into reasonably repeatable steps. You also offer some "don't do" tips that are extremely helpful. Keep up the good work.
i know i am behind for archery,but i came to love it and became interested about buildind my own bows.i have taken lots of tips from the you tube channel,thanks a lot to all those gentleman. out there.so far this is the best explanation and bow building tips on you tube.from mr.toufie south africa
Hi! I want to try making a bamboo backed bow without buying the bamboo, so, do you have any tips for getting the bamboo backing directly from a cutted bammbo plant?? I mean, once I have cutted a fresh bamboo "branch", do I just have to split it in 2 pieces/slats and start to flatten them? Another question would be: when you cut a bamboo, do I need to store it drying for months like with some bow woods? Thanks!!
@@juanbaldonedo5437 Hi! Thank you for watching!!! To answer your question - you would treat the bamboo like you would any other bow wood. It can be split green but must be dried properly before use. It can be air dried for a long period, or reduced and force dried for a quicker turn around. How long that takes will depend on the bamboo and the climate during the drying process. As far as flattening is concerned, your best chance for a low crown backing will come from stock that is at least 4” or 10cm in diameter.
@@meadowlarkadventuregear thank you for replay , I found a Moso bamboo with a diameter of 14 cm. Is this size sufficient for cutting 3 mm thick slices?
I’ll use my bamboo exactly as it comes from my provider. The longer it sits in my garage, the drier it gets since I live in a near desert climate - not that I think it is a good thing… low moisture content and bow backings tend not to play well together. I would say that you should just ensure that it has cured to equilibrium for your climate so that it doesn’t carry any excess mass. Other than that, you can be assured that it will serve you well. The only time I temper, or excessively dry bamboo is when I’m going to use it as a belly. This is the same logic behind heat treating the belly side of a self bow. It helps compression (a lot) but in the service of tension, heat treating equals disaster.
Larger diameter is always better. You might be able to get away with 4” on builds that are 1&1/4” wide or less. For what it’s worth, I have decrowned Bamboo in the past with no adverse affects.
Flat in the center - yes. Just like de crowning a sapling. I’ve always worked down the nodes even if I do not de crown and that seems to be the area of concern for most people.
The nodes on my backs are always a little thicker. I stick with the bend of the tiller to dictate how much I remove at the nodes. I don’t do any work on the actual back of the bamboo until the bow is in the finishing stage (sanding stage) then I take them down - but not flat.
Hi there, greetings from New Zealand, I'm a semi retired carpenter/ cabinet maker, I've been making some bows. I'm very interested in bamboo backing, a farmer here has a large stand of bamboo, don't know what kind it is, it seems to grow to around 4/5 " diameter, could I use that? I can harvest and split it myself (farmers glad to get rid of it!) , I'm enjoying your tutorial, just one little suggestion, I would use breathing protection when working with bamboo..
I’m not an expert on the different types of bamboo - and there are a lot of them. From what I have read, the species isn’t as important as its suitability. The diameter you’re talking about should be good, so long and the thickness of the walls allow you to mill a flat gluing surface wide enough for your bow. The only other concern would be that it exhibits a springy nature once it’s dry. In short, if you can get a flat, wide, springy backing strip out of that bamboo - I say go for it!
So much for your lungs with all that cane dust, then you go onto eye protection, and ear protection, but you left out the most important part two breathing
You’re right about all of the dust. All of my tools are on wheels just for that reason. I do my best to get out doors while I do my milling. It’s not on camera, but I use a box fan to blow dust out when doing a lot of table saw work. It’s the only tool that I don’t move around. The PSA for ear protection was just born of opportunity so I took it lol!
Thank you for this channel. I have been watching many bow makers that have a lot of good information but I have always felt something was missing. I have a manufacturing management background with all of its processes. It is so good to finally find someone who has broken the process down into reasonably repeatable steps. You also offer some "don't do" tips that are extremely helpful. Keep up the good work.
Thanks for watching! In glad you found value in it. Hoping to get another build started soon!
This looks to be the best bow buid along on TH-cam, recommended by Clay Hayes
Thank you for visiting and watching!
I love watching the results of your experience in practice!
Really good to know this information. Thank you 😅
Thanks for watching!!!
Good points and some ideas. Thanks!
i know i am behind for archery,but i came to love it and became interested about buildind my own bows.i have taken lots of tips from the you tube channel,thanks a lot to all those gentleman. out there.so far this is the best explanation and bow building tips on you tube.from mr.toufie south africa
Some amazing tips I haven’t seen in similar videos! Very excited to pre-Tiller my bamboo!
Thanks for all the valuable tips and informations! Best DIY Viedeo for this type of bows
Best explanation I have seen!
Thanks for watching!
@@meadowlarkadventuregear
I am on # 6 now
@@jimmyghersi keep building!!!
Thanks for the great well explained informations.
Happy to help - Thank you for your time and attention!
Great tips. Thank you!
Beautiful material ✌
Thank you!
He spead this up?! This raises my blood pressure
Sorry - I did, but I stopped that practice soon after… It’s just not natural.
Hi! I want to try making a bamboo backed bow without buying the bamboo, so, do you have any tips for getting the bamboo backing directly from a cutted bammbo plant?? I mean, once I have cutted a fresh bamboo "branch", do I just have to split it in 2 pieces/slats and start to flatten them? Another question would be: when you cut a bamboo, do I need to store it drying for months like with some bow woods? Thanks!!
@@juanbaldonedo5437 Hi! Thank you for watching!!! To answer your question - you would treat the bamboo like you would any other bow wood. It can be split green but must be dried properly before use. It can be air dried for a long period, or reduced and force dried for a quicker turn around. How long that takes will depend on the bamboo and the climate during the drying process. As far as flattening is concerned, your best chance for a low crown backing will come from stock that is at least 4” or 10cm in diameter.
That's great! Very kind of you. Very useful info, thanks!! I'll try it whenever I can
What kind of bamboo do you recommend for lamination bow ? There are many names ! Thank you .
I use Moso bamboo. Tonka bamboo is also a good choice.
@@meadowlarkadventuregear thank you for replay , I found a Moso bamboo with a diameter of 14 cm. Is this size sufficient for cutting 3 mm thick slices?
Unless the walls of the shoot are particularly thin, I would think you should be able to.
hello, how dry or cured does bamboo have to be before it can be used?
Thank you
I’ll use my bamboo exactly as it comes from my provider. The longer it sits in my garage, the drier it gets since I live in a near desert climate - not that I think it is a good thing… low moisture content and bow backings tend not to play well together. I would say that you should just ensure that it has cured to equilibrium for your climate so that it doesn’t carry any excess mass. Other than that, you can be assured that it will serve you well. The only time I temper, or excessively dry bamboo is when I’m going to use it as a belly. This is the same logic behind heat treating the belly side of a self bow. It helps compression (a lot) but in the service of tension, heat treating equals disaster.
@@meadowlarkadventuregear tanks a lot. I have a bamboo bush where i live. Now i cut 9 cm diametro bamboo and llet dry. Do You have whatsapp?
@@kat0do I do. Not sure how the account is accessed but it’s under my first name - Joddy
If you were cutting the bamboo from a cane (a big cane maybe), what diameter is needed for the lamination? 4"? 6"?
Larger diameter is always better. You might be able to get away with 4” on builds that are 1&1/4” wide or less. For what it’s worth, I have decrowned Bamboo in the past with no adverse affects.
@@meadowlarkadventuregear thank you, bamboo lams are not simple to find in France! But there is a bamboo trunk supplier nearby...
@@meadowlarkadventuregear how are you de crowning the bamboo? Thinner at the edges fast in the middle?
Flat in the center - yes. Just like de crowning a sapling. I’ve always worked down the nodes even if I do not de crown and that seems to be the area of concern for most people.
Can I ask what wood type the belly is? Thanks :-)
For this build I used Ipe. You could use Hickory in almost the exact same dimensions with very similar results.
@@meadowlarkadventuregear Great, thanks a lot for your answer.
Are you getting the nods totally flat? I got my bamboo down to. .125 .1 at tips but can’t get nods flat though so there thicker
The nodes on my backs are always a little thicker. I stick with the bend of the tiller to dictate how much I remove at the nodes. I don’t do any work on the actual back of the bamboo until the bow is in the finishing stage (sanding stage) then I take them down - but not flat.
@@meadowlarkadventuregear thanks I’ll just leave them nodes are hard to flatten.
Hi there, greetings from New Zealand, I'm a semi retired carpenter/ cabinet maker, I've been making some bows. I'm very interested in bamboo backing, a farmer here has a large stand of bamboo, don't know what kind it is, it seems to grow to around 4/5 " diameter, could I use that? I can harvest and split it myself (farmers glad to get rid of it!) , I'm enjoying your tutorial, just one little suggestion, I would use breathing protection when working with bamboo..
I’m not an expert on the different types of bamboo - and there are a lot of them. From what I have read, the species isn’t as important as its suitability. The diameter you’re talking about should be good, so long and the thickness of the walls allow you to mill a flat gluing surface wide enough for your bow. The only other concern would be that it exhibits a springy nature once it’s dry. In short, if you can get a flat, wide, springy backing strip out of that bamboo - I say go for it!
THe bamboo node is the weakest part of the cane being thick doesnt make it strong it makes it weaker that is rod making.
So much for your lungs with all that cane dust, then you go onto eye protection, and ear protection, but you left out the most important part two breathing
You’re right about all of the dust. All of my tools are on wheels just for that reason. I do my best to get out doors while I do my milling. It’s not on camera, but I use a box fan to blow dust out when doing a lot of table saw work. It’s the only tool that I don’t move around. The PSA for ear protection was just born of opportunity so I took it lol!
.125 is an 1/8