Hi guys, got a quick question. I recently finished watching Dean Torges' Hunting the Bamboo-Backed Bow, and am interested in making one. I have a reliable bamboo source, but have some concerns about the belly wood. My local lumber supplier has a relatively limited supply of hardwoods in inventory, but can order just about anything. Unfortunately, I'll have no choice but to purchase whatever boards come in, regardless of their grain pattern. My question then is, is there any particular concerns about the grain in the belly wood stock in bows with substantial backings, like bamboo? In Dean's video he mentions that quarter-sawn, flat-sawn, and rift-sawn wood will all make good belly stock, but he makes no mention of whether or not there is a need for end-to-end continuous grain like would be utilized in board self-bows. Is a board with grain run-off acceptable for these bows? There is a fairly significant minimum order required, so before I drop a healthy bit of money on them, I want to be sure the majority can be put to use.
