Bamboo Backing Question!?

[Knotty]

Hello everyone!
Once again I come up with a doubt in mind..
Here we go:

Would it be possible to (theoretically) glue up bamboo backing while it's still GREEN?
I was wondering if it would react like Sinew (shrinking up while drying)

Or.. Would the bamboo have too much moisture to actually glue up correctly?

Thanks in advance!

[Knotty]

Oh and, would Sisal work as a bow backing? Looks like it works as a bow string so it has quote a bit of strength to it..

[wizardgoat]

Use seasoned bamboo for backing, gluing green wood would not go to well I'd imagine.
Do a Google search for sisal bow backing. There's lots of bows and discussion on this topic, on this site and others

[Eric Krewson]

I have never tried to back a bow with green bamboo so I am offering only an opinion. I have made about 50 bamboo backed bows, I cut and dried my own bamboo and found it dries mostly through the belly as the back has a rind that prevents some of the moisture transfer. Bamboo does shrink when it dries but I see a lot more side to side shrinkage than length, in your case you would probably have a bunch of cracking as the your bamboo dried, again just a guess on my part.

I have split bamboo and had it dry in a month. I have also put whole culms up unsplit and it wasn't dry in a year and remained partially green looking. The whole piece, both sides, needs to be open to the air to dry.

[Knotty]

Alright @wizard goat , here in Brazil I can find Sisal alot easier than Sinew (unfortunately) , so that gives me hope, I'll do my research! 

And @Eric Krewson , thanks for your information on the Bamboo, at least you prevented me from making a bad choice, patience is the key I guess!


PS: If anybody else has more info to add about Sisal / Bamboo , please post!

[PatM]

Joachim loves his sisal backing and you can find his bows on here and Paleoplanet.

 As far as gluing down green bamboo goes you have to remember that the radial shrinkage of the drying bamboo will make it want to move across the glueline, which will sheer it apart.

  You can see a similar effect when a handle riser is glued on a stave and the grain orientation allows greater movement of one piece of wood. It will fail over time if it exceeds the threshold of expansion/contraction.,

[Knotty]

Great @PatB thanks for your reply! Joining this community was definitely the best thing I've done so far.. Forgive my many questions, but I'm young and  inexperienced, that makes a deadly combination of knowledge research.

[Pat B]

I doubt you will get the same performance from sisal as you will from sinew. Sinew is more elastic and sisal doesn't stretch much at all.
 You may find cow sinew at a local butcher shop or maybe a Chinese food store.

I think it was Pat M you meant to thank.

Don't worry about asking questions. We've all been there and I for 1 have asked my share...and yes, patience is your best bow building tool.

Where in Brazil are you? Its a big country. 

[Knotty]

Darn I didn't even notice the difference between PatB and PatM , my bad!
I am in a region called Minas Gerais

I will try looking in butcher shops , and I doubt any Chinese restaurants around here have it, most of them only make Sushi and extremely traditional dishes (As an Italian restaurant would make Pasta).

Thanks for your reply!

[Knotty]

By the way, I was wondering.. Since super glue (loctite) would be super expensive to use in such a big quantity to glue the backing on the bow.. Could any glue be used?? Like Wood glue etc? (They come in bigger pots and are NOT waterproof)

[Pat B]

For sinew I'd use hide glue. The sisal will probably work well with PVA type wood glue(TiteBond, Elmer's, Etc). I don't think super glue would work.

[Knotty]

Alright great , thanks for the help @Pat B , appreciate it!