where to get nice bamboo backing?

[Aaron H]

Carson has a ton of the nicest boo backing available.
Hit up echo archery website.

Do we know what type of bamboo Carson offers?

 Moso.   Most available backing will be that.

Good to know, thanks Pat

[Springbuck]

I'm lucky to have a premium bamboo supplier of all types close by.

That is lucky.  Does he have a website?   

Badger:  That's too bad about Frank Supply.  That's been a great go-to place over the years.

willie:  I think the thing to do is just search for bamboo poles, or bamboo slats.  I have bought from at least 3 guys besides Frank Supply.  Everybody seems to have about the same stuff for moso poles or slats, plus some other stuff. It's just a question of shipping and getting good quality, not moldy, not chipped up.

I just looked and two names I remembered from 10 years ago don't exist anymore. 

Tam Vong is the other species of almost solid, but smaller diameter bamboo, along with Tre Gai.

[Bob Barnes]

that does stink about Frank's... I have so much of his bamboo that I gave a bunch away at MoJam last year just hoping to see some more nice BBOs this year.

[willie]

Franks is near my house and has been having some problems lately. A few months back his shipment came in with mold and mildew and his most recent shipment has the nodes too close together.

then you are near huntington beach? when I did a search on the kinds of bamboo that springbuck mentioned, I found a other supplier in the same city called bamboocresian

[Eric Krewson]

This is past history but I bought a bundle of 25 slats from Franks abut 15 years ago, beautiful stuff but every bamboo osage bow I made with it failed from bamboo splintering. I was selling them back then so I had to replace a bunch of bows that I sent out.

I bought another bundle and it arrived with water running out of it. When I opened the package every slat was waterlogged and mildewed. No more Frank's bamboo for me since, I found a local guy with giant timber bamboo in his back yard that I could buy cheaply.

[Bayou Ben]

I normally use Franks, but like Badger mentioned I've been waiting since January to get some more in so I looked elsewhere.  I bought some whole poles from Beautiful bamboo in Florida.  These are Madake and are supposedly much better than Moso.  A couple guys on tradgang swear by it.  I haven't tried it yet though.  The poles are about 3" in diameter and split easily into planks.  You can get 4 to 5 backings from 1 pole.  They came kiln dried but had over 20% MC so I'm drying them now.  They do seem harder than moso.  I'll give them a try on my next bow. 
 

[rkeltner]

you're down to the luck of the draw, but home depot has available 1.5" slats that you can order for delivery to your store. it's been a few years since i bought mine, but it was 120 for 25 slats picked up at the store. no idea of the species, but the one piece i've used seems to be solid enough. (yes, i suffer from to many irons in the fire!) your mileage may vary!

[bubby]

Jaap koppedryer sells bamboo for bows. You have to get ahold of him via email and I don't know it, maybe Google him. But Carson at echo has it in stock

[Aaron H]

Jaap koppedryer sells bamboo for bows. You have to get ahold of him via email and I don't know it

Yumibows@gmail.com

[Eric Krewson]

Jay is real proud of his bamboo, he grew it himself and you will get sticker shock when you hear the price. He probably has the best out there as it the the right kind used to make Yumi bows by all the masters.

[Bob Barnes]

If anyone know where to find about 3' of 3-4" diameter bamboo... please PM me... all of this bamboo talk has me thinking about yet another project.  If the OP was to come to MoJam, I'd bring you a couple of pieces of well aged bamboo for backing.   

[Bayou Ben]

I split the last of the Madake poles last night.  Just to give you guys an idea of what it looks like.  The feel of this bamboo is much different than the Moso I'm used to.  I'll report my findings once I try it on a bow.
 
These poles are a little over 3" in diameter Bob.  PM me if you want more details. 

[Eric Krewson]

I use mandrake, a guy across town has a back yard with about a half acre of it in it, some is 6"+ in diameter. He always called it "giant timber bamboo", I found out later it is mandrake.

Unfortunately the old guy with the bamboo patch just died and I don't know if the patch will be left intact. I stocked up years ago so I have plenty for the present.

Mandrake from my last cutting trip;