Also not an expert, and it's been a long time, but I learned a few things.
First, flatten the glue surfsce of your belly bamboo, but leave it thicker than finished thickness. Do your toasting/tempering next. What happens here is that the rind surface shrinks and actually flattens somewhat laterally (removes some of the crown) as a reaction to the heat. The flat surface you prepared to glue will bulge slightly in response and must be flattened again prior to glue-up.
Yes, you can sand the nodes flatter on the belly side, but don't go crazy. If you mill the entire surface very st, you are violating some fibers rather steeply.
I went with a consistent thickness back and belly (as near as obtainable with bamboo), of 1/8 on the back and 3/16" on the belly. I tapered a thin core of vertical bamboo flooring from about 3/16" middle to less than 1/8". I think I added reverse wedges at the tip, but very thin.
The handle was two tapered blocks glued together and sandwiched between the rest. The backing on one side, core and belly on the other. I glued core to handle, belly to core, and backing to handle and core in stages, sanding transitions each time.
I did not force either bow into a deflex form, but the shape of the handle filler deflexed it slightly, and I reflexed the tips about 2-1/2". I left the whole thing full width, just shy of 2" wide, and relied on clamps and shims. I planned on doing all tillering from the sides.
These bows were very stiff, and had to be narrowed to less than 1-1/2" They took enough set near the handle that they became R/D bows, but the tips stayed ahead of the handles.
Hope it helps.
