Is it possible to have an all wood tri lam bow?
What would be the best wood for the belly?
Any examples out there to look at?

Check out the Bull at rudderbowsarchery.com
its under bow building and then super staves.

Yes. Javaman (greg coffey) used to make some really sweet ones.

The ones i make i use raw bamboo backing and 4 laminations of osage. Not only is a tri-lam possible  they make some nice shooting bows.

I've made them. Hickory on the back, walnut as the core and osage as the belly.  They looked great and I thought they worked well.

Jason

Here are a couple of my lam bows.
Mark

Mark how did you make those beautiful bows? They are  realy sweet.i want to make one now.-Scott

Raw boo back, boo flooring belly and core:


I have a boo backed, osage belly and walnut core trilam as well, but that one still needs the finish.

I saw and shot a Schultz "Natural" Hill style bow that had bamboo back and several lams - I think bamboo core and osage belly, but may have been all osage lams. I believe the bow is in Charlie Lamb's possesion, maybe he will chime in or you could PM him. This was one seriously shootable and fast bow - not to mention drop dead gorgeous.

Here is a Bamboo backed Jatoba with an Osage belly

We build a lot of tri-lam "all natural" bows every year.  Check out the website for some examples.

As far as belly material; select one that is tough enough for the design you have in mind.  1/4 sawn osage is tough to beat in most instances.  If you get too radical, you might consider horn or baleen on the belly to protect it.

Mike

I always thought that a Bow built with a Yew Back, Bamboo core and an Osage Belly would be a good combo....
   I think My next Hill bow will be this combo....

Does any have or know where I could get information on building a tri lam bow like the ones above.Thanks -Scott

Here's a build along I did for the above bow:
 SweetGrass  

This is the type of form I use to glue it up

Those Glue ups I did were done with a fire hose clamp. Raw boo back and a core lam and two belly lams.
Ask away scott, I would be happy to help.
Mark

Did you have to use tapered lams? Do you start with a floor tillered stave and then just glue the belly and back lams on? Thanks for the help -scott

In the next couple of months the Traditional Bowyers Bible #4 will be out.  There is a step by step instruction on building multi lam "all natural" bows.  It should help a bunch.

Mike

I didn't even know they were coming out with a fourth. Thanks for the info Mike.

Excellent stuff guy's,,, thanks for the pics.

Now how do you tiller one, maybe from the sides like a glass bow?

I use a combo of tapers and parrallels all depends on what I want the belly to look like when I'm through tillering.

Mark