I think bamboo is something to look at. I'm not sure it will work well. It is strong, flexible, yet I believe it is heavier than what we normally use to build a stripper. I also happen to believe that the core material does have a lot to do with the final strength and durability of the product. To me this means that the outer skin, ie. epoxy/fiberglass, and the core must complement each other. In this way the composite will be stronger and tougher than any seperate material could be. I think we need to research a little more concerning the types of wood (pine, WRC, redwood, poplar, bamboo, black locust, etc) and the thicknesses that will give us the combinations we want. Anyway....time and money keeps me from experimenting as much as I would like. That's what's good about this forum. If you try the bamboo...keep us posted. I'm always on the lookout for something new and better...or sometimes just different.