Building a bow

[BT]

It's going to be great if you are truly able to save this bow.
I really like the looks of it

[easternhunter]

SMJ....I've taken a break for March Break, but studied my glue-up over the last couple of days...discovered a disturbing issue with her....my centreline was way off track and I had way too much limb on one side than the other...
I used Stilllearnin's laser level (worked good too!)to give me a new centreline and actually discovered that I had way too much limb PERIOD.

So after MORE study, I found that I could still get a bow outta this thing...limbs will now be about 1 1/8" at fades, tapered to 1" at 12" from fades and tappered to just over 1/2" at tips.

Glued on my tip overlays(braz. teak) and glued up the riser of braz. teak, with a center lam of boo for contrast.

More later...

[smj]

Easternhunter, I am looking forward to seeing a post on this bow of yours! I like the wood choices.

I took mine out for a few rounds on the 20 yard bale in the back yard... It shoots!



So, I am going to finish the grip and rest this week.

When bows come out of the jig, they do relax a bit. Here is a hickory/bamboo bow with the last 3 clamps on, and then again after all clamps are off.

Clamps on...



Clamps off... (There is less relaxing if another layer of thin action-boo is used.)



After a little clean up with a cabinet scraper...



Also, don't be afraid to mark on the parts to make sure you keep things aligned right!




Last - action-boo is just another name for bamboo sanded flat on both sides. A pal of mine cuts up 6 foot legth bamboo flooring and makes his own. Handy pal to have!

[easternhunter]

SMJ...that bow of yours is really nice...looks like a good shooter too!
man, my bow didn't relax near that much!!! maybe has something to do with it being a tri-lam.

I hope that tonite I can get at re-aligning the profile better, and maybe shape the limb tips...I won't be tillering til next weekend tho.

[smj]

easternhunter - you are correct! The added glued surfaces helps to hold the shape of the bow. Also, how long you let the glue set makes a difference as well. You want the glue 100% set and dry. A pal of mine uses smooth-on for his laminate glass bows. He has found that by cooking a bit hotter and letting the limbs set for extra time, he gets zero relaxing in his limbs when taken from the oven. With only a bamboo backing, I expect about what was shown above, add in another layer of action boo and I expect half that, or less.

[easternhunter]

Yup, that's what I saw with mine...actually almost NIL movement.BTW, how do you keep yer shop so clean n' shiny????Mine's got about 3" of sawdust all over the bench - floor - everywhere.LOL

[smj]

I tend to clean up as I go rather than letting it build up. I've done it both ways, letting it build up seems worse as it gets tracked up to the upstairs. That takes even longer to clean up. I suggest a quality shopvac and a will to use it!

[easternhunter]

YUP...I AGREE ON THAT ONE.LOL!

WILL GET PICS TONITE OF MY PROGRESS OR LACK THEREOF....

[Coca Cola]

I have a question, Why dont you cut the core out to shape and floor tiller it before glue up.


Isnt the reason you never pull a bow past its intended draw weight is to prevent unnesecary wood damage? So by leaving it in the form like that it seemingly would have same effect. I realize it would be harder to keep everything together but it also seems like you would have it relax less.

Am I right? or am I totally wrong?

[easternhunter]

OK guys...got the limbs trimmed to a bteer profile and got the tips shaped tonite.. I'll post pics in the morning. good nite!