why laminate?

[ravenbeak]

I have been pondering over this one for awhile...

is it because suitable wood isn't available for selfbows?

or is it for the flexibility of profile and performance enhancements that are sought after.

i'm curious about this one,  i've never been able to figure it out.

[Gordon]

It allows me to utilize wood that I would otherwise have to discard.

[Kegan]

Same reason to use a board, it's a little bit easier (on it's own way), however it's a little safer and lot "cooler" to make a laminate .

Howard Hill used laminated boo bows and theThompson brothers used hickory backed ELB's, so there's also a bit of tradition in it. A little boost in performance in some cases, at least that's what the Thompsons thought.

[DirtyDan]

Bows that turn out too light can pick up strength with an added lamination.  Also, weak places like hinges can be fixed with a thin lamination.  Laminations make better recurves and reflex/deflex styles.  That is my two-cents' worth.

Dan

[Cooper]

• For People who lives in Big Cities, like I do,  it is much easier to get boards than staves. And a board often needs a backing - in this case the step to laminated bows is a short one.
• You can combine the different property of different woods (Ipe as belly and Bamboo as Backing eg.).
• You can decide on the profile of the bow (deflex-reflex eg.) and you can improve the performance of the bow (Perry-Reflex).
• You can use bamboo, and I love bamboo 

[Pat B]

Any wood I have that will make a self bow I make a self bow from it.  I have made backed and tri-lam bows and probably will again but I prefer self bows.   Pat

[Jesse]

They are two totally different kinds of bows and each has their advantage but a self bow is the cooler of the two in my book

[Justin Snyder]

I'm sure not going to say one is cooler than the other.  I like some selfbows more than other selfbows and some laminates more than other laminates. I live in a desert where almost all of my wood is imported as boards or staves I traded for.  I really like to build laminates, but sometimes I am in the mood for a selfbow.  Justin

[ravenbeak]

thanks guys,

that is pretty much what i was figuring,  the flexibility of using wood that isn't of quality for selfbows, as well as the profile options and wood variations.

I haven't got there yet,  but maybe on day down the road.

[Kegan]

thanks guys,

that is pretty much what i was figuring,  the flexibility of using wood that isn't of quality for selfbows, as well as the profile options and wood variations.

I haven't got there yet,  but maybe on day down the road.

Laminates aren't the same thing as building selfbow, unless you do a wood/boo backed bow, where it's primarily belly wood. For the most part, you could just glue the pretapered pieces out, and ease them to tiller (they shouldn't need as much as a natural stave with character and knots and what not).

They're jsut a bit different, and if you have the right dimensions before hand, not that difficult .

[mullet]

 It's really not that simple, even with pretapered lams that you have the thickness formulas worked out. You are still dealing with wood and it is all different. But like Kegan said, it does get you in the ball park quicker.

[brian melton]

       To make the purist whine!

[Justin Snyder]

       To make the purist whine!