A Few Questions?

[tradrick]

Hey guys,have'nt been around in quite a while.Been extremley busy with new job and new desires in life.I have'nt never gotten away from traditional archery shooting but did get away from bow building.I really enjoy the bow building process.Its one of those things that you get  out of it what you put into it.I have'nt had the time to do any of that for quite awhile.So now I've decided if I want to enjoy those things I better make time.
      I've only built 2 bows and had help with the first one.Both bows were a sucsess but the last one did come out way under weight.I'm wanting to make a bamboo backed bow.But I figure it would be better to just build a couple of red oak board bows to refresh my memory of the bow building process especially tillering.That way I don't ruin a perfectly good piece of bamboo.The first couple of board bows I'll  back with something like linen,silk or sheet rock tape.So, to finally get around to my questions.
1).The boards I'm using will be 1 1/2'' to 3''x1''.Should I build me a hot box and let them dry some?They don't apperar to be very green but I can't be 100% sure.If I should dry them,for how long and at what temperture?
2).I also want to cure my bamboo for the bamboo backed bow.Should I work the bamboo down to finished thickness and then place in the hot box?Again what temperture and how long?
3).I've heard of people heat treating or heat tempering(not sure what is right)their bamboo before glue up.How is this done?What are the advantages?

These bows will all have 10'' risers glued on with a shelf cut in not all the way to center.So they will not bend through the handle.I want to build narrow limbs and tips to lessen hand shock as much as possible.I will probably use deer antler for tip overlays.The main thing I want to do with these bows is when I glue them up is to build a form were there is a nice amount of reflex.My first 2 bows have a good bit of set and string follow.I would like a bow with enough reflex in it to have 0 string follow.So, my last question is.Is it ok to put reflex in board bows or only on staves?How much reflex should I try for in order to get 0 string follow?And,should'nt I put the reflex in the bow during the drying process?In other words clamp it down to a form with reflex and stick it into the hotbox.

Sorry for all the questions,like I said I've been away for awhile.I have to remember what I learned and learn a lot more.Thanks for your help.Tradrick

[chriss880]

i would make a bow out of a good hardwood like oak.

[Pat B]

Did you buy the boards from a lumber company. If so they are probably dry enough for a bow. You can keep it in a hot box and 85deg to 100 deg should be plenty of heat. Generally, this time of year is dry so humidity isn't an issue. You can reduce the boo backing to finished dimensions and keep it in a hot box. You do not want to temper boo that will be used as a backing. For belly, yes, back no.
   You don't want to add more than 2" or 3" of reflex. Too much can stress your belly more and result in more set. For best results you should add Perry reflex; adding the reflex as you glue the back to the belly. That way seems to give the best advantages.

[Kegan]

The baords are going to most likely be dry- if anyhting TOO dry.

Also, that's alot to ask from a red oak board. Hickory or maple might meet those parameters, but teh red oak boardss I've used were- for the most part- best reserved for long D bows drawing 60# or less.

However. You can build them long and wide- at least 66", (with an 8" non-bending handle section, not 10"), wide (about 2" out to midlimb) with scary narrow tips (5/16" or less) and a medium draw (50-60#). Leave them straight, and the bow should be fast, smooth, and quiet. Here the key to no string follow would be low-stress. So build it Comstock-style. Of all the baord bows I've built, this style gave me the least trouble of all of them.

[tradrick]

Thanks for the quick replys guys.The board was bought from Lowe's last night.I only found one I really liked.I'll check other places later.I'm wanting the finished bow to be around 50# @ 27''.What deminsions do you recommend these board bows be.At the handle,fades.mid limb and at the tips with overlays.tradrick

[Kegan]

50# shouldn't be too much. I'd say 66"-68" long, the handle and fades about 8" or so, the limbs thin and about 1 3/4"-2" wide to mid limb (depending on density), from there tapering to 5/16" overlayed tips.

[tradrick]

Keagan,I was planning on making these 68''long.The handle was going to be 10'' with a 5'' handle and 2.5'' on each end tapering down to make the fades.You think this is still to much handle?I was wanting the handle to be a little bigger thinking and hoping it would help absorb more of the handshock.tradrick

[Kegan]

You should be fine with 2" fades on each side. Narrow tips reduce more handshock than a heavy handle does (it also boosts speed).

[nickf]

if you have acces to ipe, osage or bulletwood, those woods make great bows when backed with boo, and you can make them quite short/narrow.
I'd advice a english longbow type, 72"ntn, 1" wide (when using these hardwoods) or 1 1/2" when using whitewoods like red oak, ash, elm etc. taper them from midlimb to 1/2" nocks. narrow outerlimbs add quite some cast and give a smoother release. most reliable and easy bows to make. and ofcourse hard to beat in beauty.

it's good to get that boo dry, it can take it very well, but don't overdry it. those boards are probably already dry. keeping the thin boo laminations in a warm place in your house will be more than enough. I'd not temper the boo for the back, but you might think about putting some boo belly lams on the bow if it gets in underweight, in that case, tempering is a good choice. Don't forget you can't tiller a boo back, the taper must be perfectly, just as the bow's tiller.

you can put some reflex in them when glueing your boo slats on them, 2" will do. remember 1" of set ain't a problem at all.
10" for a riser is quite long, you may think about shortening it by 2".  but as I said, it won't be a bad choice to make some handle-bending bows first. Risers and other 'cosmetics' will come, later.

Nick

[tradrick]

Thanks for all the helpful advice guys.I plan on switching to better choices of wood later.Right now I'm just trying to learn more about the tillering process.Thats one of the reasons I chose the red oak boards.Their cheap,If I blow one up during tillering I'm only out 5 or 6 dollars.I'm saving my piece of bamboo for a osage bow after I gain somemore expierence.I roughed out the bow yesterday.Right now its 72'' long but I may reduce it to 68''.I glued on a 8'' riser using Tite Bond wood glue and let it set overnite.I made it 1 3/4'' wide at the fades to mid limb then tapered to 1/2'' at the nocks.I'm getting ready now to go out and cut the 2'' tapers on the fades on each end of the riser and work on floor tillering.This bow will probably be backed with sheet rock tape.I already have it and its something cheap to learn on.I may be posting pictures of the tillering process.That way I can get some of you guys helpful advice.And by the way you guys were right.The board is very dry.Maybe to dry.You could start a fire with the shaved ribbons.Thanks again tradrick

[Kegan]

I'd leave it in the bathroom while you take a shower. I've had two blow on me while tillering because they were too dry.

[nickf]

yeah post some pics!