Experiment to fix a bow problem......(Results are in)

[half eye]

Hey fellas,
      Made a couple of trades here lately, and was makin bows for my end of them. The bows were wanted in the upper 50's for weight but both of these came in at about 50# so instead of throwing everything in the re-do for kids pile.....thought I'd try a "fix".
      The bow in the photo's is an Ottawa style, and is a self-backed american elm (grey elm). it was all tillered out and shootin pretty well, but was light. I took the bow and ran it through a thickness planer (on the belly side) to make sure it was flat and to remove the champhers from the scallops as well. I then glued on a 1/8" planed hard maple backer strip on the belly side and induced a small amount of reflex. ( I use TBII for all my glue joints)
       I'm going to be curious as to the effects of this. I hope that the high compression hard maple adds weight and speed......without overpowering the back.....I guess we'll see.

will keep ya informed, thought that some of you might be interested in this as a way to maybe "fix" a similiar problem.......assuming that it works in the first place.
rich

[Del the cat]

Interesting to see if bellying it rather than backing it does the job.
Del

[half eye]

Del,
     The bow was allready "self-backed" and I have not had good experience with double backers......hench the high compression belly lamination.  By self-backed I mean that I cut a strip from the original stave's back and rotate it 180 degrees and glue it right back on.
      It's the only reason for coming up with this half-backed idea.....but it seems to make sense in theroy anyhow. We'll find out when the "bend hits the wood".
rich

[Lee Slikkers]

Nice "tri-lam" build Rich 

[johnston]

You Go Big Daddy

Lane

[fusizoli]

All your backing glued with TBII?  I'M interested how much drying time it needs?

Lots of other guy use TBIII for laminateing, why do U choosed this one? Sorry for the direct question

[half eye]

fusizoli,
      I like the titebond II because the set time is longer, and while not water"proof" it is ok for outdoor use. I (personal opinion only) think it gives a better bond, and the longer "cure" time doesn't bother the old retired guy.
      I never had a glue failure by using it.
rich

[dragonman]

good luck with this one , sounds like a good solution to the problem, should work

[hillbilly61]

 Real nice Rich. I too use TBII for my backings. Had 1 separate, but that was do to me not gluing one area   Looking forward to seeing how this turns out.

[beetlebailey1977]

Can't wait for the results!

[Almostpighunter]

Very cool! Frankly it never would have occurred to me to put a reinforcement on the belly of the bow....ever. First a 30# deer killer and now this...............

I tell ya...you rebellious kids and yer new-fangled-techo-primitive-googly-moogly ideas! 

[fusizoli]

fusizoli,
      I like the titebond II because the set time is longer, and while not water"proof" it is ok for outdoor use. I (personal opinion only) think it gives a better bond, and the longer "cure" time doesn't bother the old retired guy.
      I never had a glue failure by using it.
rich

Thanks Rich!

[half eye]

Here are the full draw pics from the hard maple belly lamination experiment. 2 full draw pics the first is one way the second is the bow "flipped" over....I like #2 better and will make that the top limb.

The bare shaft in the pic is 28" long but the fella draws 29" I dont have an arrow shaft that long but ya can get the idea. The bow was 50# at 29" before the maple and now it's just about 60# @ 29. After the small amount of re-tillering. So I guess it works.....at least this time
rich

[PEARL DRUMS]

Nice Rich!

[ErictheViking]

too cool rich, makes me wonder if you can overpower a belly lam with a thhick backing if the twoo woods are the same or close to the same SG. (that is just me wondering not saying it can't)