takedown recurve input.

[Prarie Bowyer]

Ok, There is nothing for it.  I want to build a recurve.  I'm thinking a takedown bamboo sandwich.  I've seen on here that Robustus did one and that is about what I'm thinking. 

How short is possible to go?  I'm hoping for a small riser and to get something like the supermag length of 48" AMO.  Anyone have a taper suggestion for the core?  I'll use Hickory sap wood with a front and back lam of bamboo.  I'm thinking to use a 1/4" at the butt and fade to 1/16 over the length of the limb.  I figur with that core and the two bamboo back and belly seams I should be able to hold the recurve in there with glue forces.  I'll heat and prebend the bamboo, possibly the hickory also. 

Is it necessary to toas the bamboo belly?  I'll need to do that before glueup obviously.

My aim is between 50 and 70lbs.  I don't think I'll be able to tiller it once it's glued up so I need to get that taper right.  I'm running low on Boo so if I botch it... I'll need to buy more = unhappy Mrs.

[bubby]

here's one I built useingthe belly cut's off of some pyramid bows, 3 lams , made 50# @ 29" easy, Bub

[Gordon]

Making a hunting-weight stiff handled recurve bow that is 48" long and made entirely of wood/bamboo will be quite a challenge. I think you might need sinew and horn to pull of a design like that.

[Pat B]

It can be done. I believe James(Robustus) did it. I don't know how many failures he had before he got the one I saw and shot. It can be done, but...

[Prarie Bowyer]

Bubby,

Lovely bow.

How short do you think the shortest could be?  The Supermag is a glass bow . . . I hate working with glass.

[bubby]

sorry, must have misread, was thinking 68" not 48", Bub

[mikekeswick]

The drawlength will dictate the shortrst you can get away with. Too short = too much set! I would go for a pure pyramid design then you don't need much if any taper. However recurving it may lead to instability due to narrow outer limbs. I've made a few short/sharp recurves with a pyramid limb taper but it's tricky, everything must be perfectly straight but it does make a nice bow. Make it wide then you will have room to remove material. I'd go for at least 2 inches at the fades to 1/2 tips. The thickness will determine draw weight more than anything. Also the wider/thinner it is the more bend it can accept (all thing being equal!) allowing it to be shorter.
48inch is super short....

[Prarie Bowyer]

Ok so 48" is off the table for a bambo backed and bellied limb.  I have some Osage.  Haven't opened it yet.

what other material could go on the limb belly?  I don't have horn and I don't hink I'd want to use it.  Maybee I should just accept a longer design.  48" was an ideal target.  If it's only doable with glass than so bee it.

Then again there is that recently posted coral snake backed bow.  Horse bows are super short and deep bending (in the bending parts).

[Gordon]

I'm not saying it cannot be done, but such a short design would leave very little room for error assuming normal draw lengths. Short of using horn for the belly, bamboo is still probably your best bet.

[Ifrit617]

I agree with what has been said above, and I'm pretty sure that the recurve Robustus made was 58" not 48", which would be really pushing bamboo. Good luck!

Jon

[missilemaster]

Look up in some of the back issue  P A magazines, Korpowitz low stack bows. Because of there design, these bows can be suprisingly short and still not stack when at full draw. Possibly you could turn one of these into a take-down.
                                                                 Cody

[mikekeswick]

Misslemaster - that isn't an easy design to pull off but a good idea.
To be able to get more bend you just need to make the limb wider and thinner but you may come up against problems finding larger enough diameter bamboo.

[Prarie Bowyer]

I don't have any back issues.  There don't seem to be any searchable articles under LOW STACK with that name. 

what makes a low stack design?

I keep coming back to the Red elm recurve buildalong and the Osage static recurve buildalongs.  I'm wondering if there is a way, to get those recurved tips with out "flipping them" but splicing them syha style?  I saw a version of the Legolas bow that was done and the guy says he simply glued them on  like giant tip overlays.

I need stay focused.  I decided to do a take down.  But a static would require less design time.  Fewer jigs to be made.

[Prarie Bowyer]

I realy want to make a more primitive style recurve but my previous attempts at bending havent gone that well.  I hate to blow the wood.  I have several thin pieces of hickory I don't want to waste and they are big enough to get a "traditional" core lamination or two out of.

I guess I could just make up my own design.

[Gordon]

Using static recurves instead of working recurves will put more stress on the limbs making your design decisions even more critical.