Little experiment...pics added

[turtle]

I have my first try at an osage highly reflexed static recurve. Imade the rookie mistake of getting it too light before getting to brace. It ended up at around 30# with a  hinge in the top limb. I will haveto drag it back out and try this.

[PEARL DRUMS]

  Using your new idea, bloodwood or zebrawood would look pretty sweet too.  Great idea Pearl

Keep in mind the compression qualitys of the lam your adding and the qualitys of the bow your addinG them to. Your asking allot from that little belly lam when you glue it down. Hence my mesquite and TBIII experiment. If I wanted to be sure it worked I would use ipe or osage with URAC.

[jtbluefeather]

Can I use smooth on instead of URAC?

[PEARL DRUMS]

Sure

[BowEd]

Pearl Drums...I've used gemsbok horn laminations on the belly of hickory bows a few times.Once on a kentuck coffee tree bow.It increases my poundage anywhere from ten to twenty pounds.Depending on the thickness.Flat belly on the bow and flat side of horn together with smooth on put in a reflex.I wrap it on with a strip of inner tube and clamp it in a form.If the bow was in tiller before it will be after glue up.Horn will take 4 times the compression that wood will they say.I believe it in the results.A little more work getting the horn ready but it works great.I guess it can't be called a self bow any more but is all natural materials.Great job on your bow there.Now you got a shooter again.

[BowEd]

I forgot to add here the way I understand what's happening too is the nuetral plane is changed on the belly of the bow also.

[PEARL DRUMS]

Pearl Drums...I've used gemsbok horn laminations on the belly of hickory bows a few times.Once on a kentuck coffee tree bow.It increases my poundage anywhere from ten to twenty pounds.Depending on the thickness.Flat belly on the bow and flat side of horn together with smooth on put in a reflex.I wrap it on with a strip of inner tube and clamp it in a form.If the bow was in tiller before it will be after glue up.Horn will take 4 times the compression that wood will they say.I believe it in the results.A little more work getting the horn ready but it works great.I guess it can't be called a self bow any more but is all natural materials.Great job on your bow there.Now you got a shooter again.

If the gemsbock horn is that compression strong then it would seem that hickory would be an excellent canidate considering its tension strength. I bet it made a fine bow!

[Canoe]

Howdy Group,

Great save on an underweight bow. 

I have a handful of underweight, stiff handled flatbows.  Any chance I could flatten the backs up real nice (using a joiner), and then glue on a slat of Osage or hickory to add 10 to 15 pounds to the draw weight?

If so, who do I get the slats from?

And, thanks for sharing little project.  It's good to know that it ain't over 'til it's over.

All the Best,
Canoe

[criveraville]

Pearly nice save there with our National wood. That mesquite belongs in Texas. You beat send her on back 

Cipriano

[PEARL DRUMS]

Howdy Group,

Great save on an underweight bow. 

I have a handful of underweight, stiff handled flatbows.  Any chance I could flatten the backs up real nice (using a joiner), and then glue on a slat of Osage or hickory to add 10 to 15 pounds to the draw weight?

If so, who do I get the slats from?

And, thanks for sharing little project.  It's good to know that it ain't over 'til it's over.

All the Best,
Canoe

I would suggest hand tools or a belt sander. Leave the back if you can and flatten the balley rather. For lam's I just grab left over cut outs from staves and saw them into slats on my band saw. .060" thick seems to work good. I pay no attention to grain but the slat shoudl be clean on knots or bad swirls.

[Sidewinder]

Nice save Pearl Drums. The tiller looks great and the contrast with the Mesquite is cool.  Danny