bamboo laminate build along anyone?

[boughnut]

any one want a glue up build along?  not sure if there has been many posted and I have seen many questions about bamboo backed or hickory backed bows.  I will be willing to show the process for your choice of

Bamboo backed osage or hickory

bamboo backed and belly 6 lam

if you are interested let me know and what type I will put it to a vote.

[sharpend60]

Id like to seem bamboo planed by hand.

I'd like to try a glue up but no access to power tools.
If thats the way you do it, by all means, show me!

[boughnut]

well I dont normally do it that way but I have in the past before I got some tools.  I taper my boo now so it will be different but I will do it.  what kind of tools do you have to work with I will match your tools and work a piece down.

[jeffhalfrack]

   I'd  like  to see  a  build  along,,,,my  problem  has  been  bo  planing!!!  and  belly  thickness,,,,,,,,,,,,come to  think  of  it,,,,I'm   not  good  at  any  of it?   JeffW

[boughnut]

ok I will do another tirlam bow and document all steps since some of you guys have hand tools I will do my best to use what I think most people should have in there bow building tool box and no power tools.  I think what yall need is a good CALIPER AND MICROMETER SET you can find them online cheap and will save you of all the guess work.  I will be using one of them.  I will start tonight.  Bamboo back Blood wood core hickory belly I am thinking.  I might change that combo up a bit.  This bow will go to my stepdad when it is done.  I have never done a build along so please ask any questions I do not cover and any suggestions you want to add are welcome to.  I will try to make it as detailed as posible. 

[boughnut]

ok talked with my step dad and I did swithc it up he wants a bamboo backed osage belly with IPe core lam.  First off course you need to gather your materials and tools.  Pictures below show everything that is needed.  Raw bamboo backing,  Ipe board, osage board or you could work it out of stave.  I have already cut the ipe and osage down to the correct width.  Tools, hand plain, wood file, sanding block of some sort, scrapers,  Non stretch twine, and make yourself some even thickness wedges.  you will need the twine and wedges to press your glue joints together.   The short two pieces of wood are brazilian cherry you can use any good hard wood for these to make up the handle area.  the long piece will end up at 16 inches long and the short one will end up at 8 to 10 inches long.  the long piece goes between the lams and the short goes on the belly. 

[boughnut]

Ok the first step to to prepair your bamboo.  the first thing I will do is plane the bamboo down narrow enough to be able to cover the whole width with my planer blade.  once I get it narrow enough I will plane the belly side of the boo flat.  I will add an update once i get to that point.  oh and keep in mind when the planer hits the node areas it will want to chip rather than take a nice shaving off you can skip over it a bit only taking minimal wood off from it and even it out with the rest of the boo using your sanding block.

[sharpend60]

Thanks for showing us the build.
More often then not people a using stuff I dont own.
Including a nice tidy shop!

[boughnut]

well have not seemed to have gotten as much interest as I hoped to from all the questions about these types of bows I have seen but if I can help answer some questions for even one person I guess I am doing my part to give back to the PA community.  anyway I am going to show you a very neat trick with the bamboo tonight so without power tools you can have it precisely tapered.  IT has been over a year since I worked one of these bows down with all hand tools so we will see if I still have what it takes lol,  Just be prepared for lots of work and have patience if you try one your self this way.  A heat box is also good to have I will be using one but really you do not have to as long as you do not heat treat your glue.

[NruJaC]

I'm definitely interested to see how you do it. I've got my own approach, but I kinda made it up on my own, and it's far from ideal.

[killir duck]

i been wondering about a bow like this as well, would love to see a build along

[boughnut]

ok so last night I finished up narrowing the bamboo down to roughly 1.5 inches.  it is not perfect and does not need to be at this point.  Tonight I ran my plane down the belly side untill it was flat yet again it is not perfect and does not need to be at this point slightly thicker in some spots than others.  I have it in the heat box now.  the reason for the heat box is to temper the boo this also swells the belly in turn taking some of the crown off back making the bamboo flatter.  this is not 100% necessary but does help if you are going to heat once glued to heat cure the glue.  If you do not temper the boo first and heat cure the glue the boo will swell and your glue joint will fail.  when it is done tempering I will show in more detail what I mean.  I like to temper my boo between 180 and 200 degrees for 3 to 4 hours.  my heat box will reach 300 degrees with all 4 lights running and roughly 180 with just two.  I use the 300 degrees for other stuff.  and if any one is wondering no 300 degrees is not a danger of fire (if you are careful with what you put in there) it does melt plastic.  Paper does not even combust until it hits a little over 400 degrees.  Once the boo is done tempuring and has slowly cooled I will re flatten the belly.

Oh very import and forgot to mention this bow is going to be roughly 45 pounds at 28 inches and 66 inches over all length so I have already cut the boo down to 66.5 inches leaving a little wiggle room for the glue up.  It will be a deep D/R with hopefully above average speed for its poundage and a 2 to 3 inch finished out back set.  This is for hunting so no need to get to much back set in there as I want her to survive the riggers of practice shooting and hunting in the field for years and years.

If you notice my plane blade was set to cut to deep at first I had to take it out and sharpen it after last night she was a bit dul did I mention I have not use it in a long time   any way got her adjusted and you can tell big difference between the sizes of the big and little shavings.  You want to make sure to go slow and only remove little bits as a time.  I did not do a very good job at sharpening the blade as the shavings kept breaking over and aver only about 1/2" long each.  but it got the job done.  so now I wait for it to temper. 

[raghorns]

I'm going to be watching...thanks!

[boughnut]

boy oh boy let me tell ya now if you have room for a small table top belt sander and can afford it it will sure save you lots of work I forgot just how much work this is with all hand tools I spoiled my self with all my power tools.  this will bring back some memories from the past of building these in my living room as a bachelor with all hand tools before I had a shop and more tools than I know what to do with.  but non the less will be fun.  If you have a wife or girlfriend that lives with you I suggest not doing this in the house haha man those where the days bows buds and beers.

[hedgeapple]

I am watching this build a-long closely.  The site never ceases to amaze me.  I get an idea in mind for a project and within a couple weeks someone does a build a-long or post to answer me questions.  This happens about 85% of the time.

I have a piece of DKnight bamboo and a belly split of an osage stave that I've been thinking should come together for a R/D bow, with a hickory power lam.

I've alread learned a bunch.  Tempering bamboo--I'd never thought of that.  Keep it coming.

Oh, I'll be using a belt sander, so if you can throw in any advice there, I'd appreciate it.