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Author Topic: Salmon skin over bamboo over red oak  (Read 4744 times)

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Offline Dauntless

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Salmon skin over bamboo over red oak
« on: March 11, 2013, 02:16:00 pm »
Here's my first bamboo backed bow. I've finished a couple over the years but this one stood in the corner because it was nothing but trouble. 

Started off as a 64"+ long glue up with no reflex. Bamboo was thick but I was just happy it was flat. Tillered out to a good 45lbs at 28" when one of the overlays split and sheared the belly off the back. I then had to pry off the backing, sand off the glue and glue up again. I piked the bow a few inches but really violated the back near the tips with a belt sander, trying to flatten off an area for an overlay. Piked again, this time down to 56", the bow was way overweight and not nearly as wide as necessary. I trapped the bamboo and scraped scraped scraped till the weight came down to 40lbs. I've got loads of fish skin in the freezer so this pile of problems got a little Pacific salmon makeup.

Specs are 56" long, 1¼" wide, draws 40lbs at 23". With the delamination and the bamboo overpowering the red oak I got lucky with only 1¾" of set. Tiller isn't great either but with this short of a drawlength I won't be shooting it much anyways.









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The starving grad student with too many hobbies.

Offline ionicmuffin

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Re: Salmon skin over bamboo over red oak
« Reply #1 on: March 11, 2013, 02:24:54 pm »
I like it. Nice work!
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Offline Peacebow_Coos

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Re: Salmon skin over bamboo over red oak
« Reply #2 on: March 11, 2013, 03:48:56 pm »
nice the unlikely combo holds,and is pretty.   I like the skins but the nocks are my favorite, sweet design Dauntless
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Offline jimmy

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Re: Salmon skin over bamboo over red oak
« Reply #3 on: March 11, 2013, 04:12:26 pm »
   Nice tips.  I don't think I've ever seen tips like that .
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Offline BOWMAN53

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Re: Salmon skin over bamboo over red oak
« Reply #4 on: March 11, 2013, 05:38:18 pm »
Nice tips, ive been wanting make some like that for a long time.
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Offline Dauntless

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Re: Salmon skin over bamboo over red oak
« Reply #5 on: March 11, 2013, 05:46:17 pm »
They do make stringing the bow a little more difficult though.
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The starving grad student with too many hobbies.

Offline TRACY

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Re: Salmon skin over bamboo over red oak
« Reply #6 on: March 11, 2013, 06:37:20 pm »
Like it! I really like the creativity in your tip overlays. I will have to try it.


Tracy
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It is what it is - make the most of it!    PN500956

Offline Lefty8917

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Re: Salmon skin over bamboo over red oak
« Reply #7 on: March 12, 2013, 01:47:17 am »
Very cool looking bow! I like the idea of salomon skin. It makes me want to try and back my next bow with trout skin, since there are no salmon in my part of PA. How did you prep the skins? And nice tips, very unique!
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Offline doulosparachristos

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Re: Salmon skin over bamboo over red oak
« Reply #8 on: March 12, 2013, 05:14:36 am »
wow, i really like those tips, i love this bow. the tiller looks great, but those arms look a little skinny along the whole length:)
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Offline simson

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Re: Salmon skin over bamboo over red oak
« Reply #9 on: March 12, 2013, 08:55:46 am »
nice work on that bow,
I'm wondering is a bamboo backing to strong for red oak?
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Simon
Bavaria, Germany

Offline Dauntless

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Re: Salmon skin over bamboo over red oak
« Reply #10 on: March 12, 2013, 11:55:31 am »
@Lefty: The skins are just peeled off the fish, scraped clean of flesh with a spoon and then brushed with dishsoap and rinsed a few times. Then I lay the skin flat on some wax paper, fold it up nice and freeze till use.

@Simson: In this case I think the bow took excessive set and might take more over the years. I did trap the back so the width of untouched bamboo was only half of the total. A wider belly would have been fine I think.
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Offline Trapper Rob

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Re: Salmon skin over bamboo over red oak
« Reply #11 on: March 12, 2013, 01:47:19 pm »
Those nocks are sweet
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Offline IdahoMatt

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Re: Salmon skin over bamboo over red oak
« Reply #12 on: March 12, 2013, 01:52:48 pm »
I love the skins.  Quick question do you leave the scales on?  Awesome idea for  the nocks
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Offline Dauntless

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Re: Salmon skin over bamboo over red oak
« Reply #13 on: March 12, 2013, 02:14:01 pm »
The scales tend to all fall out when I'm scrubbing with the soap. Some stragglers fall off when handling the bow.
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The starving grad student with too many hobbies.

Offline IdahoMatt

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Re: Salmon skin over bamboo over red oak
« Reply #14 on: March 12, 2013, 02:23:26 pm »
Cool thanks,  I have a friend that is a fish monger so lots of fish skins coming my way.  Lots of different species too.  Have you just used salmon?
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