Static Recurve trouble...

[Wooden Spring]

OK, so I'm trying to learn how to make static recurves in my backed board bows, and I saw an old article one time on how to use a number of 1/16" laminates to do it. So I thought I'd give it a try. I grabbed an old bow from the graveyard/wall of shame, thinned down 12" of the tip, started to bend it around the form and, FAIL... 

Does anyone else use built up laminates to create static recurves???

[Del the cat]

Did you use heat?
Building up a static curve from thin lams is fine as far as I can see. It's prob more trouble than heat bending an offcut and splicing it on, but you pays your money and makes your choice.
I've done a sort of compromise where a tight heat bend has splintered a tad, it's than been rasped/ filed/sanded down to take out the splinters and a thin lam put over the belly side to build it up... no prob' works like I'd almost planned it
Del

[bubby]

Was that a tip overlay that snapped

[bubby]

Get all the pcs you want to bend and put them all in steamer for ten mins and bend all at once

[GB]

I'm with bubby in that it shouldn't take much heat to form 1/16" lams into your curve.  I've made two working recurves from 3 lams (1/16" hickory and elm for the back and core and 1/4" osage for the belly at the tips) and I just used a heat gun on the osage.  I think if I'd left just a little more wood on they probably would have been static.  Both have a shallower bend than what you're shooting for though, about 3".







It's about impossible to see the lams in my pic's, but they are there.

[osage outlaw]

Nice looking bows GB

[Badger]

  Years ago I used to use 1/8" lams and boil or steam for about 5 minutes. 1/16 just a little heat should work.

[mikekeswick]

Cutting kerfs is the simplest methods for board bows in my opinion. Just space them close enough and get your 'shim' pieces an accurate fit. I've never had to use heat with this method.
Another easy way (strongest too!) is to simply find a section of a tree where a branch grows out from the trunk and cut out the curve. Pre-grown recurves  V-splice them into the ends of the belly then add your backing and taper it to nothing at the tips base.