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Author Topic: Can bamboo be spliced at the handle for backing?  (Read 2814 times)

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Offline Sidmand

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Can bamboo be spliced at the handle for backing?
« on: April 04, 2015, 10:09:58 am »
I ordered 2 pieces of boo for backing, and they are each a touch over 8 foot long.  I'm going to create at least 2 boo backed Ipe bows that are 60" long, leaving me a bit over 3 feet of boo left from each piece.  I was wondering if anyone here had spliced 2 pieces of boo together for backing on a non-bendy handle bow?  My guess would be that it would be OK if the handle didn't bend, but I would like to get opinions from folks a lot more experienced would be much better than my guess.
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Offline PatM

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Re: Can bamboo be spliced at the handle for backing?
« Reply #1 on: April 04, 2015, 10:26:53 am »
Of course. I believe you can even find a diagram on here on various methods of having the two pieces mesh at the handle.
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Offline adams89

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Re: Can bamboo be spliced at the handle for backing?
« Reply #2 on: April 04, 2015, 10:27:50 am »
yes that's no problem if it's not in a bending part.
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Offline Sidmand

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Re: Can bamboo be spliced at the handle for backing?
« Reply #3 on: April 04, 2015, 10:34:57 am »
would a good flat splice work, or do I need to do a V or Z splice?  All I have for cutting is a terrible Harbor Freight pull saw, so the less room I have to screw up the slice cut the better my odds of doing this right.
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Offline Pat B

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Re: Can bamboo be spliced at the handle for backing?
« Reply #4 on: April 04, 2015, 10:47:40 am »
A scarf joint would probably be the best but a butt splice should work, especially with a non-bending handle and maybe an overlay.
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Offline PatM

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Re: Can bamboo be spliced at the handle for backing?
« Reply #5 on: April 04, 2015, 10:49:17 am »
Here's the link to the how-to by James.  You'll have to open each pic attachment. http://www.primitivearcher.com/smf/index.php/topic,25025.msg336423.html#msg336423
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Offline Sidmand

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Re: Can bamboo be spliced at the handle for backing?
« Reply #6 on: April 04, 2015, 10:56:38 am »
thanks all!  I think I will go with that 'scarf' joint, I can pull that one off with just sanding.  I think I will go with boo, a maple powerlam, ipe, and then an osage or ipe handle.  Might try to do a little bit of reflex/deflex on this one and see how it turns out.
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"Criticism is something we can avoid easily by saying nothing, doing nothing, and being nothing." --> Aristotle

Offline Jim Davis

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Re: Can bamboo be spliced at the handle for backing?
« Reply #7 on: April 04, 2015, 06:39:32 pm »
If the handle is not bending, you don't need to splice it at all. Just bring the ends to meet at the middle. I just repaired a bow by backing one limb with hickory. The hickory just comes to the middle of the bow and ends there. It's fne.

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Jim Davis

Kentucky--formerly Maine

Offline KS51

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Re: Can bamboo be spliced at the handle for backing?
« Reply #8 on: April 04, 2015, 07:19:50 pm »
I have done this many times. I flatten the pieces first, then I use a scarf joint by overlapping the 2 pieces on my miter saw and cutting a compound miter (30 +30).  Then I use a short piece of veneer and glue the pieces to it and mate up the scarf joint.  This gives me one long piece I can treat like a single piece.  Nice thing about it is that you can get symmetric node spacing from the handle towards the tips.

Ken

Note:  don't stack the pieces on top of each other.  Shim one side of the miter saw bed and overlap where you want the center to be.
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