Flax Backed Osage WIP

[Julian]

Hey guys, just looking for some input on my flax backing effort. is that enough? is it straight enough?

I'll post for tiller advice when I get working on the bow tomorrow, it's only roughed out at the moment. I used a good quality (PVA) wood glue but I also have some 2 part epoxy, I'm unsure which would be better suited but I chose the pva for ease of application haha.

I would rather not put the extra strain on such a short bow, as some of you suggested last time, but I was just having an impossible time chasing a ring after removing the sapwood - they're super thin. Hopefully it holds up.
shocking photos but whatever.





on a side note I also decided to reback, pike a little and retiller one of my first bows - that's an ironbark flatbow. I backed it with flax and induced some recurve that way, hopefully it stays.

[joachimM]

In my experience flax pops off easily or breaks at looser spots. Make sure to glue it very tightly.
I use hide glue and wrap bike inner tube very tightly around the limbs, heat it to reliquify the glue and ensure good bonding. Once the glue has gelled again, i remove the wrap and let the limbs dry. At recurves I also wrap flax around the limb at the strongest angle. This holds very well.