Building A Laminate Bow W/Hand Tools & Scap Staves

[Jim Davis]

But as I said, they only stiffen it because they thicken it. It's just a cute way of saying  the material makes the handle thicker.

[PatM]

But as I said, they only stiffen it because they thicken it. It's just a cute way of saying  the material makes the handle thicker.

 Much like trolling is a cute way of saying contentious.

[PEARL DRUMS]

Ok, then you come up with a less flashy name that you approve of, let me know what it is and I will start using it instead of power lamination. I kind of like "material that just makes the handle thicker" better than "power lam". But that's just my opinion.

[Jim Davis]

How about just saying add a lamination (even lam if you like) to thicken the riser?

Doesn't matter, I'm just practicing my curmudgeonlyness. Guess I'm getting good enough at it to go professional.

[Limbwalker]

Here is a picture of the fade/lower limb area; I added the SFP lam, I used a scrap piece of really old Osage. The Bamboo will most likely be put on tomorrow. Nothing is sanded or in its final shape, only rasped, and more rasping to do. The bow will be completed fairly soon, I hope, I have a couple others I'm working on too. I still have used only hand tools and wood from my junk pile. Taking my time and having fun with it.

Forgot to say, the riser section is more like a self bow design and there will be no arrow shelf, the bow is relatively short, (The handle goes on after Boo) I like thinner deeper handles anyway and the profile is working out for really nice arrow placement.

[Springbuck]

How about just saying add a lamination (even lam if you like) to thicken the riser.

This is for neither Pearl, or Asharrow, who both know what they are talking about.    But for anybody else........

The term came about maybe 18 years ago or so over on Stickbow.com/Leatherwall,  along with "flipped tips" and the term "boofloo" to designate bamboo flooring, etc....somebody used it and it stuck. It doessn't really add power, and I'd make one out of any wood I had handy that would make an kind of bow..  So, not pine, but definitely walnut, hickory, elm, etc....

Specifically, it has been used to refer to a shortened, tapered-out lamInation between backing and core, or between laminations, as opposed to an extra lamination just added to the belly under a riser block or stack.

It was found back then that if you glued a 1/8" backing to a 3/8" belly lam, that was plenty for the limbs, but if you glued on a handle block it would often just pop off, regardless of glue used. 

If you started with a 1/2" thick belly lam, and worked the fadeouts into the thickness of the limbs, that worked, but wasted wood. It might cost you making four lams instead of six out of a nice, expensive ipe or bulletwood  board. But, using scrap, the power lam would get you six.

Some people have had success dping it other ways, BUT, the BEST way seems to be a power lam that adds thickness under the backing, at least 1/16"-1/8", but a lot more than that is unnecessary.  I only go thicker if I need to splice a backing .  The tapers can be easily done on a tablesaw, bandsaw, beltsander, or with a hand planer and jig.  With effort it can be done with hand tools.

That's how I remember it.

[Springbuck]

I dig it so far.  Be fussy about the glue joints.   I'm a tad nervous about the 5 piece core; eAch joint and splice is a place for gremlins to get their fingers under.

And, if you NEED any stiffness or thickening at the handle, a power-lam under the bamboo would be the way to go.   

Last thing about bamboo.   Watch where the nodes go.  The nodes are necessarily thicker than the rest of the backing.  Not an issue per se, but if the stiff nodes line up with the wrong spot, you can compound your troubles.  About 8 years ago, I built a BEAUTIFUL bamboo backed goncalo alves bow for a friend that pulled almost 70 lbs.  Somehow, the node placement fell such that about 2" past both fadeouts there sat a bamboo node, making a transition from stiff fade to weak inner limb (highly strained area) to a stiff node in about 5" of the limb.  I couldn't SEE it in the tiller, but I must have BADLY overstrained that 2" spot, because the bow fretted badly over the first 1000 shots or so.  The belly was scribbled with little fractures, the bow took all kinds of set, and lost its cast. 

[Springbuck]

TTT, just cuz I'm watching to see how this goes

[Limbwalker]

Quick updat on this bow,
The bow is fine and I have yet to glue a backing on it because my time has been needed elsewhere. The time I have spent on bows; has been spent harvesting and processing staves before spring is in full swing. Lots of Hackberry, Redbud and some Osage, BL and Mulberry. Removing sapwood and sealing backs has been taking up a lot of time, but it will pay off down the road.

Another thing with this bow, I have gone through ~10 bamboo culms. There seems to be a disease or pest influencing my bamboo for the worst. From testing the Boo, I'm not happy with it. I will be using something other than bamboo and I'm processing that right now. So I will get the back glued on in the next few days and down to final tiller. The bow is very light weight so far (Literal weight not draw), it will be interesting to see how it turns out.