Bow from scraps (HBI) Pic Added

[deadsilence]

Repost from another forum but you guys do more of this style:

Ended up with some scrap ipe and hickory from other projects and I was wondering if anyone had good starting dimensions for a bendy handle hickory backed ipe. My ipe is 61” long .87” wide and .70 thick. Hickory was a .120” thick backing from a failed glue job I cleaned up.

I was planing on doing a starting thickness taper from .5” at the tips to full depth 2.25” from center. Width taper was going to be full width reducing to .5” tips starting 12” from tips. I have to do that or more to safely remove a small pin not in the ipe.

Any and all suggestions welcome.

[tattoo dave]

Not a lot of wood there, .70" thick on the ipe, is that correct? Where does the 2.25" come from if the ipe is only .70" thick.

If you want a bendy handle, I wouldn't reduce the width at all, just taper the thickness, but it sounds like you need to cut out a knot. How far away from the tip is the pin knot, and what draw length are you aiming for? You may be able to get a short bow out of it, just cut it off in the length.

Lot's of questions to be answered before anyone can give you a better answer.

Tattoo Dave 

[deadsilence]

.70” (almost 3/4”) is correct on the thickness. I was shooting for a 4.5 inch handle area so I was going to do a thickness taper from tips to 2.25” from center.

The pin knot is 9” from the tip and right on the edge. Matter of fact it was cut through when this excess was made.

Shooting for 27-28” draw. 50ish lbs draw.

[Morgan]

If I’m not mistaken, I have seen an ipe bow on here or another site that is only 3/4” wide. That is ridiculously narrow, but if it can be done, there is possibilities with your narrow piece.

[deadsilence]

If I’m not mistaken, I have seen an ipe bow on here or another site that is only 3/4” wide. That is ridiculously narrow, but if it can be done, there is possibilities with your narrow piece.

Any idea what a good thickness taper starting place might be?

[Pat B]

Make the hickory backing about 1/8" thick and leave the ipe 3/4" and taper it to 3/8" at the tips. Then start tillering it down to the weight you desire. If you are doing a bendy handle bow start with 1/2" thickness for the ipe at the handle.

[deadsilence]

Make the hickory backing about 1/8" thick and leave the ipe 3/4" and taper it to 3/8" at the tips. Then start tillering it down to the weight you desire. If you are doing a bendy handle bow start with 1/2" thickness for the ipe at the handle.

Thank for the help Pat. Just for clarification do you mean the ipe itself should start at 3/8 or the bow and backing combined should be 3/8?

[Pat B]

The ipe. With the 1/8" back that gives you 1/2" thick tips that can be narrowed later to 3/8" wide or less after you get the string tracking properly.

[deadsilence]

Thanks Pat!

[deadsilence]

Anyone going to be cruising the forum Saturday morning? Wife and baby are gonna be gone for the day and I plan to get some tillering done on this project. This is the first bendy handle I’ve ever attempted so advice on my progress will be needed. Currently  it has been on a long string with 6” of tip movement and the tips are  even but it is stiff toward the outer 1/2-1/3.

[Pat B]

Leave the middle 1/3 of the bow alone and concentrate on the middle portion of the limbs, leaving the outer 6" to 8" of each tip stiff. Once you have the mid limb bending well and the limbs are bending evenly and together you can start bringing the bend back towards the handle. The leverage of the limb stresses the handle area(middle 1/3 of the bow) the most so bring the bend back into the handle area later. I like to feel the handle start to bend as I hit full draw.
 I'll be around on Saturday and will look for your post.

[deadsilence]

Leave the middle 1/3 of the bow alone and concentrate on the middle portion of the limbs, leaving the outer 6" to 8" of each tip stiff. Once you have the mid limb bending well and the limbs are bending evenly and together you can start bringing the bend back towards the handle. The leverage of the limb stresses the handle area(middle 1/3 of the bow) the most so bring the bend back into the handle area later. I like to feel the handle start to bend as I hit full draw.
 I'll be around on Saturday and will look for your post.

Will do!  Thanks! I’ll try to get a picture of it up in its current state.

[deadsilence]

Here it is

[Pat B]

Leave the middle 1/3 of the bow alone and get the limbs bending more.

[deadsilence]

after two scrapping sessions