Form Width For Laminate Bows?

[mmattockx]

Since bows get made in a wide variety of widths, what do people do to accommodate different widths on their forms used for gluing up laminate bows? Is it easier to have the form slightly narrower than the limbs or slightly wider?

It seems to me that maintaining alignment of the lams is easier if they are slightly wider than the form, but it is harder to clamp the edges for proper glue performance while the opposite is true if the form is wider than the limbs.

All experience/comment/ideas welcome.


Thanks,
Mark

[willie]

Are you thinking of a caul type form that has cutouts for wood working clamps? or a form with a male and female half?

[DC]

I use bike tube for clamping and I wind it all up and then clamp it to the caul. The width of the caul doesn't matter all that much. I use 2"(1 1/2" really) stock for them

[mmattockx]

Are you thinking of a caul type form that has cutouts for wood working clamps? or a form with a male and female half?

The first, a form that is open on one side and the lams are clamped down to it while the glue dries.

I use bike tube for clamping and I wind it all up and then clamp it to the caul. The width of the caul doesn't matter all that much. I use 2"(1 1/2" really) stock for them

I plan to use clamps and inner tube to strap the lams down to the form. I can see your method would not be sensitive to the width of the form. The biggest question with a wide form is how do you keep the lams lined up side to side? As I clamp them down they will float everywhere on the glue and I need some way of keeping them aligned.


Mark

[willie]

I have always found it easier to glue up in a width that works for the fixture, and shape to size after curing. you could always pin the lams in an area that will be removed later.

[Tommy D]

On this latest one I used short sections of inner tube to make sure the tips, the power lam etc were lined up. The I cut rubber bands from an inner tube by cutting across the tube and stretching them over dowls in the caul. It’s seemed to work fine. The caul is wider than the limbs.  I’ve done it before with a Binghams kit bow but they recommended a pressure strip and masking tape to line everything up. I didn’t use a pressure strip on this one

[bownarra]

Make the form wider.
If all your lams are thin use a pressure strip.
You stop the lams moving by laying up the stack then simply using packing tape make a few wraps along the length, pullingthe tape as tight as you can get it. Once you have a few wraps of tape nothing will move. Then take some saran wrap and wrap the full stack and form. This totally eliminates any movement when applying clamps. Very simple, easy and totally foolproof

[mmattockx]

Lots of good advice here, thanks to all for posting. Wider it is, then.


Mark