Reflex/Deflex Bamboo backed Osage Tri-Lam build-a-long

[wytetale]

We got the belly lams cut and planed down to 1/8". Cut the fades out on the riser. From the center of the riser I measure 2 1/4" from each side this gives me a 4 1/2" handle.Then from my 2 1/4" mark I I draw a taper down to the end of the riser.It will look like this

[wytetale]

I lost a couple of pics when my batteries went dead.I t was showing how we fit the belly lams to the fades, I will explain it. First you want to make sure that you have a real smooth transition from your fades on to the center lam. Once you have that mark your belly lams 6" up from the end and taper them to about 1/16". I just use the belt sander. Then Take a couple of spring clamps and clamp the Lam on to the fades and see if you get a tight fit. You might have to sand a bit here or there. After you get a good fit,what we will do is take a heat gun to the lam while it is clamped to the riser so it will take the shape of the fade. It takes stress off of it and it also makes it easier gluing it up. When your ready to glue it up use the blocks that you cut from the fades and use them to clamp the lams in place on to the fades. We are going to make another one this weekend and I'll post the pics of it.

[wytetale]

Here is a pic right after we had taken the clamps off it.

[radius]

well i've been trying to copy you on this...got a few r/d blanks glued up (2 with hickory back, 1 bamboo...all maple cores)   and shaped and attached the riser blocks.  Yesterday I tillered one  and shaped the handle...but left the  riser most of its length...so it's way too long...and the bow only draws 30 pounds.  I was going to pike it later today until i saw this post.  Instead I'll recut the handle down to more reasonable dimensions, and then attach some belly lams to ride up the fades.  I have many 3 foot slats of yew about 3/16 thick.  So:  you just taper the fade-end of the belly lam so it rides smoothly up the curve?  I tried this once before,and got a failure where the belly lam met the tip of the fade:  compression fractures and total bow failure...try and try again!

[wytetale]

When we glued the belly lams on we left them 1 1/2" wide. Now I am going to trim it all up on the band saw, I stay about a 1/16" away from the bamboo so that way I can lay the limbs on the belt sander and sand it up to the bamboo.

[radius]

what's the thickness of the limbs?

[wytetale]

Got all the glue off and everything sanded to the bamboo.My tips are 5/8" wide. Now I will taper them to 1/2" I start the taper 6" back and draw my lines, then just lay the tip in the belt sander and sand to the lines.

[wytetale]

Radius, yes just taper the belly side of the lamb to about a 1/16" the last 6" of it. Make sure that you get a real smooth transition from the belly on to the riser fades. Before you glue it up dry run it with your clamps and hold it up to the light to see if you see any gaps. Mark the high spots and sand a little more till you get a really good fit. The thickness on this bow was 1/4" to 1/8" taper on the core and an 1/8" lambination for the belly. It came out really stiff. the next one will be 3/16" tapered to a 1/16" for the core.

[wytetale]

Tips are done now I'll draw a line about 1/4" in along the length of each side of the limbs on the bamboo so I cn trap the back of the bamboo. I use a rasp for that.

[wytetale]

Now to the belly,I'll draw my lines the same way on the belly. I might go a little wider with my line or narrower depending on how heavy the bow comes out of the form.

[wytetale]

Now I do the overlays I cut two pieces of deer antler 1/4"x2".I mark the tips of the limb 2" and sand a bevel down to the belly lam.That way you dont have all the overlay sticking up and it helps to take a little more weight off the tips.


Sand the bottom of the antler real flat and glue them on. We have been using super-glue gel and it has worked great. Never had any come off yet

[wytetale]

All thats left is to cut a string groove in the nock and then start to tiler it out.Here is a pic of it all cleaned up before tillering. and a pic of a static tip one that my dad was working on that I tillered out.

[wytetale]

First pull with the longstring was about 14" when I hit 50# When we get a bow off the form. Ilike to be able to pull it to about 20",Then I know that I will be pretty close to getting a string on it at about a 2-3 in brace. I only had a 1/8" belly lam to work with on this one, not a whole lot of room for mistakes. I took some more off from the fades to mid limb and started to get it to bend. Got a short string on it and am at 50# AT 22" with a 2" brace. right limb is a little stiffer yet.

[wytetale]

50# at 25" right limb starting to bend to much after the fades, going to start taking alittle more off twords the outer limbs.

[wytetale]

Here it is at 28" 50lbs. still needs a little work. Will be working on it Wed and Thurs doing the final tiller and cutting out the riser and shaping it along with the nocks