Primitive Archer
Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: NOMADIC PIRATE on May 29, 2007, 05:51:19 pm
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This story starts 1 1/2 years ago when out of a trade for some staves i got from Richard Saffold a beautifull Bamboo backed Ipe ELB,
hunded it for a month and got a good critter with it, but It was a bit lite for my liking so I stopped shooting it.
this bow was already 5 years old when I got it , this weekend I decided to pike it and try get some poundage, originally the bow was 69 1'2"ntn and tillered to 31", I piked it to 63' ntn, didn't know if something bad was going to happen retillering with such a big pike.
left the midle 8" alone to stiffen the already bendy andle, than had to take quite a bit of wood of :o ...but made it
It come out at 73# @ 26", kept the same ammount of reflex it had 1/2" (amaizing)
..Well I'm definatly a big fan of IPE, really you can't ask more than this to a bowwood (forgot to mention, the bow is 1" wide at the handle)
...I think I'll be ordering some glue ups from Rich in the furure ;D
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Glad it worked Manny.I've been reading everything you guy's write about Ipe.I've really been paying close attention to the width of the handles in everybodies post.I have a beautiful piece Kowechobee gave me and a nice strip of thin Bamboo.I'm waiting to pick up my new bandsaw this week.and when I do I'll be starting on one also.By the way,just for grins,does anybody know how it is supposed to be pronounced? ???
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It is pronounced EPAY
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Be carefull when working with this wood since the dust is toxic. Use a filter mask for sure!!!
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Shannon,That's what I thought.Been hearing it called EYEP.Didn't want to sound like a DA when I was looking for it.
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Manny, lets see some pictures. ;D
It is pronounced EPAY, it is also known as Brazilian Walnut. Minuteman brought me some to the Tennessee Classic. They are 1" wide pieces that were stickers between decking material while it was being shipped. He said it has a density that will cause it to sink to 23" in water, and suspend there. After the discussion on horn substitutes for a bow belly, I was thinking of trying Ipe for it. ??? Justin
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No pictures? Man law! Jawge
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Pictures, please!!!!
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Yes, Manny, pics! I've got an ipe board sitting in the shop and a bunch of bamboo. Other than being 1" wide at the handle and 64" can you give me any other specs? How thick are the limbs at handle and tips? How wide are the tips. Oh heck, you gotta post some pics ;D
Stan
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Sounds great,love to see it. :)
Pappy
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IPE and Bamboo are a great combination, better than Osage and Bamboo. Osage just doesn't quiet have the compression strength to properly handle Bamboo. Brazilian Ironwood is another wood that handles bamboo quite well but it's a bit weaker in tension than IPE so you have to be careful reflexing the glue up.
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I heard it was supposed to be pronounced eepay, with a long e. I've got it wrong now? ???
Sean
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Sean, That is the way I always pronounced it, too! Pat
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Just like Ebay with a 'p'. So simple.
Around here it's also sold under the names:
Ironwood, Rinodeck, Brazilian mahogany, Sounth American mahogany, as well as about ten names I couldn't pronounce to save my life.
I could get clear 1x6 boards for $1.80 a foot a couple years ago. My local lumber yards stopped carrying it.
J. D. Duff
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Be carefull getting it by any other name. I got some Brazilian Mahogany, it was not the same. In fact it was TRASH. Justin
Manny, we are still waiting for pictures of the bow. ;D
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ipe, brazilian walnut and ironwood are the only names I have ever used with it. I started making mine just abit wider on stiff handled bows recently and am happy with the results. I keep the outer limbs very narrow and stiff. I would have to say ipe/boo are about my favorite combo. Steve
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Strunk has a favorite of this combo that's about 5/8-3/4" wide and very highly crowned on the belly side. Elegant design for a hunting-weight bow.
J. D. Duff
PS, Justin's right. Unless they tell you it's really ipe, it could be any number of things.
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;D Awesome Manny, I'm glad you trimmed it. When I sent this bow to Manny, I "assumed" by the photos I had seen of him he was going to be drawing the bow a good 32" and was probably 5'24" tall ;)..Well photos can be a bit deceiving sometimes, and I probably would have sent it anyway since I felt he would learn from it. I sure did.
Manny I can't wait to see the pics!
Rich-
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I've being extremely busy lately (moving again) and finishing a couplle of bows for Bernie and Bob, but I'll take some pictures soon, It's a beauty, ...actually it's 63' ntn remesured it last nite
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Be carefull when working with this wood since the dust is toxic. Use a filter mask for sure!!!
Ditto, this is the nastiest wood I've ever worked with. And I'm not allergic to very many substances.
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Pictures?
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Actually I've never had problems with working IPE , or YEW for that matter. will take some pictures today
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I'd be interested to see too. Got a stupid question though - have heard it several times, to pike a bow means to cut off the tips and shorten it ???.
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Yes Cowboy,
here some pictures, I put a dime in the pictures because I'm not to good with mesuring ::)
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(http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d124/NorthShoreLB/Rich%20BOO%20IPE/mmmm003.jpg)
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(http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d124/NorthShoreLB/Rich%20BOO%20IPE/mmmm006.jpg)
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(http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d124/NorthShoreLB/Rich%20BOO%20IPE/mmmm005.jpg)
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(http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d124/NorthShoreLB/Rich%20BOO%20IPE/mmmm004.jpg)
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Guava overlays
(http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d124/NorthShoreLB/Rich%20BOO%20IPE/mmmm002.jpg)
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(http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d124/NorthShoreLB/Rich%20BOO%20IPE/mmmm001.jpg)
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Full draw ( and better picture of overlay) once i find a volunter
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I have searched everywhere for it. I cannot find any Ipe anywhere. Gah. Anyone know of a place to get in Michigan?
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(http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d124/NorthShoreLB/Rich%20BOO%20IPE/mmmm002-1.jpg)
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(http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d124/NorthShoreLB/Rich%20BOO%20IPE/mmmm001-1.jpg)
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;D Looks great (naturally) Manny! Beautiful overlays too. I hope you bag some hogs with it!
Rich
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Thanks for the pics, Manny. Wow, that doesn't take much wood does it? Look forward to seeing this thing at full draw. Love the bows that you do, my man. I know that smaller tips make for better performing bows, but I just can't bring myself to skinny them down to the level that you do. Did I say that I really like looking at your bows? ;D
Stan
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I have searched everywhere for it. I cannot find any Ipe anywhere. Gah. Anyone know of a place to get in Michigan?
Where I live, you can buy Ipe whereever decking and hardwood flooring is sold. I have a brother-in-law that built an entire deck out of Ipe...very expensive deck.
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That dime in the picture sure puts things in perspective. Those needle tips that you make are simply amazing!
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Poke an eye out with those tips! ;D ;D ;D
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??? Anyone else have trouble with overheating their saw when cutting Ipe? Due to the woods density I find that when making long cuts, like for limb width, the blade and motor seemed to heat up real fast.
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Brokennock, you will have that problem from time to time. There are many woods that will cause the same probelm. You need to cut real slow. Don't try to force the wood into the saw. The owner of a local cabinet tool and wood supply told me to use a diamond abrasive blade for Ipe and Purpleheart. But of course that was right before he told me, "you don't work the wood, it works you." ;) Justin
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I used to buy expensive blades for my saw but now pay about $8.00 for them, when they start to dull I change them, not pushing the wood any faster than the saw will take without bogging down and keeping a sharp fresh blade in the say goes along way, Also make sure you saw is tuned properly, thats very important with bandsaws, Steve
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I've being shooting this bow a lot the last 2 weeks, and can't belive it's maintaining the profile after I decapitated it :D , yep IPE is a great wood
(http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d124/NorthShoreLB/Rich%20BOO%20IPE/mmmm006-1.jpg)
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(http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d124/NorthShoreLB/Rich%20BOO%20IPE/mmmm003-1.jpg)
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Ya I think something catastrophic will have to happen to affect that bow. That bow is a great fit now. I have made a couple similar bows lately and it never ceases to amaze me how so little wood makes such a fast bow.
Did you find a new pad yet?
Rich-misses the Islands
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Yep Rich this combo is amazing,...... being moving in my new place last weekend, that's why it was so hard to finish all the projects I had going ::) ;D