« previous next »
Pages: [1]

Author Topic: Can bamboo be spliced at the handle for backing?  (Read 2842 times)

0 Members and 2 Guests are viewing this topic.

Offline Sidmand

  • Member
  • Posts: 302
Can bamboo be spliced at the handle for backing?
« on: April 04, 2015, 10:09:58 am »
I ordered 2 pieces of boo for backing, and they are each a touch over 8 foot long.  I'm going to create at least 2 boo backed Ipe bows that are 60" long, leaving me a bit over 3 feet of boo left from each piece.  I was wondering if anyone here had spliced 2 pieces of boo together for backing on a non-bendy handle bow?  My guess would be that it would be OK if the handle didn't bend, but I would like to get opinions from folks a lot more experienced would be much better than my guess.
Logged
"Criticism is something we can avoid easily by saying nothing, doing nothing, and being nothing." --> Aristotle

Offline PatM

  • Member
  • Posts: 6,737
Re: Can bamboo be spliced at the handle for backing?
« Reply #1 on: April 04, 2015, 10:26:53 am »
Of course. I believe you can even find a diagram on here on various methods of having the two pieces mesh at the handle.
Logged

Offline adams89

  • Member
  • Posts: 205
Re: Can bamboo be spliced at the handle for backing?
« Reply #2 on: April 04, 2015, 10:27:50 am »
yes that's no problem if it's not in a bending part.
Logged

Offline Sidmand

  • Member
  • Posts: 302
Re: Can bamboo be spliced at the handle for backing?
« Reply #3 on: April 04, 2015, 10:34:57 am »
would a good flat splice work, or do I need to do a V or Z splice?  All I have for cutting is a terrible Harbor Freight pull saw, so the less room I have to screw up the slice cut the better my odds of doing this right.
Logged
"Criticism is something we can avoid easily by saying nothing, doing nothing, and being nothing." --> Aristotle

Offline Pat B

  • Administrator
  • Member
  • Posts: 37,633
Re: Can bamboo be spliced at the handle for backing?
« Reply #4 on: April 04, 2015, 10:47:40 am »
A scarf joint would probably be the best but a butt splice should work, especially with a non-bending handle and maybe an overlay.
Logged
Make the most of all that comes and the least of all that goes!    Pat Brennan  Brevard, NC

Offline PatM

  • Member
  • Posts: 6,737
Re: Can bamboo be spliced at the handle for backing?
« Reply #5 on: April 04, 2015, 10:49:17 am »
Here's the link to the how-to by James.  You'll have to open each pic attachment. http://www.primitivearcher.com/smf/index.php/topic,25025.msg336423.html#msg336423
Logged

Offline Sidmand

  • Member
  • Posts: 302
Re: Can bamboo be spliced at the handle for backing?
« Reply #6 on: April 04, 2015, 10:56:38 am »
thanks all!  I think I will go with that 'scarf' joint, I can pull that one off with just sanding.  I think I will go with boo, a maple powerlam, ipe, and then an osage or ipe handle.  Might try to do a little bit of reflex/deflex on this one and see how it turns out.
Logged
"Criticism is something we can avoid easily by saying nothing, doing nothing, and being nothing." --> Aristotle

Offline Jim Davis

  • Member
  • Posts: 1,352
  • Reparrows
    • Reparrows
Re: Can bamboo be spliced at the handle for backing?
« Reply #7 on: April 04, 2015, 06:39:32 pm »
If the handle is not bending, you don't need to splice it at all. Just bring the ends to meet at the middle. I just repaired a bow by backing one limb with hickory. The hickory just comes to the middle of the bow and ends there. It's fne.

Logged
Jim Davis

Kentucky--formerly Maine

Offline KS51

  • Member
  • Posts: 80
Re: Can bamboo be spliced at the handle for backing?
« Reply #8 on: April 04, 2015, 07:19:50 pm »
I have done this many times. I flatten the pieces first, then I use a scarf joint by overlapping the 2 pieces on my miter saw and cutting a compound miter (30 +30).  Then I use a short piece of veneer and glue the pieces to it and mate up the scarf joint.  This gives me one long piece I can treat like a single piece.  Nice thing about it is that you can get symmetric node spacing from the handle towards the tips.

Ken

Note:  don't stack the pieces on top of each other.  Shim one side of the miter saw bed and overlap where you want the center to be.
Logged
Pages: [1]
« previous next »