BBM Glued Up (Now with final photos)

[Ryano]

Dave, you need to get the outer limbs to open up more. What you have there is two way too long levers and the bow is only working in the inner part of the limbs. A D/R bow should be tillered so the entire limb is still working evenly with maybe just slightly stiff outer limb tips say the last 6" or so. Next time you glue one up if you cut out your front profile on the boo first and then retaper it from handle to tip before you glue it on to the core this will help to get those outer limbs bending more. Hope this helps, Ryan.

[Lombard]

Thanks Ryan, that does help. I planed it full width, and the taper looked okay, but once the profile was planned down to the lines after glue up, I realized that the bamboo was thicker than what was wanted.  I'll see about getting those outer limbs to open up more. I'd rather end up with a thirty pound bow with the right tiller, than a forty five pound bow that looks stupid. Your tip will be the answer on the next glue up.

Getting those outer limbs to open up does raise a question or two for me though. Should it be done by side tillering, or continued belly scraping? I'm concerned that just belly scraping will make it to thin to handle the thicker than wanted bamboo? Would trapping the bamboo help in this regard also? Thanks again, Dave

[NTD]

Ryan's advice helped me get in the right direction for tillering R/D's but I still have a ways to go.  I think it was Mullet who helped me with the idea of getting the outer limbs to open first and THEN work the mid and inner limbs.

[Ryano]

Yes Dave you got the right idea. Trap the boo and narrow the outer limbs and scrap the belly. What NTD said is correct, I always work from the mid limb out first on these type of bows and sometimes I barely touch the inner limbs with a scraper other than just to round the edges of the limbs a little. That all depends on how thick your core started off at glue up and the draw weight your shooting for. Actualy no matter what kind of bow I'm tillering I leave the inner limbs alone until I'm aproaching full draw length/weight.  I try to get them to just start bending near the end of the draw.

[Lombard]

Got on to it some more. It is drawing forty pounds in this photo. Outer limbs are opening up a good bit more. Used a combination of trapping, side tillering, and belly scraping. At this point I'm going to put it down for awhile, and come back to it in a week or two with fresh eyes. Far from what I hoped for, but good lessons learned on this one. I'll have that boo profiled and tapered better on the next glue up, as per Ryan's suggestions.

My Wife took the photos, just starting the draw, full draw, and just off the string.

[Lombard]

It was sitting up there on the mantle taunting me. I tried to look away, and occupy my mind with other things, but like a persistent mosquito  that bad tiller was buzzing around my head. An ugly picture that needed to be rectified. So with some more scrapes here and there it ended up here, where it will stay. Still not great, but closer than where it was. After eighty grit sanding it weighs thirty six pounds at twenty eight, which isn't all bad, because at my draw length of thirty inches, it reads forty one pounds on my Pelouze. Bows for myself, I try to bring in between forty five and fifty pounds at thirty inches.

[Lombard]

Did some scraping this afternoon removing the waxy rind. The node above the file is the transition zone. Once removed the bamboo takes on a pleasant straw color.  Got the final sanding done, and the dye rubbed in. Haven't decided yet what the bow will be sealed with. My two choices here at the house without going anywhere, are spar varnish or paraffin.

[Ryano]

Dave what kind of glue did you use to glue it up? If you used urac you could always temper the belly with a heat gun and add a little more reflex to get the draw weight up a few pounds. I just lightly sand the back of the bamboo now since others have told me they have less problems with it splintering on down the road if they don't remove the rind. PS. The tiller looks much better now.

[mullet]

 I can't add much to this, Ryan's giving you the best advice you can get. That tiller does look a lot better, now.

[Lombard]

Yeah Eddie, Ryan's advise has helped me in my bow making endeavors substantially, to which I am ever grateful.

Heated the belly with the bow secured to my re-flexing form that is mainly used for self bows, and was able to get the weight up to 40@28. That gets it where I like at my draw of thirty inches. Opted for the spar varnish, and have two coats applied and drying.  Thanks again Ryan, for the advice.

[Stingray45]

I really like the BBM bow you posted on here. I had a quick question for you on it. I have some bamboo I just got and am planning to do a glue up on a hickory board and want to put in some R/D into it. I was wondering what demensions you had on the maple when you glued it up? I was thinking of tapering from 5/8" at the handle down to 3/8" at the tip. Then I was going to glue on the bamboo and put in the R/D at that time. Any advice you can provide would be appreciated. Thanks.

[Lombard]

Thanks Stingray. The Maple started out 7/8" x 1 7/8" x 66". Tapered the belly from 1/2" at the dips to 3/16" at the tips. The front profile tapered full width at the dips to 1/2" wide at the tips. If you haven't already noted, RyanO offers advise above on these bows regarding tapering the bamboo and tillering, that you may find helpful as well.

Glued on my leather arrow rest and strike plate this evening, and wrapped the handle with Hemp twine.

[Lombard]

Went out to hunt this morning, ended up just killing three stumps, and four arrows. Not all bad though.

I've some final photos of this project of the belly, back, unbraced, braced, and full draw. There is a need to be careful where this one gets put down, it disappears easily.

[Pat B]

Looks like you nailed it!!!   

[Lombard]

I just love hunting, and stump shooting out here. Just a matter of opening the door and going out back.

Only had three arrows left though after loosing two, and breaking the other two on rocks, in other words missed shots.

Once back at the house I shot my last three arrows at my old target. Top arrow 35-40 pounds, bottom arrow is 50-55 pounds ,and the middle arrow is 40-45 pounds. Shot from fifty feet.

Thank you Pat, between you and Ryan, I got her going in the right direction.