Preparing billets to splice?

[stringstretcher]

Does anyone have any good pictures and explanations on how they prepare their billets to the point of laying out and cutting their splices?  I sure would love to see some if you do?

[Hrothgar]

With the exception of one, all my billet bows have been turned into takedowns--no particular reason except I don't own any power saws/table saws. On the one osage bow I spliced together I first marked the splice on the handle end of the billets using a  Z to Z end splice, then explained to my carpenter friend what I wanted before he cut. A couple things to consider: its alright if the joint isn't real snug, you will want to get plenty of glue in the gap. If the joint seems too snug use a file or heavy grit sandpaper to 'open it up' rather than trying to hammer the 2 billets together and risk splittiing a limb. Hope this helps.

[PEARL DRUMS]

Charlie, Eric just posted his way of doing it. Its simple and easy to follow. I just cant remember the thread he posted it in. I think the build alongs have a few good ones also.

[Eric Krewson]

Draw a center line on your billets, draw your pattern on a piece of paper and glue it on your billets lining it up with the billet center line. I use white Elmer's glue.

The picture is of a limb replacement, as you can see, the drawn pattern will conform to any shape and give you a perfect layout.



If you cut your splices and get a sloppy fit, heat them up with your heat gun and clamp them together without glue, when they cool you will have a pretty good fit.

[stringstretcher]

Thanks all, and I had seen the paper lay out of Eric's before.  What I also would like to know, is how are you getting your belly(handle area for glue on) nice and flat and parallel the the back?  And when you cut the width, what are you using to keep the sides parallel to each other and also square to the back and belly?  To maybe better ask the question, how are you going about getting your splice area of the billets square to make good cuts?

[seabass]

i am not positive charles,but i think some guys use a belt sander to flatten the belly side so they get a good cut on the bandsaw.

[tom sawyer]

+1 to making the belly side flat, I do it with the band saw leaving plenty of wood if I have it.

I try and match up a couple of billets that have similar roundness/flattness on the backs.  Then when I cut the splices they'll match up.  I focus on getting the backs lined up, its not always perfect but you will most likely be putting a handle wrap on it so it will be hidden.  I leave extra thickness on the belly side of the handles so I can shape them down and they'll be smooth.  I also leave extra width but you have to remember that you want almost all of the glue line to be intact after you shape the handle.  If you did a 2" wide splice and made the handle 1" afterwards, you'd be lacking a safe amount of glue line holding things together.

[PEARL DRUMS]

i am not positive charles,but i think some guys use a belt sander to flatten the belly side so they get a good cut on the bandsaw.

Yup, or a bandsaw. The 4" splice section be squared up in order make a good splice. Dont worry about the back.