Author Topic: Watch me build a reflex deflex boo backed ipe. NOT INSTRUCTIONAL (Read 61970 times)

Jesse · « **on:** February 27, 2008, 09:43:39 pm »

This is not meant as a how to just for the record its just so you can see how I am doing it and give your input.
Ok this is a bamboo backed ipe reflex deflex bow. I got the bamboo and the ipe from Rich Saffold and it is some nice stuff. I got my idea for the form from rudderbows.
The bow will be 68" ntn with an 8 inch glued on riser. I am starting out at 1/14 wide and straight tapper to 1/2 tips. I will reduce this latter to get the mass down if it seems stable enough. Sounds reasonable to me.

Jesse · « **Reply #1 on:** February 27, 2008, 09:51:44 pm »

I start with the bamboo. Its pretty thick so I will reduce it by width and thickness.

First I mark center with a chalk line and trce it in pencil

Then I mark center

Now I mark the tips at 3/4 and the center to 1 3/8 I do this because I think its easier to sand if its partially tapered. I dont cut to exact shape because after glue up it might not be exactly straight

Jesse · « **Reply #2 on:** February 27, 2008, 10:02:13 pm »

After marking it out I cut it out on the bandsaw. I dont have a picture but I also mark a line on the side of the bamboo by clamping it to something straight and carefully marking it from center to tips> I try to give it a little taper also.

Then I sand it down to the line on my belt sander. Sorry no pic of that.
Next I mark out the ipe 4" Both sides of center. for the handle

Next I lay out the thickness taper. 1/2' at the fades to 3/16" tips

Then I clamp one limb at a time to my level and clamp on a straight edge to mark it

Jesse · « **Reply #3 on:** February 27, 2008, 10:14:05 pm »

After cutting it out I tape the back of the boo and the belly of the ipe so they wont get glue on them. Then I rough up the surfaces to be glued by dragging the length of them across a jigsaw blade clamped in a vice. Then I use resorcinol glue and then wrap it in plastic and then rubber straps and then clamp it in the form.

I got this idea from rudderbows to use a 2/4 cut in a curve to help shape the limb. It gives a much nicer looking bend than before I started using this

Here it is out of the form

Next I mark the taper on the ipe first a centerline to make sure it did not shift a little while I was al stressed out glueing

Jesse · « **Reply #4 on:** February 27, 2008, 10:24:01 pm »

Looks like it moved a little or the ipe was not straight. notice the sides are not even. Thats ok because the bamboo is plenty wide yet. Next I cut close to the lines and then sand. Now I will make the riser. I used some scraps of hickory osage and ipe. I think it will give it some nice color. I ran out of resorcinol so I will use tb3 for the riser. I got it clamped and her it is before I cut the shape. This is all the progress I have made. I am all of the sudden very bussy at work so this project will slow down. Have patience

Thanks for looking Jesse

Gordon · « **Reply #5 on:** February 28, 2008, 11:39:26 am »

I'm following this very closely. Thank you!

adb · « **Reply #6 on:** February 28, 2008, 11:42:32 am »

Excellent build along. Thanks for sharing.

cowboy · « **Reply #7 on:** February 28, 2008, 11:51:12 am »

I've had some ideas in the back of my mind for one of those (of course I don't have any ipe) but your givin me new ideas too. Interesting, thanks..

medicinewheel · « **Reply #8 on:** February 28, 2008, 01:57:12 pm »

this is going to be a nice bow! ...- and i already know what the riser will look like...

frank

DanaM · « **Reply #9 on:** February 28, 2008, 03:44:33 pm »

Looking good jesse, is this my new bow for Pappy's

Badger · « **Reply #10 on:** February 28, 2008, 06:22:41 pm »

I like the idea of using that curve to clamp the limb down, I will adpt that into my r/d's. Steve

Jesse · « **Reply #11 on:** February 28, 2008, 08:03:33 pm »

uh oh Ive got the pros watching now I better make it good

Thanks for watching I figured someone can give me some pointers
I will work on it more and post pics this weekend. Shop vac just broke so its about to get dusty

Dana ---

no but you can shoot it all you want if I still have it by then

Jesse

wvfknapper · « **Reply #12 on:** February 28, 2008, 10:16:26 pm »

Jesse

Did you put the reflex - deflex in the ipe before you glued the boo on ? Or did you just clamp it to a form and it holds this shape?

wvflintknapper

Jesse · « **Reply #13 on:** February 29, 2008, 06:02:55 am »

Quote from: wvflintknapper on February 28, 2008, 10:16:26 pm

Jesse

Did you put the reflex - deflex in the ipe before you glued the boo on ? Or did you just clamp it to a form and it holds this shape?

wvflintknapper

I just put the two together flat and clamp it to shape before the glue starts to set. It holds the shape fine. I think one key to it is getting the pieces flexible before gluing. The ipe feels like a finished 40# bow before gluing and now its pretty stiff. Some reflex is lost right when you take the clamps off it pops up a little. Also during tillering I expect to loose more. Jesse

Jesse · « **Reply #14 on:** March 02, 2008, 12:53:20 am »

Well I got a little further today. I got it sanded down to the lines using this hand held belt sander clamped to a post with the trigger locked. It works pretty good for doing the sides. For the belly I clamp it to the table where the snow is missing.

Maybe I should invest in a better setup but this works for now

Next I scrape the rind off with a scraper until the shine is off and it looks kind of whitish.

Then I use the orbital sander on slow speed with 320 grit to get the rest of the rind off down to the nice yellow color making sure not to go any further than just getting the color. you can see where it has been sanded.

Primitive Archer