powerlam on straight-handled bow?

[upstatenybowyer]

If you're splicing together billets w/ no deflex glued in, is a powerlam still advisable if you are planning on backing w/ wood?

[DC]

I've done quite a few spliced "selfbows" with no problem so splices are strong enough on their own but if you're going to back it anyway you might as well stick a lam in there. Unless your backing is one piece, then I don't see any gain.

[upstatenybowyer]

Makes sense. Thanks Don 

[Stick Bender]

I dont think structurally it will make a diffence with using modern epoxy, if your looking to lengthing your fade area as with a PL you can do the same thing with increased riser/fade length with the added advantage of not having to remove limb wood to adjust the area in the fades , I did that on my last strait bow and worked good for me !

[Dances with squirrels]

I've never put a power lam in a bow of any profile or type of construction, and never had a single problem that they're supposed to be needed to cure... so there's that.

[Pat B]

As long as the handle area is thick enough not to bend while drawing there is no need for a power lam. Even with a backing the center can bend if not thick enough. If you start with a 3/4" belly lam and keep the handle area that thick and reduce the belly thickness to the limbs you will be OK. If your belly is thinner, say 3/8" to 1/2" thick there is a chance for the handle area to bend which puts the solidity of the handle riser at risk.

[Stick Bender]

I could see a use for PL on a strait , short working limb bow such as a lever or tip wedge lam bow or if you wanted to increase the fade transition with out increasing handle length , some of the trilam guys on here use them all the time ,I haven't seen them used much on strait bows but would make sense to me with listed above. I have only used them on high reflexed stiff outer bows where the lower limbs are highly stressed but the concept is the same.

[Bayou Ben]

In your example I don't see why you need one.   

About the only time I would say I need a power lam is when I'm doing a spliced backing or when doing a lot of deflex.  Even then if you build the handle up enough and feather it to working limbs, it's probably not needed.  That being said I do use them most of the time.  I like them for aesthetics and like Ritchie mentions it strengthens the fade area where you have more freedom to do what you want with the handle. 

I'm working on a Marc style bow, and I would not feel comfortable without a power lam on this one.  It's going to have a spliced backing.   

   

[Pat B]

The backing and the handle riser will reinforce the splice plenty.

[upstatenybowyer]

A lot of great insight here as always. Pat you said all the right stuff, because the bow in question has only about 3/4" thickness at the handle if that. It's also 2" short of the recommended working-limb length (I'm leaving it quite wide and it's lilac- a very elastic wood -so I'm hoping to get away with it).

All that being said, it sounds like a powerlam might not be a bad idea.

I really appreciate all your input guys and I really hope your Marc-style bow works out Ben! Lord knows I've had a heck of time making one.