World’s Ugliest R/D at 27 inches draw!

[BowEd]

This is the way I do it.I've got 2 bamboo backed mulberries to do soon here.These are'nt going to be tri lams but solid cores but don't see any difference in procedure.From a pre tapered slat core and 1/8" thick bamboo all cut to top view profile.
Before sizing with smooth on I sand with at least 60 grit and then I tooth[or lightly score length wise] both surfaces length wise with a hacksaw blade.Clean up little shavings etc.Do a dry fit and you'll feel it does'nt want to move sideways very easily at all.The light scoring helps prevent that.Put masking tape on back of bow and belly of bow.Then size with epoxy.Wrap in place intermittentantly with cling film.Then wrap completely with cling film.Then wrap completely with innertube strips.Then clamp to form and let cure.
Clean it up the next day and onto the tillering board.

[bownarra]

Ed - ask Smooth-On about using a toothing plane on lams

[BowEd]

Do you mean deeper furrowed toothing grooves of 1/32" or deeper?By toothing I really mean lightly scoring the surface with the teeth of the hack saw blade.I'll correct that.

[PatM]

I didn't even know Smooth-On made bows.

[BowEd]

I'm not sure they do Pat.They do know bow makers use the stuff.They might leave that up to us guys experimenting with their product.

[Mad Max]

I did not read the whole topic but
Go to lowes or Home Depot and look for these mats, cut the same width as the form and lay it on the form, get a 36" long mat and butt them together at the center.

[Tommy D]

I did not read the whole topic but
Go to lowes or Home Depot and look for these mats, cut the same width as the form and lay it on the form, get a 36" long mat and butt them together at the center.

Thank - have you used this system?

I am also wondering whether people have glued on bamboo backs to bows using the air hose method that glass bows use?

[Mad Max]

I know some that use it
you need to use steel pins and mule tape(pull tape) to lash down the fire hose on top of the bow.
A dry run will let you know how much air pressure you need

[BowEd]

A couple of my FG bow building friends use the hose on the form method.I think they use 70#'s of pressure on the gauge.

[Tommy D]

Ok - so I have cleaned her up - she holds just under 2” of reflex, is 1 1/4” at fades to half inch wide at the tips. 65” ntn. I am going for 70# at 27”... I think she has a good shape and should pack some authority if I can tiller it right.

Bamboo back, ash core and Ipe belly.

I have her on the tillering tree and the long string.

She is at 70lbs in the “drawn” photo.

I think I want to start taking some wood off at the bottom of the belly - I can see the tips are already trying to come round and there is some movement out of the handle fades - but I know that this is a tricky thing to get right with R/D bows ... so am all ears ...

[RyanY]

With the pyramid limb profile and the reflex being mostly in the inner limb I think the full draw is going to look a bit funky. It’ll probably look like it’s bending too much in the fades with stiffer inner limbs and a bit more bend in the outer limbs. I’d watch for set and tiller based on that since the forces with that R/D profile can be tricky.

[Tommy D]

With the pyramid limb profile and the reflex being mostly in the inner limb I think the full draw is going to look a bit funky. It’ll probably look like it’s bending too much in the fades with stiffer inner limbs and a bit more bend in the outer limbs. I’d watch for set and tiller based on that since the forces with that R/D profile can be tricky.

Thanks Ryan - any pointers as to what it should look like braced and at full draw. Am sort of thinking if the limbs are straightish at brace and then come round at full draw?

[RyanY]

It’ll be close to that but be careful that the reflexed portion isn’t bending too much by straightening out early.

[Tommy D]

Still on the long string here at 60lbs.

Watching the set and so far unchanged.

[RyanY]

I think it’s looking pretty dang good. Might be ready to brace.