Springbuck now we're getting somewhere, thanks so much for the no bs answers. For the record when I talk about what I 'think' or 'thought', I m not necessarily disagreeing with you, I am thinking about if someone is just starting out, five years from now, and reads this, that they get they're answers. Make sense. Just discussing ideas and experiences is helpful. Then you come in from behind and one by one, knock the questions out. Thanks. I'm regrouping and I will show you the new stack and you can tell me what you think, I did get rid of the whole double belly a while ago, thanks to you.
I have a feeling Asharrow is smart. You see I didn't go to school, I paid my dues in other ways.
Asharrow, I hear you, I do. I admit my scientific process is no process at all. Been winging it from the jump. Your right. How will I know who the culprit is if it breaks? For a while I was kinda talking to myself here, until people chimed in, so I was working it out. My mind has changed since the beginning. I tossed an idea out about the double belly thing and it was shot down more than once, I'm over the idea, it's dead.
So should I be building two bows at once with one being the control? Joking, you don't want twice as many questions do you? lol. I have learned a lot so far and if stopped now it would have had value for me. I'm not going to stop obviously, but that's why I'm messing with the BL and doing samples. I know I need to do muipule samples to get a real accurate average. Not enough time.
Mikekeswike said it's important to use a backing with interlocking grain. Here is a thread about BL back
https://www.primitivearcher.com/smf/index.php/topic,29125.0/nowap.html Since BL does not have interlocking grain, I'm concluding this is why it is better plain sawn.
The bow is a trilam, that will not change, done, backing undecided, I made new bellies with better grain and am processing a bamboo and a BL back and will decide soon. I just have to get e glue lines and triple check the thickness on the sides of belly lams; I don't want any twist now. When I complete that, I will post a pic, you and Springbuck can tell me what you think if you want. Anybody for that matter. Quick question, two Knots on one belly lam, issue? Not on the edge and I very well might work right past them.
So I have the core and Belly established. I would like to glue them up first. Then glue the back on that last. Because I may want to add reflex/deflex or just flip the tips w/steam/heat to the core and Belly first and then try to store more energy by tightening it all up with the back. I do like to keep my options open. I produce the best results not being tied to plan and then missing an opportunity because I was hell bent on a plan.
In closing I feel like the core and Belly kind of already have been proven to be sufficient in the past. Adding a BL back would be stepping more into the unknown for me. Oh the splices, I have learned a ton so far about that too. I feel like if a splice fails it would be quite obvious. Ashjim, your saying if the back fails I won't be able to distinguish because they may all break and which one went first kind of deal?
I appreciate all the thoughtful responses and helpful tips/answers. I do not want to rush this next bit, but I do want to put the poor thing out of it's misery as well. Soon enough. Well, good evening and please, ideas; thoughts