Primitive Archer
Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: synjin on May 27, 2016, 08:35:12 pm
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Okay, so I toyed with self bow making some years ago and only got up to a 40 lb. bow before other hobbies took over. I was doing some cleaning out and found some hickory slats I'd cut for drum making. This is bending hickory (dogsled hickory) and the slats are 7/16"x2"x8'. The growth rings are perpendicular to the belly/back, and I have about 8 of them. For a flat bow could I plane one down to 1/8" for a backing and glue it to another of the slats, add a handle with fades, and then shape the bow from there? (Need to find my copies of the Bowyers Bibles 1-3.)
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I don't see why not, as long as the growth ring lines run reasonably straight the length of the bow. I'd make the backing 3/16" so you'll have 5/8" total thickness with your belly lam. Nice to have that extra thickness at the handle fades. When I make one like that, I like to glue in 2" to 3" of reflex, too. After tillering and shooting it in, I usually end up with half of that reflex which puts the tips 1" or 1 1/2" forward of the handle. Makes for a little snappier bow, IMO.
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Hickory makes an excellent bow backing and is relatively easy to install. I usually cut hickory backings at 3/16" and by the time I dress both sides it comes out about 1/8" or slightly less.
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I wouldn't just plane one down to 1/8 - 3/16", as that seems a waste of good hickory. I would slice it in two lengthwise, creating two backing pieces. They should each still be a good 1/8" thick after they're done.
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If you glue a 1/8 to a 7/16 you will have about 9/16 thick. At this thickness they tend to pop handles. At about 35# you would be ok. You might try using epoxy but I still think it might pop off.
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Glue joints failing in the handle area is more a product of handle/dip/limb design and gluing techniques than how thick the wood is. I've made many hickory and bamboo backed bows 65-70# @ 28" with wood less than 9/16" thick with no issues.... no power lam, no pedestal, no handle popping.
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As Steve said you could actually make a bow out of the 7/16 slat by backing it with a 1/8" backing and if you add a 12" long power lam in the center that would be enough to stiffen the handle area so that you wouldn't have a problem with the handle popping off.
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synjin.....I just showed one way of this a while back.Search for red cedar bows on here.
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Agreed - add a powerlam and you will be good to go.
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About how thick is the center of a power lam? Most I've looked at seem to be about 1/8" to maybe 1/4".
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It depends on what design of bow you are making but for a fairly simple flat bow i'd go with about an 1/8th. When you make it be sure to get the ends very thin. They should be thin enough to see light through for maybe the last 1/2inch.
If you cut your limbs out in a pyramid taper you will need very little tillering.