Primitive Archer
Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: crwjr on April 02, 2013, 10:34:20 am
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I need some help on how to back a board bow, or any bow for that matter. I'm thinking of making a red oak with a hickory back for my next bow! Do I glue the two boards together or do I need to rip the backing board down? And if so what thickness? Thanks for the help everyone!
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Rip your backing strip to 3/16" ,then hand sand it to bout1/8".
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it's actually easyer to glue it up and then rip it as there I more wood and its a little safer with a tablesaw that way, bub
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it's actually easyer to glue it up and then rip it as there I more wood and its a little safer with a tablesaw that way, bub
+1.
I can vouch for that one from experience. It makes it easier and safer. The only cuts I make before the glue up are just to get the pieces down to slightly oversized. Then I glued them up and work with a nice solid piece from there on out.
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I cut them in strips in order to glue in some reflex at time of laminations.I agree on the safety factor of the preglue method,makes sense to me.
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Thanks for all the advice. What about a log stave not a board, how would you back one of these? Flatten out the back?
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A stave where you have chased a single ring generally does not require a backing, but something like rawhide, linen, or silk will mold itself to the back for extra protection.
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If a strave has a good back I would never consider backing it with a rigid backing. You won't get a better back than the original.
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I have backed a bunch of oak boards for folk with hickory, some hickory backed hickory, backed about 50 osage staves with bamboo, questionable wood, very tight rings and more early wood than late wood, all made great bows with a strip of added bamboo.
If you have a questionable stave you want to salvage, flatten the back and back it. Like Pat said, a good stave is better off staying a stave.