Primitive Archer
Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: upstatenybowyer on September 11, 2018, 06:45:21 pm
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If you're splicing together billets w/ no deflex glued in, is a powerlam still advisable if you are planning on backing w/ wood?
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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.
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Makes sense. Thanks Don :)
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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 !
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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The backing and the handle riser will reinforce the splice plenty.
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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. O:)
:)