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Main Boards => The Bowyer's Bench => Topic started by: Susquehannariverarcher on January 21, 2024, 06:40:24 PM

Title: First bow form failure.
Post by: Susquehannariverarcher on January 21, 2024, 06:40:24 PM

I'm attempting to make my first bow (sorry have been posting so much) . It's a laminated long bow. I have a few hiccups here and there. But tonight I thought I was finally ready for my test fit and glue up, until I realized the top of my form seems to be warped. So it looks like I'm starting over.

I used birch ply wood laminated together from lowes. This time I'm thinking of trying LVL beam is this option better? I'm honestly not sure how my form even got warped, I'm guessing its not salvageable.

Title: Re: First bow form failure.
Post by: Mad Max on January 21, 2024, 07:41:31 PM

Is it bowed from tip to tip? It could be fixed
Pictures help

Title: Re: First bow form failure.
Post by: Susquehannariverarcher on January 21, 2024, 07:43:38 PM

I'll get pictures in a bit. But basically it lines up good for 3/4 of the form and the last 1/4 is about a half inch off.

Title: Re: First bow form failure.
Post by: Mad Max on January 21, 2024, 10:07:13 PM

The form is upside down but 2 pieces of 3/4" plywood 6" wide glued together and then screw and glued to the bottom of the form.
Heavy steel clamped to hold the form straight while the glue sets, I used 1/2" dowels also. :thumbsup:

(https://i.imgur.com/cpEbSZu.jpg)

Title: Re: First bow form failure.
Post by: Susquehannariverarcher on January 22, 2024, 07:11:57 AM

I gotcha. I'm doing an air hose form with with metal brackets from kenny. I got to thinking last night that potentially my holes for the bolts might not be square and that could be the issue, I'm going to drill them on a press if I can my hands on one tonight.

Title: Re: First bow form failure.
Post by: Kirkll on January 22, 2024, 04:33:44 PM

As long as the bottom form that the bow sets on is straight and not twisted, it shouldn’t matter much if that top form is warped a bit. Just make sure the air hose is lined up straight on that lower form and don’t over inflate it…. You just don’t need more than 50# pressure.

You could also just bolt a piece of angle iron to the warped form to straighten it out.

Title: Re: First bow form failure.
Post by: Susquehannariverarcher on January 22, 2024, 06:36:03 PM

Thanks for the ideas once again Kirk. I got stuck at work late and didn't have any shop time tonight. Hopefully I can work on it tomorrow witb a clear head and come up with a solution. All of you on this forum have been such a wealth of knowledge that I very much appreciate.

Title: Re: First bow form failure.
Post by: Longcruise on January 22, 2024, 11:15:51 PM

Could go topless.

Title: Re: First bow form failure.
Post by: Susquehannariverarcher on January 23, 2024, 02:51:18 PM

Quote from: Longcruise on January 22, 2024, 11:15:51 PM

Could go topless.

Definitely an option!