Quote from: Kirkll on February 17, 2026, 11:56:36 PMDo you have a drum sander and the means to make your own tapered laminations and wedges?

If you post some photos of the limb designs, we can at least give you a starting point for taper rates and stack height. Be prepared for some trial an$ error though. Every design is different, and it may take a couple lay ups to figure out your draw weight requirements.  Just keep a good log of what your materials, taper rates, wedge configuration, and mark your bow form where you trim the butt and where to locate the tip notches.

This takes time to get figured out.

I don't have drum sander. I have oscillating sander, a router table and a 4 x 36 or 38 inch belt sander and I will post a few pictures later on in the morning. I measure them the best that I can but do you guys all cut your own laminations or do you buy them pre cut and taper yourselves?

Quote from: Camp Creek on February 17, 2026, 09:07:35 AMI have downloaded the Virtual Bow software recommended to me by some on this site.  You can play around with profile and laminations in the software quite a bit.  I haven't been able to test its accuracy though.

 I will have to take a look at that thank you for the suggestion

TTT

On some of my selfbows I'll wrap the handle with hemp cord from Walmart. After I wrap it I saturate it with Massey finish, 2 part epoxy diluted with acetone. After it dries I lightly sand it to get the lumps and hairs off. It's waterproof and gives you a good purchase on the handle.




I use a rolled up paper towel to saturate the handle wrap with the Massey finish.

This was my kit when I went elk hunting in the San Juan Mountains above Durango, CO in 2010. I had everything I needed for a day out. I brought the Primitive Archer magazine because it had the article I wrote for Primitive Archer Magazine about a sinew bow I built for my first trip out there in 2006, "The Story of Elkie".

Tell me what you use for grip wrap or tape.  I've got a couple of bows that have a fairly slick grip and would like something other than leather to try.  I've got some leather I can use for the grip but I also have some skateboard grip tape and some silicone wrap material.  I'd like to hear what you're using and how you've got it on your bow.

Do you have a drum sander and the means to make your own tapered laminations and wedges?

If you post some photos of the limb designs, we can at least give you a starting point for taper rates and stack height. Be prepared for some trial an$ error though. Every design is different, and it may take a couple lay ups to figure out your draw weight requirements.  Just keep a good log of what your materials, taper rates, wedge configuration, and mark your bow form where you trim the butt and where to locate the tip notches.

This takes time to get figured out.

What I'd do is fill the crack with glue and clamp it in place. When the glue is cured add an overlay over the cracked area, let that cure and shape the recurve. Been there, done that.


If you look at the underside of the recurve you'll see a lighter color wood. that is the repair overlay.


at 26" full draw


the finished product.

Hi,
I have a nice pair of billets I recieved of YEW from a good friend of mine 10 yrs ago.  I have worked on them for awhile but they were sort of special to me and him and I wanted to wait until I had the right bow planned and my skills built up.  Have built a couple dozen bows, and booked an alaskan coastal bear hunt for my daughters HS graduation in 2027 so thought it was time to build this takedown YEW long bow. 
It was coming along really nice, had it braced and decided to flip the tips/static small recurves.

Steaming the first tip I messed up my clamp and protective band, reset and thought I was fast enough.  Got it bent and as I started to clamp it in place the band popped off and the belly split. Second limb went perfect.  The first billet is salvageable.  I have patched some limbs with epoxy or TB3 and a rawhide or sinew wrap.  I was hoping for this bow to do something a little more special and reinforce the recurves with some bloodwood underlays. since this is static and the split stops 4" from the tip of the bow I think this is still feasable.  Wanted to get some thoughts on this before I make a small problem into a big problem. 

I have an understanding of glues vs epoxies but it is basic.  My thought was to fill this with thin epoxy to repair the crack and the epoxy would fill any voids that are left with the separation when I clamp it up.  Put a temporary underlay to play it safe with a hide glue. Next complete tillering and lighten up my good side until there is slight movement in the tip, use those dimensions to to rough in the damaged side and remove the temporary underlays, and finally add the bloodwood underlays to keep both tips static.

I am trying to load pictures.  My current mid limb thickness is about 9/16". my tips are 5/8" thick at the crack so they will loose some belly wood most likely.  (before flipping the tips I was about 20# heavy so propably 25# or so to scrape off the limbs yet).  when I thin the tips with my current plan I can narrow them but will need to clean up some belly wood after I do the epoxy.  This will leave some of the belly of the tip with just exposed epoxy.  Being static I think this is fine but can I epoxy the underlay to previously dried epoxy?  or will this be a fail point for delamination. 

I was origanlly planning a backing for decoration and to protect the soft Yew sapwood FYI with rawhide and maybe sturgeon skins.

Thank you for the help! I appreciatte a group like this to bounce ideas off.

I read your whole story days ago - maybe when you completed the post but it's taken me a bit to get back to here to reply. Thank you for taking the time to share your experience with us. Those like myself (who have not yet had the opportunity to hunt Alaska, or even out of state yet) can live vicariously through others experiences when they are shared like this! Hopefully you decide to share more.