Where do you get rubber for your forms?

[herrmanns139]

I am preparing to make my first form for my first attempt at making a glass bow. Luckily I have a friend who will help me, but I am still somewhat nervous.

I am going to make a standard hill style straight bow type form. Where do you get the rubber to put on top of the form?

Also, where do you get the rubber strips used for clamping the bow?

[D.E.B]

I USE BICYCLE INNER TUBES, CUT EACH ONE IN TO TWO STRIPS. AS FOR MY FORMS I JUST USE SOME RUBBER SOUND DAMPENING MATERIAL USED IN AIRCRAFT INTERIORS (CAUSE I GET SCRAPS WHERE I WORK)I HAVE HEARD SOME FOLKS USE RUBBER MOULDING FROM HOME DEPOT.

[Swissbow]

I got a piece of foam rubber at a home working store. Cut it in stripes and fit it on top of the form with a double sided adhesive tape. For clamping the bow I use old bike inner tubes. I can get them for free at the local bike store. Cut them in half lengthwise, apply enough of them and if the fades of your riser are well shaped you will get nice glue lines.

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Andy

[JamesV]

used tractor inter tubes, free or for cheap from a dealer. spiral cut them 2" wide and you will get 50 feet easily.

James

[Dick in Seattle]

I use three way clamps for that part of the operation.   I used several different things as clamping pad before I was put wise to semi-trailer mud flaps.  I bought a pair and cut them into strips for padding on my three forms (all straight longbows)... 1 1/2", 1 3/4" and 2".

My "backing" for layup consists of a 3/16" masonite strip, the rubber strip, then a 1/8" aluminum strip.  These are taped together with electricians tape, so they stay as a unit.   I use kitchen plastic wrap over the layed up lams, under the backing strip.

email me direct and I'll send you a link to buildalong that's so extensive I'm not sure anyone but me has ever read it all!

Dick   [email protected]

[sulphur]

i use rubber wall borders that i buy from the lowes flooring section.  i put them against my aluminum pressure strip.  i

[Johan van Niekerk]

Just so I don't get this wrong...the rubber goes BETWEEN the aluminium and the fibreglass right??

Also how thick should it be?

I have 99% of everything ready and do NOT want to now mess up my first bow!  

[Dick in Seattle]

Johan...  I hope this will help...   I'm pasting in a couple of pictures of my set up:

 

Here's a shot of the latest backing plate I made, this was for a forward riser Hill style bow I just finished.   Normally, my backing plates are in two pieces, since the riser separates the limbs and laminations.   In this case, the laminations were all forward of the riser so I built the bow with full length lams and used this backing plate.

 

Here's a close up of the layers:   masonite, mud flap rubber, 1/8" aluminum

 

Obviously, I use metal clamps while you plan on rubber bands, but here is a shot of the layup

Be sure to use plastic sheet between the form and the laminations, and again between the laminations and the backing plate.  It will save you a lot of clean up and prolong the life of your form.   I have two forms made of aluminum and wood.  I have taken 23 bows off of them and they are like new!

If I can be of further help to you, email me direct at:  [email protected]

[Johan van Niekerk]

Thanks    That helps a LOT!

Quick question, did you surface the form with aluminium too? If so, how did you get it to stick?

[Dick in Seattle]

Johan.... Yes, my forms are aluminum on wood.  I actually built three... the 2" uses aluminum channel on top of a planed to size plank... same for the 1 1/2" form.    I built the 2" form's plank up on the bottom side to 1 3/4" and had a piece of 2" x 1/4" aluminum milled down to 1 3/4" and screwed that on the surface, countersinking the screws and covering them with Bondo.    There is a complete buildalong of my forms on my web site at:
 www.dickwightman.com     Just scroll down to "Archery Activities" and you'll find all my archery pages... buildalongs of forms, oven, and one piece and two piece bows.

[Johan van Niekerk]

Thanks  

[Jason Scott]

I use the '4" x 48" rubber wall base dry back' from home depot too. They are about 1/8" thick. Be aware that they have two kinds. One of the versions is made of vinyl, don't use it, it can not withstand the temps of the oven and will squish out. Learned that the hard way. the rubber ones will last forever and cost $3 a piece. Put the strips between the form surface and the glass and the pressure strip and the glass.

[Johan van Niekerk]

mmm. I'll have to try a piece of the stuff I got in a "pre-bake". Thanks for the warning  

[Jason Scott]

If it's vinyl it should be ok for one bake but it will deform and should be replaced.