Camo Fabric for Bow Backing

[wpflbow]

I have some unused camo pattern cloth, looks to be partial if not all synthetic material. The weight of the fabric is on the order of what would be found on a shirt. I have only been making Bows for a few months, and have not tried a fabric backing, although I did use fiberglass cloth and resin on a self bow that turned out pretty well (until I cut an arrow rest too deep, resulting in a break at that point after several hundred arrows).

1.  Is this type of material suitable for backing a self bow (red oak) or a laminated bow?
2.  If so, should I use a glue, such as Titebond III, or a Epoxy such as West System G-Flex?
3.  What, if any, change in performance should I expect over a non-backed bow?

[Blue EagleBum]

Yes it should be suitable. I use fabric from walmart, although it is thinner, what you describe should work for a selfbow. I've never built a laminated bow, so I cannot say for it.
I use TBIII, thick layer on bow back, lay down fabric, smooth out, more TBIII smoothed out on top of fabric, then let dry. It will look like its going to be milky looking, but when it dries it will be clear / translucent.
I don't know about performance change, but should keep splinters from raising and bow splitting.

[Blue EagleBum]

Yes it should be suitable. I use fabric from walmart, although it is thinner, what you describe should work for a selfbow. I've never built a laminated bow, so I cannot say for it.
I use TBIII, thick layer on bow back, lay down fabric, smooth out, more TBIII smoothed out on top of fabric, then let dry. It will look like its going to be milky looking, but when it dries it will be clear / translucent.
I don't know about performance change, but should keep splinters from raising and bow splitting.

[Pat B]

No performance change unless you use too much cloth and/or glue. With a normal application you won't notice and performance change.
  Usr TBIII.

[wpflbow]

My thanks to both of you for the info/advice.

Pat B, I see you are from Brevard, NC.  I was born there, moving away as a teenager to Texas.  My mother moved back a few years ago, and I have relatives in the area, so I get up that way occasionally.  Are there any suppliers of bow making materials or related points of interest in the area that I should check out next time?

[Pat B]

We have a few guys in the area but not much in suppliers, etc. If you are in the area July 22,23,24 I'm having a small primitive skills weekend(5th annual) at my place and you are welcomed to come.

[**DONOTDELETE**]

Originally posted by Pat B:
No performance change unless you use too much cloth and/or glue. With a normal application you won't notice and performance change.
  Usr TBIII.

Really?   I would think it would increase the poundage substantially, which in turn would improve performance...   :confused:

[wpflbow]

Originally posted by Pat B:
We have a few guys in the area but not much in suppliers, etc. If you are in the area July 22,23,24 I'm having a small primitive skills weekend(5th annual) at my place and you are welcomed to come.

Thanks, Pat, for the very generous offer.  I would really like to attend if I can work out my schedule, so I will get started.  That is a great time of the year to be in the NC mountains and away from the Florida heat.

I can't imagine a better place to work on primitive skills.  I went to Pisgah Forest elementary school back in the 1960's (I believe it is gone now), which was next to several large farm fields.  Every year when they plowed up the fields we found arrowheads and occasionally a few pieces of broken pottery, etc. For those not familiar with the area, it is south of the blue ridge parkway, near a fork in the French Broad river good for growing crops, and provided a lot of fish, game, and wild forest plants.

[wpflbow]

Usr TBIII. [/qb][/QUOTE]Really?   I would think it would increase the poundage substantially, which in turn would improve performance...    :confused:  [/QB][/QUOTE]

You know, I was thinking that if I used G-Flex epoxy, it might add to the poundage, but get it that the glue probably wouldn't.

Don't know if you have used G-Flex, it is a 2-part epoxy used in boat building/repair, the major attributes being the ability to strongly bond dissimilar materials together, such as wood and fiberglass.  It is extremely flexible and strong, and would layer like fiberglass, only with different properties.  There is a U-tube video where a guy literally sawed a kayak into and epoxied it back together with this stuff.  He rode it down a grassy hill and paddled it in a lake , great results.  I used it to laminate  bamboo flooring material to two red oak limbs for a take down recurve.  The glue lines are far from perfect, but the G-Flex seems to be very forgiving, as it bonded very strong and is indeed very flexible.