Probably a dumb question

[Hill Hunter]

getting ready to attempt my first laminated bow, have made self bows years ago. ordered a Bingham kit.
I see the term Trapping the limbs a lot on here, but do not know exactly what that means, could someone enlighten me?

[rmorris]

Here is a somewhat definition that was posted in the vocabulary post at the top of the Bowyers Bench

"Trap a back= to narrow the back so that the belly is wider giving the limb a trapezoid shape"

Now I could be very wrong here but I believe Trapping  refers to shaping the cross section of the limb to a trapezoid shape.

I have only done a nice symmetrical rounding on all the edges of my limbs,so i have no experience here.

Hopefully that was not a dumb answer to your good question....


Kenny? Where are you at when someone needs help???? You better not be on vacation early...

[Trux Turning]

You got it right Ralph. You can trap either direction- back to belly or belly to back.

[Hill Hunter]

Thank you, may never do it but now I know what it means if I want to.

[Mike Mecredy]

You don't have to though.  It works good for reducing wieght, but if the bow is at a good wieght for you, you can just round the edges with some heavy grit sand paper.