Tapered laminations

[S.newman]

I'm just wonder what everyone uses to make tapered lams ? Right now I'm using mdf sheet/ sled with whatever size running taper .002,.003,.004, etc..... lay my lams on it and send it thru a drum sander but seems they don't like to stay down and remain true unless I hold them there and I've had my fair share of shop accidents and don't see this being a long term solution every time I need to make some...... i thought about blue tape on lam and mdf  and some ca glue between but wondering if that would throw off the taper enough to cause a concern?  It Would deffinitly wear out the mdf sooner having to peal tape off everytime which i could just make them from pvc or something like that but wanted to ask here first also ...anyone have any shop built fixtures or jigs they want to share pictures of ...it would be much help for me ..either way Thanks for the add to the group from the 10 mins of browsing before I joined  I knew I was in the right place with the right people .....
Thanks in advance
Steve

[Mad Max]

I use this double side tape, it's super thin ( less than .001 thick) and 120 grit sandpaper

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0892KHM87/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&th=1

I cover the whole sled with the tape, then the 120 grit sandpaper, I use  the 8-1/2 x 11 sheets cut to width of the sled, only peal back 11" of the tape and apply the sandpaper and work your way down the sled. NO overlapping, a small gap is ok too. DO NOT touch the tape, very sticky.
The tape is for holding insulation on metal buildings.
I use it to hold my risers to my templates for pattern sanding also.

[S.newman]

thanks mad max ill definitely give that a try

[Kirkll]

I had my sleds milled from aluminum and are 38" long. I use a stop to keep them from sliding when running through the drum sander. my taper sleds are .001, .0015, .002 and i have a flat sled too. i can get any combination of taper rate i want  with these three sleds.

Crooked Stic has the same sleds i do.... Hey Mike?  Do you remember when i had all those sleds milled? i'm thinking around  2009- 2010... i cant remember.  I remember i had to have 50 pcs done to get a decent price, and they were still expensive.  Kirk

[Crooked Stic]

Mine are all a tionboo from Kenny. I had a couple of Alum. one of them warped. The thin actonboo will lay flat under the rollers.

[Kirkll]

Mine are all a tionboo from Kenny. I had a couple of Alum. one of them warped. The thin actonboo will lay flat under the rollers.

I thought you bought a full set of those back when i had them machined years ago.... mine have worked well for all those years. Even if your sled warps a bit, it still grinds the same consistent taper rate as it goes through your drum sander. 

[jess stuart]

I had my sleds milled from aluminum and are 38" long. I use a stop to keep them from sliding when running through the drum sander. my taper sleds are .001, .0015, .002 and i have a flat sled too. i can get any combination of taper rate i want  with these three sleds.

Crooked Stic has the same sleds i do.... Hey Mike?  Do you remember when i had all those sleds milled? i'm thinking around  2009- 2010... i cant remember.  I remember i had to have 50 pcs done to get a decent price, and they were still expensive.  Kirk

I remember thise sleds Kirk. My only regret is only getting a couple instead of the whole set.  Still use mine and working as well as the I received them.

[garyschuler]

Hey, kirk, Any plans on a redo on the sleds?

[derekdiruz]

For tapered sleds I use g10 from big Jim, that I glued 150g sand paper on as well as a stop.

For parallel I use a piece of mdf with the same paper glued.

All works well, I use them usually 3-5 hours a week and no issues after 6 mo of each.

[Crooked Stic]

Can't remember getting any from you Kirk. I actually made some out of Corian. Ended up with Kenny sleds.
About to ask him if he can do an .003

[Kirkll]

I would go with an .0015 rather than an .003 Mike. A pair of .0015 work well in those hybrid limbs similar to my design that you are building now.

I could mill an .0015 from bamboo for you if needed.     


Gary,  with the cost of aluminum what it is right now I don’t believe it would be cost effective to have another run milled. When I did that years ago I had to find enough bowyers to have 50 pcs milled and it was still pretty expensive.  The shipping cost wasn’t cheap either because those sleds were milled 4”x38” x 1/2” thick. They weigh about 6# each.

Kirk

[Crooked Stic]

I think I may already have a .0015.

[Kirkll]

I think I may already have a .0015.

Well there ya go.... you don't need no stinking .003 sled...two lams are better than one any day.

[S.newman]

Hey guys im already absorbing all the info just scanning through these threads on here ...the amount of knowledge in this forum is outstanding ...the fact you guys are willing to share with us is awesome ....maybe someone can shed some light on my question ....I'm building a Long bow for the first time and was wonder if I should have the taper on the entire 32in lam ( continuous taper to desired thickness on thick end) or should I stop short where the riser is and leave that section parallel? Any help is appreciated

[kennym]

Either way will work Steven, are you leaving parallel to fit riser better?

[S.newman]

No not necessarily ....the dry fit I did works with continuous taper I made but was just curious if I should leave the laminations parallel where the riser section will be for more strength in the riser....not that it would be substantial but a touch more strength was my thinking...

[Kirkll]

No not necessarily ....the dry fit I did works with continuous taper I made but was just curious if I should leave the laminations parallel where the riser section will be for more strength in the riser....not that it would be substantial but a touch more strength was my thinking...

Bost bowyers use a continuous forward taper rate, but often use a tip wedge. Some bowyers have developed a multi taper lam sled that eliminates the need for a tip wedge.

The most important part of making the fade area strong is having the fade tips long and gradual and feathered into a very thin point. i'm talking you can see light through the wood thin, and slightly flexible. The fade tips on a one piece riser should be only 1/8" thick down to nothing in the last  2'' ..... When that cannot be accomplished, Often times power wedges are used to extend that fade area out further from the riser fades themselves. Typically another 4 inches.    Good luck to you.

Kirk