backing, said the noob

[ledo]

finishing out a longbow here, first time, new to the whole thing, but lost on one point (well, on all points, but this one right now) : putting some fiberglass backing on the bow's not going to bump the bow up five or ten pounds, will it? I'd guess glass just protects, but don't want to mess the bow up either. and, what about glass on the belly of the bow? does it alter performance any?

and, if a thread exists for something this obvious, apologies. I couldn't find it anyway. hope this is the right forum for this as well.

thanks for any help.

[John Scifres]

Fiberglass backing can mean different things.  If you mean a simple glass cloth set in epoxy, I wouldn't expect a weight change of any matter.  If you are talking a fiberglass lamination, you are out of my expertise but it will certainly change things.

Fiberglass cloth on the belly won't do anything.

Fiberglass lamination on the belly will.

[ledo]

thank you so much. and yes, just fiberglass cloth, not a lamination. though, shopping around, I see the black fiberglass looks to come not in cloth, but what look to be lamination strips. no real matter -- wouldn't want to hide the wood under glass anyway. just mostly considering it because I don't want to the bow to crack, taking it from my mild texas winter to the serious cold of montana. from what I read, temp change can really do a number on a selfbow.

[John Scifres]

It's not so much the temp as the humidity that can change things.  I wouldn't worry at all about it unless your wood has an issue.  I never back a bow unless it needs it.  And I'd choose rawhide or linen over fiberglass.