kids long bow question

[firewater100]

I am new to bow building but am thinking about making my granddaughter a glass stick bow. I wont need it till next summer but trying to get some ideas.
     I was thinking about making a one piece glass-lam-glass where i put the grip on after gluing up the lams on front and back. Maby 40in bow at 10# to 12# at 10??? inches of draw ( she just turned 2, i know getting too excited too soon but what ever im doing she is right there helping) with the bow only being about an inch wide.
     Has anyone glued up just glass on glass or with just the thinest layer of wood? or does the multiple layers of wood, even paper thin, still need to be there for ridgidity?
     Any thoughts or sujestions

later
scott

[elk ninja]

Scott,

First off, congrats on the child!  I am expecting my first in six weeks.... I am surprised i have held off this long making him a bow.  

For that length and draw weight, I don't think you'll even need glass at all.... this is how I make them.  Very inexpensive, but if you want something a little more exotic, order a 1/4 lam of zebrawood, cocobollo or something else nice from KennyM, Binghams, 3rivers, trad supply wherever.

But to directly answer the question, you can make a bow with just one lam in the middle, especially for such a small draw weight and length.

Mike

[firewater100]

elk ninja

     Thanks i hoped that would work.I have access to maple par. and get some glass from kenny. I thought about doing what i saw another guy do for his daughter and use a red stain on the maple to get a pink shade and then before tha last layer of clear coat put a little glitter on it to make it a girly girl bow

thanks
later
scott

[Jerry Gille]

I glue up two wood lams under two lams of .30 glass.  I use two inch lams and usually build 48 inch bows.  I then cut the blank down the middle and get two bows out of each glue up.  My fades are about 3/4" with my tips about 1/2".  I use a 11 inch riser.  My kids bows come out around 15-17 pounds at 20 inches with these rough specs.

I'd put some wood between the glass.  It's really not that much more work or expense.

I'd be happy to help if you need more info.

Putting bows in the hands of unexpecting kids is incredibly satisfying.  Good luck with the project.

Jerry

[firewater100]

jerry

     What kind of thickness are your wood lams? I have .015? thick maple, do you think 2 layers of it would work? or do i need to go thicker?
     I can also get .030 and .060 maple

later

scott

[Jerry Gille]

Scott, I'll have to measure the lams when I get home.  I forgot to do that last night.  I've been using some real cheap birch veneer that I don't think I've ever measured.  Got a drum sander now so I'll be turning my own out from here on out.  I'll get back with ya.

[Jerry Gille]

The birch veneer that I've used in the past has been about .070.  Total stack for a bow I have glued up right now is .200.  My lams have been parallels.

Different wood will yield you different results for the same given measurements.  I used the birch veneer because it was cheap and I give the bows away.

[greyhawk_39]

Hi Scott,it sure is rewarding to build a little bow for a little kid,I have built 6 38" one piece recurve bow from master crafters and they are a great shooter they have the plans and instruction's as well.They are a 1/12 wide limb with a .30 fiber glass with a parrel of .40 will give you a draw length of 12"@10lbs.Hope this will help you....hawk

[firewater100]

Thanks jerry that is  thickness i can do my self here at home..

Grey hawk.. i will have to look into mastercrafters and see what they have..

thanks all

s
later

scott

[greyhawk_39]

Hey Scott, your welcome you also could check with 3riverarchery they have the kits and forms available.The only difference from the way I build my bow's is that I don't use elastic band's, I use clear hockey tape it takes the heat better and it can be stretched for a tighter bonding glue surface on your riser and lamination's....thanks hawk.

[Dick in Seattle]

OK... what's "hockey tape"?    As obvious as it sounds and available at any sporting good store, or something special I've just never heard of?   I take it it's stretchy...

Dick in Seattle... who obviously doesn't play hockey

[Rick P]

Dick
Hokey tape is available at any store that sells hokey gear. Its stretchy and has stickiness to both sides to increase grip on the stick. Wood can get mighty slippery at sub zero temps with gloves on, and the better your hold the more stick control you have. I think it would work wonderfully as suggested by greyhawk.


Go Wings!!!!

[Mike Mecredy]

48" shallow D/R design with an 11" riser, 1" wide limbs, .200 thick at the fades 3/8" wide nocks, makes a 20#@24" longbow.  Use .050 glass on back and belly, and either 2 .050 parallels in the core, or one .110 taper (.001/inch) both will give you about the same results.  The tapered core is a bit "snappier".

[greyhawk39]

Howdy Dick,the tape I talked about is clear and only stick's on one side.Hockey players used it to tape up their ankle's for support.I used it on all my bow's for a back up in case the hose deflate's while in the oven.I like it because it stretch's and I can put more pressure on the fade out's and lamination's meet.But check at a sporting good's store and they will be able to help you...Hawk.