Rubber bands for form

[The Gopher]

Hey all, i have a straight form that i use for hill style bows, i've made one bow on it using big thick rubber bands, however the bands didn't hold up to the heat and started to snap in the oven. i had to replace the bands as they broke and the bow ended up coming out fine. however now i need to make some bands from tires i guess, any suggestions on this? what size tire tube, how thick, etc? I like the simplicity of a one sided form like this, just need the right bands. How far should the pegs be from top of the form? thanks, Dan.

[Apex Predator]

I use bicycle innertubes that I get for free at the bike shop.  The fat ones will make three strips and the skinny ones two.  I tie a loop in the ends.  My 1/2" hardwood dowels are 2" below the surface of the form.

[The Gopher]

thanks apex, so you just criss cross the strips back and forth across the bow and under the pegs? do you just stretch them as tight as you can get them? thanks, Dan.

[Apex Predator]

I put a lot of tension on them!  You can feel when most of the stretch is gone, and that's how tight I wrap them.  I put extra rubber on the critical areas like the fadeouts.  I will use 12 or so on a whole bow.  I do criss-cross them.  I have never had one break in the oven.  I usually laminate around 150-160, but have gone as high as 175-180 without problems.

[The Gopher]

yeah the rubber bands i tried were actual rubber bands used in packaging, the worked great, except for the oven part.

[Pluck Yew]

Dan, I cut mine out of a truck tire tube..about  1-1 1/2" thick..6-7' long..used 4 of 'em on a form I got from chad..worked really well ..like Apex said stretch 'em as far as you think you can..(have a back-up just in case)..  

Shawn...

[tim-flood]

I have cut mine from truck tubes also but make them like rubber bands.  I cut them about 3/4" wide, they work great around the shop also.

[Holm-Made]

Don't forget a pressure strip on top to help distribute the pressure evenly.  If you use metal try to round the edges a little with a file so it doesn't cut the rubber bands.  Chad

[Pluck Yew]

Hmmm,??  Pressure strip on top? nobody told me that... hey chad..

Shawn..

[Stephen Graf]

I had the same problem,  I started using bunjee cords.  They have worked great.  Hook one end on a peg, then lace the bunjee along the bow pulling tight as you go, then hook the other end on a peg.  I end up using about 8 3 ft bunjee's on a 64 inch bow form.  They don't fail in the oven.  I use the kind that have cloth woven over the elastic center.  I have used the same bunjee's on 4 bows so far, and they still work like new.  Sorry, no picture.