Need help w/ R/D ipe Bow build.

[Chuck Hoopes]

How do you put R/D in a bow that you plan to back w/ silk.  Can I just heat the belly  w/heat gun, and quickly put appropriate blocks and clamps in place-- and allow to cool over night?
 When should I put the R/D in?  Right after floor tillering?  or after Ive got to a point that it can be braced?  or somewhere between these two points in the build?
Also it seems that I often see posts by members who put some reflex in, only to have it disappear after some shooting-- they basically wind up w/ a straight bow, and am satisfied that they have no or very little string follow--  I know that if you use hick or Boo backing applied at the time of glue up, the Reflex is much more likely to remain.  I don't plan to back this ipe in this manner- - So whats the chances it will hold its reflex?  and is a heat gun applied at the bend, the way to go? Perhaps I could go w, artifical sinew, if it has the same holding/contracting properties of animal sinew.  Does it? and just what is this artifical sinew made of anyway?  Sorry about the barage of questions,  just thought I'd get it out all at once.       All comments on any of these questions are greatly appreciated.  Thanks.

[Pat B]

I have heard that ipe doesn't react well to heat. Most tropical woods don't. The only way to get R/D with ipe would with Perry reflex at glue up as far as I know.
    Artificial sinew is just waxed Nylon. It doesn't have the same properties as the real stuff.
   R/D can be put into a self bow and hold. Heat would be the usual method. I think a solid form would be the way to go and by tempering the belly as you form the R/D it should hold better.

[Chuck Hoopes]

Pat, thanks for the heads up concerning the probable poor reaction of ipe to heat- that said I think I'll give it try anyway.  I did just complete a ipe/hick straight bow, and as you had said to me previously, it doesn't take much ipe to make a bow-- you told me to keep it narrow, and you were certainly right about that, as the ipe thickness wound up being no more than the hick. backing. The bow itself, seems somewhat sluggish to me.-- I don't know if this is a characteristic of ipe, or the wood I was using was not dry enough, or just poor design, on my part.  Oh well, I have enough ipe right now, that I can have some fun experimenting w/ it.  Frankly, I perfer hickory, and have a good source for it, unfortunately I live in High humidity climates -Ark. in the winter, Mich in the summer.
Anyhow, thanks again, for your knowledgable replys.

[Pat B]

I have made a few hickory backed bows and live in high humidity during the summer. Hickory backings don't seem to be as affected by moisture and maybe it is because the hickory is(normally) a small percentage of the overall bow mass.
  As heavy as ipe is, small tips will help get the bows speed up a bit.
   I still make and enjoy hickory selfbows even though they can be sluggish during the humid times. With a little forethought  you can keep the M/C down by using a hot box or storing your hickory bows in a less humid area of your home. If you have A/C your home will be less humid than the outside. The moisture exchange in hickory isn't over night. It takes a while to take on moisture but also to release it.

[Roy Steele]

Board bows is not the way to go when it comes to R+D bows.With board bows heat is the only way to get it to fit into a mold.Person'ly I don't build board bows any more and I don't use any heat or steam.Unless it's backed with sinew,bamboo, hickory, your wasting your time with the R+D part.Forget te silk.Put your backing on after you bow comes out of the mold.Can't hurt to leave it a couple day's in the mold to be sure it's back to room moisture.This may not even matter but it can't hurt.Can't help you with artifical sinew never used it.But i'm sure it can be used.Yes you can take your bow down to floor tiller.This will help you when you heat your bow and put it in your mold.And to help keep your R+D.By the way I think a stright bow or one with a little string follow shoots better than a R+D bow.Maybe not as fast but shoots better and last a lot longer.Doe'nt matter just what I think.And just because your building a board bow dos'nt make you a bad person.We all go one route or another.

 DEAD IS DEAD NO MATTER HOW FAST YOUR ARROW GETS THERE.

 Dead is dead no matter how fast your arrow gets there.

[Chuck Hoopes]

Roy, I agree w/you on the long straight bow-- They have always been my favorite, for the same reasons you like em.  The build of an R/D is just on a whim to build something diff.--just something to puzzle out.  Ive never worked ipe before, but when someone just lays enough ipe on me to build a doz. bows, I really don't bother myself about weather they are boards or staves-- its all wood to me. - Oh, and by the way- Iam a bad person. --Its the good that die young. LOL.