Question about tapering

[Shore08]

Hey folks, I have a quick question for you about tapering in a laminate bow.

I see where some of the vendors sell the wood and fiberglass laminates 'pre-tapered'. I am planning to order a blueprint from binghams, but in the meantime my curiosity is getting the better of me. Are we talking about tapered on the edges or the belly/back side? In other words, when the laminates get cut out, are they a universal thickness from one end to the other, with the only difference being the height (picture it as it is coming off the bandsaw).

I understand that the bow will narrow as it runs from the fades towards the nocks, but I always assumed that was due to the riser portion adding some thickness.

I hope I'm asking this in a way that makes sense. Thanks!

[rbbhunt]

The taper in laminations is the thickness.

[Shore08]

Ok, thanks!

[kennym]

Yep, like a .100 butt thickness taper will measure .028 on the thin end in a .002 per inch taper.

A .100 taper with .001 will measure .064 on the thin end.

Clear as mud? LOL

[Shore08]

Haha, just about that clear Kenny.

I'm still trying to convert all those decimals into usable numbers in my head      I was looking at my recurve and trying to decide if I was really seeing a difference or if my eyes were deceiving me      

But hey, we all have to learn somewhere      

So when you cut the laminates out, do you have a special guide you use to get the angled cut or do you sand it down to make it match? My guess is a third option that I don't know about (and if I shouldn't be asking, feel free to say so, I don't want to endanger anyone's trade secrets!)  :D

Thanks for the help!

[kennym]

I have  .0005,.001,.002, sleds to run thru the bandsaw with the lams depending on taper wanted. If you cut parallels and sand to taper,you lose the bookmatch effect.

[Shore08]

Ahhh, ok. That makes sense. Thanks man!