Epe flatbow

[hickorystyk]

I am starting on my first epe flatbow.  Want it 68" long with a 55lb draw around 29"-30" draw.  The stave is 1 1/4" wide and will be backed with hickory.  I'm fixin to make my first cut on the band saw.  How thick should I cut from the fade to tips?  I'm thinking 5/8" at fades and 3/8" at tips but I don't want to come up light right out of the gate.

[bowhntineverythingnh03743]

I wouldn't cut it out on the band saw... cutting it out is a quick way to a light bow or even firewood. If you have a belt sander or toothing plane will work well. I always taper my osage slats this way for my BBO and have never had any problem. More control... just my 2 cents

[hickorystyk]

All good suggestions but the stave is almost an inch thick.  Would you work the entire stave down to a floor tiller with the belt sander or toothing plane?  I was going to get it to bend a little before glue up.  Thinking bout bending the tips slightly.

[talkingcabbage]

I haven't worked with ipe before, but with osage I usually take the limbs to 3/4" thick all the way down, then use a rasp to take it to floor tiller from there.  I'd say do the same just to be safe.

[Pat B]

I'm with Joe. I'd use a rasp and scraper to reduce the limbs.

[vanillabear?]

[vanillabear?]

[LESKEN2011]

If your board is a full inch thick (5/4) and not just a 1X (4/4) which is actually 3/4 in. thick and don't mind a bendy handle style bow, Vanilla Bear is right. You should be able to rip it into 2 staves prior to your gluing a 1/8 in. backer on. I have done it several times. You could probably still get a stiff handle with a power lam and glued on handle. If you don't want to go the power lam route and want stiff handle I would cut my tapers on the band saw. 5/8 to 3/8 is pretty close including the backer.

[hickorystyk]

If I remember right the stave is somewhere between 7/8" and 1' thick.  I will double check and see if I can get 2 bows out of it.  That is an awesome idea because Epe staves seem to be not so common these days.  Not familiar with power lams but I do want a stiff handle riser.  I have a lot hickory blanks and I was going to glue one on for the handle.  Does a power lam go between the backing and the stave?  How thick should it be?

[vanillabear?]

[hickorystyk]

Thanks guys, I appreciate the help.

[hickorystyk]

Ok, more questions.  I have made a couple of english round belly bows from epe but not a flat bow.  I pyramided them from 1 1/4" at the fads to 1/2" at the tips.  They took on about 1" of set but shot really well.  What limb profile would ya'll recommend for this flay bow?  Pyramid, parallel to mid limb then taper?  I thought about pyramid to 1" at the tips, which is not much, and then tapering the last 6" down to 1/2".

[vanillabear?]

[LittleBen]

IF you decide to just reduce te thickness down instead of ripping it into 2 boards, this is what I do.

I mark a line on the side of the board for the thickness ... I dont include any taper, just a basic 1/2" or w/e it is you decide on. Then I use a power hand planer to reduce it down near the line. It's pretty quick, low elbow grease needed, and fairly difficult to ruin the stave unless you're just off your rocker that day