wanting a R/D bow, need help

[joe nichols]

OK, I'm ready (ish).  I would like to do a 60" R/D. I need something short enough to hunt with in thick stuff or stand. I would like 50#-60#.  I can get hickory, red oak, maple. These in board form.  Or maybe boo floor boards but they are only 36".  I'm currently trying a hickory backed hickory.  My hickory and mahogany blew up(yea, I know). It was mostly just practice on the shaping.

[mwosborn]

Check out Roy's trilam he is working on now.  Nice looking bow.   60" is a bit short for my taste.  What is your draw length?

[joe nichols]

My short draw is 26.  Mgmt draw with the long bow is 28.

[joe nichols]

I have been following his.  He gave some good advise on my last one but i had already made a fatal flaw.

[Roy from Pa]

Joe, you can use 36" boards, I do it all the time. You just need to Z splice them together first. Here is how I lay out the Z splice.

 

 

Here is the belly lam and core lam, both Z spliced together.

 

[LittleBen]

I think hickory backed hickory is a reasonable choice for that project.

My recommendations are as follows:

Heat temper the belly lam before glue up (if it's easy/possible for you). You  can also form it to the R/D shape while heat tempering to make glue up easier.

Go fairly wide. With a 60" length, 12" riser, 50-60# and 26" draw I'd probably go 1.75" wide at least to start.
(my most recent R/D was 58" 12" riser, hickory-walnut-ipe at nearly 1.75" wide and 60# or so @ 25" and it definately took some set).
I don't think 1.75" is too wide for hickory and you can always narrow it later if it is.

[joe nichols]

What is the purpose of such a long riser?  I put about a 9" in the oak bow and I love it.  I do plan on cutting in a shelf as well.
Thanks Roy, the boo will be my next one.

[joe nichols]

I have a Hickory backed hickory made up at 58" NTN.  It pulls just over 50# at 26".  Exactly what I was going for.  However, there is a problem. I have a hinge in a limb.  I don't really want to loose the draw weight so is there any viable options?  I was thinking of putting another thin hickory back on the bow and re-tillering from there.
On a good note, I put a few arrows through it and shoots quite well.  I will add a pic when possible.  Hopefully before I break the hinge.

[LittleBen]

Adding another lam is probably a reasonable solution.

No particular reason to the riser length, that's just what I decided on. If you can go shorter, that's probably smart.

How bout those pics!

[joe nichols]

[joe nichols]

That is all I have for now.  I will take some more tonight on the tree.  Close ups if it doesn't break after a finish is applied.  I tried to find deft, but it might end up a poly finish.

[joe nichols]

[LittleBen]

Deft lacquer is easy to apply, and looks nice, but provides essentially zero moisture protection ... ask how I know.

My current go to finish is Helmsman Spar Urethane in a spray can. Durable, water resistant, easy to apply ... not as idiot proff as lacquer but close. I've also used alot of wipe on poly with good success, it just seems to take a bit longer ... but also seems to cost less per bow than the spray can.

[joe nichols]

Helpful hint.  Don't try to put tension on a bow before the glues time restraint.  I put the new backing on at 5 this morning.  I tried to string up the bow at 4 this afternoon.  I'm using tightbond II
Well, the back popped off.  I still shot it some and will post pics of the draw and brace ASAP.

[LittleBen]

Maybe it's overkill but I usually give a week or so of drying time with any wood glue.

[joe nichols]

 
 

Unstrung, it has about 1.5" of reflex.

[joe nichols]

Oh yea, it is 1.25" wide at the handle.  The riser is only 8" long with a fade into the limbs.