All fiberglass bow

[Gurge]

So first off does anyone still make an all fiberglass bow? I keep seeing old bear and Indian all fiberglass bows for sale but most have pretty bad structural cracks that I wouldn't want to mess with. I saw that PSE makes a youth bow that's some sort of composite but at 30# it's a bit under what I'm looking for. Do y'all think it would be possible to use fiberglass cloth and resin to make a bow to about 50-60#? I'm thinking a one piece bow just with a lot of planning and shaping involved. Any thoughts:has one one tried this? Please help me out before I spend way too much on a project destined to fail.

[KenH]

There are several "all fiberglass" or nearly all-glass bow builds you can do.  

There are things called "boat bows" or "boat cover bows" which are solid fiberglass 'bars' about 1/4" thick and 1-1/2" wide used to support (like a conestoga wagon cover) a protective  canvas cover over a fancy powerboat.  The bars can be used singly or together in a "loose laminate" configuration to built straight bows, or bows with add-on siyahs to make a recurve.

[passion for knowledge]

I wouldn't bother with glass cloth and resin.

I made some experimental recurve limbs for a Samik Sage riser. Either very light draw or VERY heavy limbs.

Don't waste your time or cash.

My dad was quite the carpenter, so I've been working with wood, off and on, pretty much all my life, so my bias is in that direction.

Starting my next bow this evening - just picked up a piece of Zebra wood for the riser.
Planning to have a go at a trilam.

[Gurge]

I'm currently building a bamboo laminate bow but I really want something fairly waterproof and indestructible. Once a year some friends of mine and I go for a 2 month long hiking/camping trip and once we decide where and when were going we stay regardless and water and mildew have ruined a few things in the past. I want something indestructible over light and...takedown-able.

[mikkekeswick]

I don't see why it couldn't be done but I can't help you!
Although thinking about it I would maybe have a look at using foam cores (no moisture absorption) and glass back/belly like a normal glass bow. That way you can go with a proven design and follow normal glass bow build steps. Use a solid phenolic riser.

[monterey]

How about lamming up a series of glass lams on a typical ASL form.  Something in a Hill style.

I have a 56" NTN solid glass bow that dates to the early '50's.  Not a kids bow although it looks like one.  The limbs have an ELB cross section.  I'LL try to put a few pics up later.

[KenH]

There is a product called a Fiberglass Chain-link Tension Bar  It's used at the end of a stretch of chainlink fence where it attaches to the fence post  These tension bars come in aluminum and fiberglass.

The fiberglass bars are about 3/4" wide and 1/2" thick, and come in lengths from 3ft to 6ft.  I've used short lengths to build high-draw weight crossbow prods -- a 28" piece loose-laminated to a 16" piece gives a draw weight in excess of of 250#.

I'd bet you could make a "bundle bow" or Bhutanese style bow which would be takedown-able.  Maybe a 60" length with a 24" "riser" made from a second piece of the bar spiral wrapped in place.  Here's a photo of a recent crossbow build where I used this bar.  The long piece is 28".

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[monterey]

Here's the pics.  Not sure how it is made.  Maybe someone knows something about it.  This little "toy" accounted for several deer and one very large black bear back in the '50's.

 

   

   

   

   

[monterey]

Here's the pics.  Not sure how it is made.  Maybe someone knows something about it.  This little "toy" accounted for several deer and one very large black bear back in the '50's.

 

   

   

   

   

[monterey]

Double?   :confused:    :confused:    :confused:

[mikkekeswick]

Looks to me like a glass 'bar' that has had a flat ground on one side to make it bend that way. It doesn't store much energy but adding some little recurves would help that.

[KenH]

Reminds me of those Indian brand bows from the late 50s/60s.  I thinking you could make a bow similar to this from those fiberglass tension bars.  Put a long piece and a shorter "riser" piece together and cover it to make the handle, then make pin nocks or something for the tips.  I think I'll have to try that, just for S&G  It'll cost less than $20.

[frank bullitt]

That's  simular  to  my  Stream/eze bow!                        

They  were  made  from solid fishing pole blanks!

They have  a  reverse  english  cross section!

[Gurge]

I think I'm gonna try the tension rod route. I'm new to this what is a reverse English cross section? And NTN and ASL?

[frank bullitt]

English  cross  section  D shape.  Normal is round belly, flat back.

NTN  nock to nock  measure.

ASL   American  Semi Longbow.

[Gurge]

So an English cross section as a rounded belly and a flat back? And if I do this with the tension rods should I tiller it (if I need to. Not sure how consistent the machine is but I'm assuming more so than wood grain)that way or as I normally would? Does the fiberglass have tension/compression characteristics that are that different or is there some benefit to the English cross section?

[JamesV]

Ben Pearson made a take-down two piece all fiberglass semi-recurve that was a good shooter. Had one back in the late 50's.

James

[frank bullitt]

Alex, my bow is reverse D, rounded on the back, like being trapped. The belly is flat.

Wish I could answer about the fiberglass properties, but no experience.

I do know that a lot of Bowyer spine and sort glass accordingly.

I can speak of the smooth draw and great cast of the 56" Stream-eze bow!