Exel of Finland

[Buemaker]

There are other producers than Gordon and BearPaw who make excellent glass and Carbon . I believe Blacktail and some big bow producers use their product.
https://www.exelwebstore.com/composite-laminate.html

[Flem]

Interesting to see, thanks for the link. I wish they published the glass to resin ratio.
Is this the glass that you use, Bue?

[Buemaker]

A few years ago they sent me enough to make a few bows, to try out.
I do not use it now, since I have enough og the Swedish Bjorn glass, the Bjorn glass have always been excellent and very clear.

[Mark R]

Exel and Bjorn should market there product in the U.S.A. What's the specifics and name of the material used in Bow limbs? We could all benefit from a good product.

[Bivyhunter]

I looked into the Exel and after some back and forth email with them asking as to why I was looking for an alternative glass manufacturer, here is their reply:

"The white stripes and inconsistency originates from reinforcement raw material. This is something we have been working also to minimize,
but unfortunately also with our laminate this can still be seen"

[Buemaker]

I am posting a pic of the Exel glass. The ones I used had no streaks and blotches, but if one should be very critical, a very slight what can I call it, silver speckle if looked from a slanted angle. But far from the Botuff I have seen.

[Buemaker]

Another.

[Bivyhunter]

That's some nice looking glass. I don't know if they are experiencing sporadic quality control issues or if they are being overly critical, but in my estimation, from the what I can see in the pictures, that looks pretty good. Even the Bear Paw that I've been using the past couple of years has clarity issues from time to time, but it still is much better and more "clear" than the Gordon's glass. I don't know if they are just being gun shy on shipping over a bunch of glass that might be rejected by someone who they might perceive as being overly picky. It's an understandable position from them I guess. How has the consistency in spine been for you? Are you hitting weight with consistency?

[Buemaker]

When it comes to hit weight consistensly I am afraid I cannot help you. I make a few glass bows, but I am mostly a wood bowmaker. The thickness though is dead on.  The Bjorn glass is what I mostly use and it has always been crystal clear.
If you pay the freight cost I think Exel would send you enough samples to make a couple of bows.

[Flem]

The clarity is going to be dependent on the equipment and how it is set up and capacity for adjustments.
They manufactures use a process called pultrusion to make the laminate we use. I would guess replacement is costly and our market share isn't enough of a motivator for that expense.

This is the reinforcement used;

And this is what it looks like when it is not evenly distributed in the matrix;

[Stagmitis]

Anyone notice lower speed with clear glass vs colored? Also I wonder why we don't see more S2 glass used which has a higher strength to weight ratio than e glass.