function/purpose of fiberglass??

[Andy Cooper]

Is the purpose of glass veneers on a bow protection, or what?  Could an equally efficient bow be built without glass, just using wood? Just curious. Thanks.

[Bjorn]

The purpose of the glass in a modern laminated bow is performance, and the purpose of the wood is weight reduction. That is pretty much it. For an all wood bow to rival a laminated glass bow in performance is more than unusual, but there are exceptions, however those all wood bows are not built for longevity.

[Pat B]

Bjorn I have to respectfully disagree with you on this. I know guys that build boo backed ipe and osage bows and some that build selfbows that will equal or out perform lots of glass lam bows on the market and can last as long as the glass bow if properly cared for. I have selfbows and hickory backed bows with thousands of shots through them and some still shoot as well as the day they were built. Glass bows overall are probably more durable because glass is more durable than wood.
  I think the performance in a glass bow is mostly in the glass but the tapered and parrallel wood lams in the core gives you a good glue surface and dictates the profile shape of the bow at brace, unbraced and at full draw which does add a bit to the performance.
  I have only built one unsuccessful glass bow but have built hundreds of wood bows of all types so take what I say about glass bows with a grain of salt.

[ChristopherO]

As "sinew is nature's fiberglass" so fiberglass is man's sinew.
Yes, there are bowers who can build all wood bows that nearly or can equal FG bows but there are many years invested to acheive this on a regular basis.  
Fiberglass bows take little to no set and can be kept strung for years.  A wood bow needs to be unstrung when finished shooting to preserve the performance.  
I love an all wood bow dearly.  But, I, also, enjoy a good fg bow for the lack of maintanance, comparably speaking.  
Fiberglass is fun but wood is WONDERFUL, in my book.  But I mainly shoot FG as I am not the bower I would like to be, yet, when it comes to all wood bows.  But there are more staves curing just waiting for me to keep trying.

[Bjorn]

Don't get me wrong I love making self bows and hope to one day build one that rivals my ACS; but even if I don't so what

 

This is the best one I have made so far-it is sinew backed Osage and 54#@28

[Tom Anderson]

Nice-looking bow, Bjorn!

[ChuckC]

Nice bow Bjorn.
ChuckC

[Pat B]

That's a real beauty, Bjorn.

[Andy Cooper]

Is carbon used like fiberglass, or more for limb cores?  Both?

[joekeith]

         
That's a fine lookin' bow you made Bjorn.
I hope to be able to make ones like that someday.

[ChristopherO]

Andy,
Check out this discussion to answer your question:
 http://tradgang.com/noncgi/ultimatebb.php?ubb=get_topic;f=1;t=092740

[Andy Cooper]

Thanks Christopher!