Bamboo backed Osage tri-lam build-a-long

[Buck Buckley]

Okay guys here we go, This is the first build-a-long that I have done so bear with me on this. As I go along I will explain the way that my Dad and I build our bows. If you have any questions on something or don't understand how I explain something feel free to comment on it. Any way what we plan on for a finished product is a 62" ntn 50# Reflex/Deflex Bamboo backed Osage tri-lam with snake skins and deer antler overlays on the nocks
Here what we have to start with 2x2x72 Argentine Osage.This is really great stuff we have made the last 50plus bows out of this stuff. If you haven't ever used it before you should try it. 72" piece of Boo and a 2x2x16 piece of Birds eye Maple
 

[Buck Buckley]

Now I am going to rip a piece of Osage 3/8" thick.  Plane it down to 5/16" to clean it up and that will be the thickness I start at before tapering it down. Once It is cleaned up and 5/16"  cut it to the overall length of the bow you want. This one will be 64". Find your center and draw a line 32" now divide each half into thirds and mark your lines, so on this piece I would measure down 10 5/8" from the middle and draw a line across and then measure down 10 5/8" again and draw a line,do the same on the other half of the plank. The lines act as reference points when your planing your taper. I use a 6"benchtop. I set it at a dept of 1/16" so when I am done it will end up at 1/4" in the middle tapering down to 1/8" on each tip. If you were not going to make a tri-lam I would start my plank thickness at 7/16 so my taper would end up being 3/8" in the center to 1/4" on the tips.
 
Now to cut the taper. Run the plank into the planer to the first line then lift it off and then start again and run it to the second line and lift it off again. Start again and run it all the way up to the centerline. Do the same for the other half of the plank. Make sure you draw your line all the way around your plank so you can see were your at.
 

[Buck Buckley]

Tapered plank should look something like this.
 
Now that the Osage plank is ready its time to start on the Bamboo. First plane down the belly to get a flat surface so you can draw out the profile of your bow on it. A couple of passes across the planer will usually do it
 
Here it is all flattened out.
 

[Buck Buckley]

Now you have to cut your bamboo to length. You can lay your cut Osage plank next to the bamboo and see were the nodes on the bamboo  end up. You want to try and keep the node as far back from the tips as possible. but it don't always work like that especially if you have only one or two pieces to work with. The farther apart the nodes are the easier it is to tiller. I got lucky on this piece I have about 11" between the nodes
 
Now I am ready to lay the profile of the bow out and then cut it out. Draw a center line, 32" on this one. Now find the center of the width and draw a line. Next I use a string line to get a straight line all the way through the length of the bamboo to the tips. It helps to do it this way if your bamboo has a twist or a bow in it. Now I will draw my limb tapers. From my center line I measure out 4 1/2" on each side and draw a line.That is were my fades will end. This bow will be 1 3/8 wide straight tapered to 5/8" at the tips. Before tillering I will narrow the last 6" of the tips down to 1/2" or a little less.
 
 

[Buck Buckley]

Now to cut out the profile of the bow with the bandsaw. I leave the whole handle section the same width as the fades 1 3/8" I don't lay out any of the riser until it is all tillered out.
 
When you cut it out leave the line showing so you can sand it  in to the line and have a nice straight taper
 
Profile is all cut to shape so now we have to get it to the right thickness. Its about 3/8" thick now. We always go about 1/8" between the nodes sometimes a bit less but never thicker than 1/8". First we'll run it across the planer so we dont have to sand as much.
 

[Buck Buckley]

Then take a pencil and draw a line down the whole length of the bamboo about 1/8" from the back.
 
Now we will sand the bamboo to remove some more of the thickness off of it. We use a 1" belt sander and sand it to the line. we use a real course belt so we can remove alot of the bamboo this way.
 
Once we have it sanded close to the line we then use the 6" belt sander to even out the belly and get it really flat and right to 1/8" thick. we will keep measuring with a pair of calipers as we are sanding.
 
Once your bamboo is flat and at the thickness you want, clamp it or press it down tight on to a flat surface to check and make sure that it don't have any little dips or dishes on the edges. You want it to be perfect for a nice tight glue line. . It takes us longer to work the bamboo than it does to lay out the rest of the bow.

[Buck Buckley]

Ok, Osage is  tapered. Bamboo is ready, now for the Power-lam or strip. The riser on this bow is going to be 12" so my power-strip will be 16". Bows from 58" to 62" will have 12" riser and a 14" power strip. Bows from 64" to 68" will have a 14"riser and a 18" power strip. The power lam will be 1/4" thick tapered to a knife edge on the tips. I usually lay masking tape over the edge and draw my taper on it and then sand it to shape with the belt sander
 
Alright, every thing is ready to go for the first glue up. Here is a picture of the form that we will be using for this glue up
Picture of mock glue up to make sure everything is tight and looks okay.
 
Everything looked real good. Last thing to do is groove the back of the Osage. Lay the bamboo an the osage and trace it out. We use a dremel tool with a sanding disk to make grooves in the osage along the whole length of it. Make sure you stay inside of the line though. If you run out of the line it will show up along the glue line when finished.
 
After that I take a piece of sandpaper and sand it lightly to remove and loose pieces. Then I will take everything over to the compresser and blow them all off to get rid of any dust thats on them. I never wipe any of my wood down with acetone or any other solvents.
Ready to mix up some Urac-185 and glue this thing together.
 

[Buck Buckley]

Okay, we had taken the bow off the form and are ready to lay out the riser section and glue it up. Here is a pic of it .
 
I have my Birds eye Maple block ready. I laid some maskingtape over it and and drew my centerline on it. Now I am ready to trace the profile of the bow on it and cut it out.
 
Now it is cut out so I am going to sand it in so I get a really good fit to the riser, I have a pretty good fit now.
 
Now I am going to trace the same arc again about a 1/2" down and cut it out agian so I can  put an accent strip of osage in the riser
 
Here is a pic of the riser now all ready to be glued up.
 

[Buck Buckley]

Here it is all glued up till tomorrow. We will cut in the fades and make the lamination for the belly and get that all glued up then.
We also glued up another bow like this today but not a tri-lam. It is a 60" and it has a Bacote riser. Post some pics of that one tomorrow,
 
 

[Bob L.]

Looking great, keep it coming.

[LEOPARD]

Looking good! Thanks for sharing with us!   :D

[hunter jenkins]

looks great

[John Scifres]

Nice.

[wingnut]

Buck,

the Argentine Osage looks interesting.  Where do you get it?

Mike

[Steve Kendrot]

Keep it coming!!

[Talondale]

TTT

[Buck Buckley]

Finally get a day off Mon,Tues. Will be putting on the belly lams and then tillering it out

[Aram]

Looking forward to it! Thanks
Aram

[Hard Head]

wish my shop was as dirty.    
    Keep it comming PLEASE - Hard Head -

[Hard Head]

O - forgot - What are your form spec - heights??
 can you please let us know.
         - Hard Head -