Lam Long Bow ?

[MW]

I have been reading about building a long bow on a form and have a question.

How do you know the materials and thickness to hit the weight you want?

Please feel free to talk to me like I don't know anything cuz I don't.

[Kevin L.]

I know if you call bingham for your lams and glass, you can give them the overall length and the handle length, and they'll tell you what thickness and taper to get you pretty close. Final weight comes with tillering.

[Dave2old]

I use a cheater method and it works great: Just one lam of glass, applied to the back of a standard Osage board (about 3/4" x 2" x 70") as if it were bamboo or hickory backing, using C clamps and a reflex-deflex form cut from a 2x8. Use epoxy of course rather than glue. No heat box necessary; just put in a warm place for a few days. I then use a bandsaw to cut the basic limb tapers and start tillering the Osage like I would an all-wood bow, until I get close to the weight I want. If you get it too weak you can always shorten the limbs to get back up to weight. None of the bows I've made this way, so far, have delaminated or broken or gotten weaker. Have fun, dave

[steadman]

Mitch, give me a call, i can help you out. What kind of form? A hybrid or more hill style?

[MW]

Thanks for the info.

Steadman,

Thanks for the call.  Ill be in touch.