My Next Bow - BBI (Completion Pics 09/29/08)

[ber643]

My next bow is a BBI (Bamboo Backed Ipe), which I have been wanting to do since I first started reading about them, and hearing of Rich Saffold's work with them, in CA. It is, of course, a wood lam bow, and since I do not have the facilities, or forms and tools, to do a glue up (and mostly will want to work Osage stave bows after this one), I opted for a glue-up from Mr. Saffold of Richard's Bowyery. As I told Richard, in previous communications, I wanted this bow to start off having the best chance possible, of turning into as good a one, as I turn out to be capable of making it be, since it will probably be my only BBI. I want to say that I am very impressed with the Glue-up he made for me, and his fast service. It is a 68" longbow, 66 3/4" ntn, with darker pieces of Ipe (e-pea) for the riser and tip overlays. The Bamboo backing is a beautiful piece of Black Bamboo (a unique species of bamboo of no two pieces exactly alike, and already camoed patterns - (like my Camo Dog - LOL)

This bow may take awhile for me to do (even if it is almost already a bow                        ) what with finishing up my Holmegarard, Deer season starting in a week here, Hurricane Hannah (perhaps only Tropical storm Hannah) bearing down on us in NC, family matters, etc. but I still intend to keep you posted, as in the past, if you are interested.

Here are some pics of the glue up. All I have done to it so far (other than to admire it's shape etc.) is shape the tips and overlays and file the string nocks. I did this today, so that I will be able to get a long string on it as soon as it is readied for that step.

Side view:

           

Belly (Ipe):

           

Back (Black Bamboo) It's a little darker and more speckled than it appears in this pic. I will try to get a more accurate image later:

           

And a look at the two tips with string grooves:

           

           

[chrisg]

Also my next project I will be watching you closely, I will have to do my own glue up and cut out the Ipe from decking. I really enjoyed your wrestle with the Hickory Holmie, it came out well. You are a good teacher! Thanks for sharing.
chrisg

[ber643]

Bless your heart, chrisg - I did a lot of it in the Marine Corps, and always enjoyed it (after I got past the "stomache butterflys" lol). Good luck on your glue-up. I believe a lot of Rich's Ipe comes from decking also. I know he "speaks" often about a lumber place out there that has excellant choices, which he is thankful for. He also mentions how there are a lot of exotic trees used for landscaping in the past there also - but permission to harvest is not always forthcoming - LOL

[JEFF B]

now thats a nice looking bow uncle bernie!  

[Dano]

Rich makes a pretty mean BBI, she oughta be a screamer Bernie.

[Pat B]

Bernie, You will love this combo. Boo/ipe makes a great bow and I'm sure you will follow suit.     Pat

[ber643]

Thank you friends Jeff, Dano, and Pat. Encouragement like your's always helps me a great deal.

Yep, i'm taking it slow and easy (I usually do - LOL) but particularly slow with this one because of the dust - to see how I react to it. I do have a dust mask (with refills) but only used it for a little while. I clean up (shavings and sawdust) often anyway. I've been washing my hands and arms after each short session and cleaning my nose - not moving much wood yet. Just working corners off in preparation, and testing my tolerance. So far - no problems but anything I don't need is extra itching and burning on top of the tick and redbug season starting (with Deer Season) next Saturday - LOL

[Tom Anderson]

Well thank goodness, Bernie - looks like that one may actually be long enough for me to do a full draw on.   :D  

I'll be watchin'.


BTW, does Rich Saffold have a web page?

[ber643]

Huh-uh, think again, Floppy Long-armed Guy! Still only 25" draw allowed (maybe 26")   :D   Glad to see your interested enough to look though       . He does, it's Richard's Bowyery.

[ber643]

As promised earlier, here is a picture that I hope shows the color and unique "pattern" of the Black Bamboo that is the backing on my BBI:

 

I've been scraping and sanding on the BBI in fits and spurts, as I have had time. I also took a good half or 3/4" off the darker piece of the riser - not really shaping it too much, yet, but just sizing it for more comfort in depth. The bow is responding well to floor tillering, and I now have it on the long string on the tree, and pretty close to ready for the short string. So far, it is continuing to look real even in the curvature of the limbs. I'll have pics of that next week but in the meantime here is it's latest profile (while resting on the keel of my canoe, which is hanging on the outside carport wall - LOL). Just seemed like a good place to get decent light for the "color" shot shown above:

 

[JEFF B]

oh thats looking purty uncle bernie  

[ber643]

After some scraping, sanding, and handle reducing I got the BBI glueup bending at floor tiller, enough to be ready for a string, and to get it on my tillering tree. I'm using a little longer string than I have on previous ones due to the nice reflex in the glue-up. It would take a short string now but it would put the string right up along side of the handle. (That handle is also still a little larger/deeper than it will be, just to give me a good base to rest in my cradle.)

On the tree:

 

When I exercised and then pulled the bow (down to about the 12 inch line), it appeasred to me the right (persumably lower) limb was not bending as much as the left (top) limb, along most of it's inner length:

 

With that info in mind, I took the bow back inside and did some judicious scraping on the right limb, then back to the tree and exercise. After that, another pull to 12" shows the limbs are bending much more alike now. Now to try to keep them going that way - LOL, as I continue to get it bending more - after at least a night of rest for her (and me):

 

[Pat B]

Bernie, Watch that left limb right off the fade. could develop a hinge if you are not careful.
   She's coming along nicely.      Pat

[ber643]

I see where you are talking about, Pat (now) I'll look at that closer on the tree today - guess I was so busy working/watching the right one I didn't see that. There are two places on that limb that almost look like the Ipe possibly could have been butt-spliced (not sure they aren't just "things" in the wood), and as I recall that is close to one of them but maybe not (nope, doesn't appear to be at that spot, in just looking at the wood - I'll see when I get it on the tree). Definitely bears watching in any case, thanks.

[JEFF B]

looking good so far uncle. hey and you said not to leave you behind in building bows!!! i think its the other way round. after saying that i have enough white ash to make 3 bows will be starting them soon.    keep it comming uncle b

[ber643]

LOL - getting stocked up, ain'tcha, bro? What did you do, raid a grove at the local non-native botanical park?

[ber643]

A little more progress made today and The limbs appear very close to even to me, now. Using the shorter long string (length of bow).

 

[ber643]

Now for a little work to get more curve in the mid-limb (and tip) areas - hopefully getting the weight more into my range at the same time - LOL.

[JEFF B]

way to go uncle!!!!! hey ya right i am stocking up as the way money is aroundhere at the moment what cost me $40 for a 8ft borad will be going up in price!!! thieving bastards. thats what happens when ya live down at the bottom of the world.    I've got to move to the usa

[ber643]

I couldn't argue with that, Jeff. Though my Father-In-Law loved NZ when he was stationed there.

Got the outter limbs curving a little more now - still strong. Think I will shave the edges a little today and see where I stand then. New pic soon - if all goes well.