anyone interested in a boo-backed-boo buildalong?

[AkDan]

Nick, how about building using Jaap K's method...actually I think it's how they build the yumis, with jute/twine and wedges.  Seemed like a sweet idear for something like this, would eliminate the need for clamps, innertubes, and a form.  He also built a glass bow using regular glues with this method.   just an idear.

[flint kemper]

And here I sit not thinking I have enough machinery in the garage to build this type of bow. Great build a-long for sure. Flint

[SteveD]

Great Job Nick Thanks

[clintopher]

Awesome bow...I think I'm going to have to try that next.

Could you go a little more in depth on how you tiller?  How do you keep everything together dry?  Where on the boo do you remove the material to get it bending correctly?  What tools do you use to remove material? Do you remove material from the back or belly lam?  Or perhaps both?  If from both, how do you decide which one to remove material from?

Thanks in advance,
Clint

[northland archer]

Nick, maybe i missed it, what are the widths of the bow from the middle to the nock ends?  Secondly, how did you taper the core lam to achieve your desired weight?  
Could you cut a shelf on a bow like this?  
Thanks for the info, i am wanting to give a bow like this a shot.  

Treavor

[Bob Barnes]

great threads deserve a bump...

Bob

[Loren Holland]

where is Nick these days? wasn't he joining the Dutch Marines or did he get captured by another girlfriend? i remember really wanting to see some final pictures of that bow, and that i have two just right pieces of bamboo ready to give it a try soon

[Bob Barnes]

ttt

[Roy from Pa]

All clamps work the best Nick. This is how I clamp my BBO bows up. I use 6 inch end blocks to give me my reflex. After coming out of the form, I end up with 3 inches of reflex at the tips.  

 

[gudspelr]

Bob, thanks for bringing this one back-it's a great thread.  I really liked how Nick went about building this bow-looked nice and simple.  I sent him a message a while back about some of the specifics of his form, but haven't heard back yet.  Anyone know the specs on the form?  How did he get the same amount of bend in the ends-doesn't look like there were 'stops' for the clamps?  Any help's appreciated.

Oh, and Roy-great looking setup you have there.

Jeremy

[Bigkid]

Great Build along thanks for Bringing it up,
I messed it the first time around,
May have to attempt this one.

[Stiks-n-Strings]

Nick get's real busy with school from time to time and other teenage boy going on's.

 He'll be around sooner or later. That boy sure does have skill and builds some beautiful bows.

[macbow]

Roy could you give a few more specifics like distance from centre to the two blocks and over all length of bow.

I use a set up like yours but think I need to adjust some.
Miss Nick also.
Thanks, Ro

[razorsharptokill]

I think we need to get the boy a dial caliper, it is a tad bit more accurate than a cresent wrench!LOL! Can you imagine the work this young man would turn out in a well equipped shop???

What amazing ingenuity!

[dutchwarbow]

Well, well, well.

I haven't been on Tradgang for a while and seeing my old thread still living makes me very happy!

truth is, being totally into all-wood laminates, my desire to make bows broke along with my beltsander. Not being able to find another one quickly, kinda demotivated me and I left things alone. In addition, I've been training Kyukushin Karate for 8months now and started kickboxing recently. Being very busy with these martial arts, work and even school, bowmaking pretty much fell to the background.

It's very likely that I would've been much more active if I had a beltsander, but the search and actual purchase of one requires quite some time, money and especially efford. I want to, but it's hard to get started being busy with so many other things. Ofcourse, I can make bows without a beltsander, but I don't really want to. Maybe I'll make a new start this summer!

Let's start replying your questions and stop my boring story  :p

AkDan, yes, I have thought about the rope&wedges method, I really think it is the very best method for these bows. But I am too lazy to put the efford, time and especially my precious bamboo into making the 100+ wedges I need for that    Maybe I'll buy much more bamboo the next time and just get it done!

Thank you Flint and Steve!!

Clint, I tiller these lams separately with my beltsander, If both bend correctly, I check the thickness. If the lams are too thick, I sand some with my beltsander from one of the lams. Since this bow had a reverse handle, the back-lam needed to be thinner in order to make the curve, so I removed most of the material from the backing strip. If both lams have the correct bend and thickness, I glue them together. Since I don't really care about exact drawweights; I like anything between 40 and 70pounds for regular bows, this method works great. But if you use the same form, and make a couple of bows, you should be able to get pretty close to the desired drawweight.

when tillering the separate lams, I remove wood from the inner(concave) side of the boo, leaving the strong, outter 'powerfibres' intact.

once it's flattened out, I remove more boo the closer I get to the end. Then, I bend the strip in my hands, to check the tiller. If it bends properly, the taper is correct, and I leave it.

Treavor, I think the bow is like 1 3/4" wide to midlimb, then tapering to 1/2" nocks. And yes, if your handle is thick enough, you can cut in a shelf.

let's start a new reply for the next page!

Nick

[dutchwarbow]

Loren, indeed I want to join the dutch marines, or special forces, but I would prefer afighterpilot (wich would be either F16 or APACHE!)    tests for fighter pilot this fall!

No girlfriend hehe!

Roy, Nice setup! yet I think rope&wedges would be the best for BBB's ;)Clamps get slippery on the oval crossection of BBB's and don't distribute the pressure well over the edges. No doubt your method works great for bbo's though, especially with enough clamps  

thank you all for your kind comments! I feel honoured  :D

Nick

[gudspelr]

Hey, Nick-

Don't suppose I could get a little info on your form, could I?  And shoot, maybe we could do a fundraiser to get you a beltsander   .

Jeremy

[dutchwarbow]

Jeremy,

I don't really think it applies to the definition 'form'. It's 2 blocks at each tip, 4" high. by tightening the clamps directly behind the blocks, you create the curve in the tips.
you see, not really a form  :p

hope this helps?

Nick

[Roy from Pa]

Macbow, I measure from the center of the handle out for the mid limb posts. For a heavy hunting bow I place the top mid limb post at 13 inches and the bottom mid limb post at 12 5/8th. For a lighter bow I make the top post at 16 and the bottom at 15 5/8th. You can vary those measurements anywhere you want between those numbers. The shorter you measure out, the more deflex you get. I normally go with 15 inches for top limb and 14 5/8th for the bottom limb. I use a 3 3/4 inch center post, 2 3/4 inch mid limb posts, and 6 inch end posts.

[walkabout]

i think once i move and get my new shop set up im going to be trying my luck at building one of these. Great build along.