Bulding my Bamboo Backed Ipe and Questions...

[xstatic1971]

Hey everyone.  Have been working on a Bamboo Backed Ipe so, wanted to share and have a couple of questions:

Here is the pre-glue-up test:

 

Here is the bow clamped up ready to go into the hot box:

 

Here is the riser and tips after it has been cleaned up.  The rise is Zebrawood - YellowHeart Padauk and Zebrawood.  Tip overlays are Padauk and YellowHeart.  I accidentally switched one of the tips up pre-glue so they are opposite, but oh well, it looks kind of cool I suppose:


 

 

 


Ok, so a couple of questions.  Post glue-up I have some gaps in a couple of spots.  The gaps are only on one side.  They don't go all the way through.  Don't know if it is an issue or what I could or should do about it.  I was thinking after tillering just filling it in with some wood filler.  Any thoughts?

 

 


Finally, here it is on the tillering stick.  The is my first attempt tillering a reflex deflex bow, so I don't even really know what to look for, so just thought I would throw this up there to see if any wisdom would shine down upon me from the kind folks here:

 


Thanks for any help!!

[vanillabear?]

[razorback]

First bit of wisdom, would be to get rid of the tiller stick and go to a pulley system. Much more dynamic and doesn't hold the bow in a set position, which can be very bad for it during the tillering process. You don't want to put it on the stick, step back to take a photo and find a big hinge that you have just left in there for an extended amount of time. Will lead to the bow taking a set, if lucky, or going ka-blooee, if unlucky.
I would consider rounding the edges to prevent splinters and smoothing out the nock area. Looks a little sharp edged which could cut the string. That may just be the camera angle. Check out Apex Predators posts. He has a real nice nock point design.
JMHO

[Blue Tick]

What part of Texas as you in?

[xstatic1971]

Thanks for the great feedback everyone!

@Vanillabear:  Ok, sounds good.  Just filled er up with some superglue!  

@razorback:  Very good points.  I broke 2 of my selfbows by lieaving them on the tillering stick too long.  I thought that it would help get them bending... uh.... no.....

I already have a pully in my toolbox, so time to put it to good use I suppose.

Roger that on the tip overlays.  Just put in some temporary knocks and haven't cleaned them up as of yet.  Will do all of that tomorrow.

@Blue Tick:  I am North of Dallas in Frisco.

Thanks again for the feedback everyone!  Hopefully I will be shooting this bad boy tomorrow!  

Craig

[John Cooper]

You'll want to pad those F-clamps on the midlimbs.  Some bamboo is soft enough to dent through the rind.  That caused a lifted splinter at about 20" of draw for me.  Fortunately, I was able to wrap it with thread and superglue and it's been shooting fine ever since.  If you're worried about those gaps, you could do the same thing with the thread.  I don't know if that's necessary, though.

I second the advise on the innertubes and the pulley system.  The pulley will help you to see where the limbs are flexing.  That'll be your best bet with the D/R profile.  Also, check out what some of the fiberglass d/r bows look like at brace and full draw.  That's all I can tell you on that department.  Good luck!

~John

[John Cooper]

Oh, and what are the dimensions of the bow and weight you're aiming for?

[xstatic1971]

Ok, moving on here...

I did try the pully system, screwed it into one of my fence posts.  Pully ended up snapping and everything went flying...  YIKES!!!!

So, back to the tillering stick temporarily.

I am at a loss with this tiller...

 

This is at about 24" or so:

 

Ah I notice it isn't quite centered on the stick, but either way it is still wacky.

I just don't want to mess it up.  Any ideas on where to take off?  The Reflex Deflex has me second guessing where to remove wood...


Right now I think it is at about 35 at 23...  I am shooting for 40-45 I suppose at 28"

The bow is 66" nock to nock.

Thanks again!!!

Craig

[xstatic1971]

Ok as a follow-up, I just went out and worked on it some more.  Unfortunately, didn't get too far.  

At first it looked like the obvious issue was that the left mid-limb was bending more than the right, so I worked on the right mid-limb.  That didn't seem to improve it, so then I thought maybe the left limb towards the fade was too stiff which was causing too much bend mid-limb so I worked on it.  I do think I made some progress here, but not enough to even things out.

So that is where I am at now.  Just hoping to save as much draw weight as I can...

Craig

[hova]

lets see a pic of it now after brace and draw...

thats mighty interesting , but it looks to me like it should end up kind of /-\\

i dont know who's bow this is , but i am pretty sure this is what youre looking for...

 http://216.119.68.89/store/images/rudderbows/instockrd2.JPG

[AKmud]

The large node on the left limb is flat and the right limb is way behind.  I'd work that right limb pretty hard before doing anything more to the left.  It is salvageable, but your finish weight will probably come up a bit short.

[Brent Hill]

Xstatic, I'm in Pilot point north of you in Denton County.  A bunch of us stick shooters have a range in Denton, the Denton County Archers if you want to fling some arrows with us.
I agree with AK on the right limbbetween the fade and the mid limb.  With respect to the weight, when you get both limbs working the same, you may be able to take an inch off each tip to gain some poundage back ??  I don't have much experience with tillering a reflex deflex bow.  I am experienced at screwing a possible bow so..  Good luck.  Hopefully we can shoot together and I'll show you my osage/sinew collage that wants to be a bow.

[xstatic1971]

@AKmud and Hova... Thanks for the help and tips.  Definitely helped me out.

@Brent.  Sounds good to me!  My family are members of the Dallas Archery Club, so I throw the invite back at you as well...

Ok, God recognized that I had a terrible morning, so when I went out in the afternoon and strung the bow up, glory shone upon it.

I guess I must have done something right last night.  Really, I didn't do anything to it today.

It is at 40lbs at 28".  Has about an 1/8" positive tiller on upper limb.

Here it is braced:

 

And Full Draw:

 

It isn't perfect, but a heck of a lot better than it was last night.         I guess it can use a little more work towards the fades?

Thanks again for all of the help!  Just need to clean it up tomorrow with final sanding shaping and finishing.

Craig

[xstatic1971]

Well, I got the bow all fixed up and sanded and I am soooooooooo happy with it!  However, in the midst of sanding, I noticed this tiny crack on the belly.  :(

 

Does it matter?!?!

[Mike Most]

Measure about 8 inches each way from the center of the bow while braced. At that point measure the distance from the belly to the string.

Are they the same distance or with in say 1/4 inch or less?

Just Curious

Mike

[xstatic1971]

Hi Mike.

I measured it and right now, the distance is equal.

Thanks!

Craig

[razorback]

Just curious, where on the bow is that crack. I am concerned about the left midlimb, still looks like a hinge there and I wouldn't be surprised if that is where the crack is.
"Is it important"? I would say yes. It is a weak spot and where it is likely to blow if it goes. You could fill with superglue, sand/scrap it out or add a thin belly lam and tiller it. This would give you the benefit of adding weight back to the bow.
Great job getting it from where you had it to its final profile, and you say you did that in one night,very impressed. keep with it and you may get a shooter and if nothing else you will have valuable experience to use on your next bow.

[xstatic1971]

Ok, here are a couple of pictures of where we are now.  

   

   

   

   


Looks like after a few draws the crack extended a little bit.  So, do you think as far as tiller goes, to prevent this from happening further I need to take off in between the fades and mid-limb?  Looking at the picture, it looks like that is probably the case.

@razorback:  Yes, it is the top limb that has the crack and it is around where that hinge was/is.  When you say fill it with superglue, do you just mean saturate it?  It isn't really a crack, but is more flat, so was just wondering if I would just let the superglue sit on top of it and dry.

I was thinking of just sanding it down and in the process, working on the tiller.  However, I don't know how much of that crack has to do with the bamboo possibly overpowering the Ipe?

Thanks again!

Craig

[vanillabear?]

[xstatic1971]

@vanillabear.  Do you think it would be possible to sand it down more, fixing the tiller, shorten it a bit and make it about a 30 pounder for my son or do you think the Ipe is already too thin for that compared to the Bamboo?

I am definitely disappointed as I had it ready to put the finish on, but on the other hand, after gluing it there were a few gaps, so I knew it wasn't perfect anyway...  Just more frustrated with all the work put in it.  If I could salvage it for my son, he sure would be happy...  He has been salivating over it as it is...

Thanks!


Craig