Limb trapping

[BWD]

When trapping limbs, is it best to trap the back or belly...and why?

[John Scifres]

On selfbows, trap the back.  Most woods are stronger in tension than compression so there is some extra weight hanging around on the back.

On Bamboo backed bows, the same theory applies.

On glass bows, it may be different since my glass longbow has a trapped belly.

[macbow]

John pretty much says it all. on my bamboo backed red oak kids bows. I trap the back, bamboo,heavily so it doesn't overpower the red oak.
Ron

[BWD]

Thanks guys, should have phrased the question differently, to say glass bows.

[Dmaxshawn]

Glass bows Trap the bellies.

[hova]

looks like ill be trapping the boo/maple/oak that jamesv sent me. i thought it looked like there were a couple frets on the belly , but it shoots so smooth i dont want to just not use it...


-hov

[Trux Turning]

You will get varying opinions with glass bows-on the studies I've seen trapping to the belly was shown to be the best-that's  how I do mine.

[bjansen]

I go back and forth on this idea with Glass bows.  I would think (in very simple terms) trapping the back of a glass bow would better balance the tension/compression ratio as the fiberglass is stronger in tension than it is in compression....however that is not how alot of bowyers do it.  

Some doe though...if you notice widow recurves are reverse trapped (i.e. the back is trapped rather than the belly).  I also noticed several other bowyers that have done this as well.  I have a Morrison Dakota that is reverse trapped.    

The next straight longbow I make is going to have a trapped back...and I will see how that works and I imagine it would look pretty good as well.

[Walt Francis]

I have glass bows from highed bowyers that have been trapped both ways and they all preform well.  So I tink it is your preference.

[TroutGuide]

So what is traping?

[jsweka]

Lots of opinions on this one as far as glass bows go.  In Jack Harrison's book he recommends trapping the back, but most bows you see are trapped toward the belly.  Kind of makes you wonder if it makes any differnce.

[macbow]

When I trapped glass longbows I did the belly. The only reason I trapped them was to reduce weight.
Didn't even consider which was best.
Ron