Tip overlay thickness

[Flyboy718]

My red oak board bow tips are 3/8" thick right now and I want to do some overlays...going to use cypress and horn on top.  How thick do I need the cypress and horn to be?

[Pat B]

Tip overlays are purely cosmetic so whatever floats your boat. 1/16" cypress and 1/16" horn.

[PEARL DRUMS]

Is your bow finished tillered yet? The more weight you add to the tips can cause hand shock. Once you are done tillering you can get a better idea of how thick to make them. For the most part they are cosmetic so adding a big, thick tip doesnt need to happen. Make it thin enough to not add much weight, but thick enough to see nicely for eye candy.

[Flyboy718]

No, it's not completely tillered, it's just at the floor tiller stage.  Should I wait until completely tillered to do the overlays?  I thought that the overlays would add some strength to the tips(kinda worried cause they are already only 3/8" thick and haven't tillered yet).

[PEARL DRUMS]

They are just for looks. Make it the last thing you do before stain/seal. Your tips will probably be around 1/4"+ thick when your done. Be SURE to keep the whole back of the bow flat, that way your overlays will be perfectly flush when you glue them on.

[PEARL DRUMS]

One more thing. When you cut the nock grooves in make sure you only groove the sides, not the back or belly. Once you get overlays glued on flat you can go back over the grooves and round them off better. You can always remove wood, adding it can be tough.

[Flyboy718]

Why was I thinking that the overlays go on the belly at the tips?

[Pat B]

If they went on the belly they would be underlays! d;^)

[PEARL DRUMS]

I just finished some nice antler overlays, I will take a pic and post them tonite. It may help you get a better idea of how it works.

[Flyboy718]

Originally posted by PEARL DRUMS:
I just finished some nice antler overlays, I will take a pic and post them tonite. It may help you get a better idea of how it works.

that would be awsome.