splicing bow backing?

[stringstretcher]

What are the do's and dont's about spliceing a bow backing.  I have some hickory that is full length, but no real good way to grind/sand them down to an exact thickness.  I have a sled to make perfect parallel lams, but only 36" long.  What would be the problem with taking the hickory and grinding them in 36" pieces and the spliceing them together in the handle?

[JamesV]

I use a planer to cut my lams. Clamp a piece of 2X6 to the tray and you can cut your lams a thin as you want. I can cut to .060 on my planer. Cut your material a little long so if you get a little chatter on the ends you can cut it off.

[stringstretcher]

Wished I did have a planner.  Only a thickness sander at the moment.  I have no problem cutting my lams and making tapered or parallel, but I only have a sled long enough for a 36" piece.  I am just wondering about splicing them together for the backing?

[John Cooper]

If the bow doesn't bend thru the handle, you should be fine with a simple lap joint.

[Pat B]

Charlie, I usually cut hickory backings at 3/16" thick and after sanding both surfaces they come out 1/8" or slightly less. You don't have to be all that exact with hickory backings
  You can use 2 pieces. Do a scarf joint in the center and add an overlay over the joint. A small piece of the hickory will work for the overlay but other woods will also.

[7 Lakes]

Run the full length on the parallel sled (first 36")  Flip it around and run the other 36".  Don't flip it over, just around.

Try it on a discard piece first but if everything is lined up it will work fine.

[stringstretcher]

7 lakes I might give that a try.

[PV]

If you are using a drum sander why not just run it through? I sand glass down to .030 this way.You backings will be much thicker...
I get many of my hickory backings from billets Splice them with a Z splice then cover them with an overlay.

[John Cooper]

Scarf joint...that's the word I was looking for!  I was also wondering, like PV, why you wouldn't just run it through whole if it's simply a parallel lamination.

[stringstretcher]

With out a sled, it is not recomended to grind anything that thin.  I know, I know, don't believe everything you read.  PV, what drum sander are you using?

[Walt Francis]

For long parallel lams I use a  72" piece of ipe that was ground to 3/4" as a sled/backer and run my veneers through the thickness sander laying on top of it.  Any hardwood board will work fine to replace the ipe.