laminated bow without glass

[Carey]

has anyone built a bow without glass? If so how safe is it?

[Ken Allen]

I make all wood laminated bows using 4 lams of osage and bamboo back. If made right they are just as safe as glass bows.

[Bert Frelink]

Pretty safe, just as safe as a glass bow, this one is Bamboo backed with a center lam of Walnut and the belly is Osage.
 
 
Bows are build without glass all the time, have a look through this forum and you will see some amazing craftsmanship.
Regards.
Bert.  

[eflanders]

I too make all-wood laminated bows.  I have not had one fail when properly constructed.  I have had them fail from poor construction but that will happen with any material used.

[Jake Fr]

i would like to build a tri lam bow but how thick do you make the lams on them?  Bert that is an awsome looking bow good job

[Mark Smeltzer]

Very doable, here are a couple of mine. I use Bamboo for a back.
I cant seem to find the other one I was looking for.
Mark

 
 
 
 

[Mark Smeltzer]

Here it is.
 

[rbbhunt]

Take a look at Traditional bowyer's bible volume 4.  There's a good chapter on building all wood laminated bows.

[SEMO_HUNTER]

All wood bows with a boo backing have been my favorite so far and I don't plan on ever using glass. I really don't see the need for it if the bow is built correctly, and I've got lucky a few times and done everything right.

But lately it doesn't seem that I can do anything right for some reason.      

I guess that's just bow building ain't it.

Looks like Mark gets lucky every once in awhile too?
You kill me with those awesome looking bows Mark, makes mine look like firewood.  

[Mark Smeltzer]

Thanks Chris,
 You got right, every once in a while it all comes together I had several failures in a row. Those bows can be a little tricky. A small flaw in the materials or a bone headed move by the bow maker and you have firewood.

[SEMO_HUNTER]

I was kidding about being lucky on your part, I think you probably get more right than wrong.
At least I'm learning something from every one that I screw up the tiller on.
As far as the material taking a crap on ya, that's just gonna happen sometimes and even though you try to pick the best looking stuff there's always the possibility that there's something underneath that will jump up and bite ya.

I had my first osage belly fail on me about 3 weeks ago when I was making a BBO with R/D on my caul. The osage looked good from the outside, but after I had it about half tillered the grain ran right off the edge and raised a big fugly splinter....Ouch!
Didn't see that coming.

[red hill]

Beautiful bow, Mark!
Stan

[Mark Smeltzer]

Thanks Stan.
Chris, I just found some compression fractures on an Osage/Sinew bow I was making. That was a first with Osage.

[Art B]

Only frets I've ever encountered with Osage has been with a sinew back Mark. Very few and very  small frets at that, and thankfully they never developed into anything any bigger. Another plus for using Osage    ........Art

[KellyG]

I would not pass up any of them sticks, they are all just beautiful