Author Topic: Using Ipe....The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly! (Read 1803 times)

Lee Slikkers · « **Reply #20 on:** June 23, 2011, 08:30:00 AM »

Hey Semo...I know this thread was supposed to help BUT it sure hasn't made my confidence level jump too high

I might have to wait a bit longer on this build to get a few more bows under my bet before I ruin a good boo plank and a nice piece of Ipe. I was wanting to toss this build on the R/D Caul but the more I look at the piece of Ipe the more concerned I am about trying to get that piece of wood to bend to those radical curves. Maybe I should rip it into two thinner lams...it would certainly bend easier if they were thinner.

fujimo · « **Reply #21 on:** June 23, 2011, 09:24:00 AM »

how radical is your form- a pic will help.
the trick with ipe- just keep the taper consistant!!!.
sure need big bad bert to add in here, as to how best to deal wth the ipe at the bamboo nodes.
that is surely why i like the hickory backings.save the boo for some osage.
it works with well with boo, but just reduces the risk with hickory-IMHO!!also very easy to monitor the taper when the backing is perfectly consistant.
and dont panic lee. i have built 6 outta 6 ipe bows. just try it, and go slow.

SEMO_HUNTER · « **Reply #22 on:** June 23, 2011, 09:42:00 AM »

Quote

Originally posted by Lee Slikkers:
Hey Semo...I know this thread was supposed to help BUT it sure hasn't made my confidence level jump too high

I might have to wait a bit longer on this build to get a few more bows under my bet before I ruin a good boo plank and a nice piece of Ipe. I was wanting to toss this build on the R/D Caul but the more I look at the piece of Ipe the more concerned I am about trying to get that piece of wood to bend to those radical curves. Maybe I should rip it into two thinner lams...it would certainly bend easier if they were thinner.

Yes, yes, and yes. Wait on it till you get more experience building bows in general. Definitely wait to glue it up with R/D on the caul and practice on some other 1 piece construction bows without the backing first cause it's a real B***H to tiller! I've decided to make several hackberry bows on mine until I can tiller this design in my sleep before attempting another BBI on it. I've got a crap load of Hackberry and if I screw one of those up it's not a big deal, I'll just grab another one. It's a good teacher for heating shape into because it responds nicely to heat, so get yourself some hackberry to practice on. It's easy to split, works like butter with a draw knife and the wood is beautiful creamy white when you hit it with some sandpaper.

At least that's my plan, and I know you have hackberry around there where you live, it's everywhere.

StoneAK · « **Reply #23 on:** June 23, 2011, 04:01:00 PM »

I build with Ipe all the time. I really don't have any troubles with it I have used it on at least a dozen bows and love the strength of it. Working it is a different thing a good strong rasp and a lot of muscle.lol

Lee Slikkers · « **Reply #24 on:** June 23, 2011, 04:10:00 PM »

Hey StoneAK, I hoped you would jump in here (got my boo and Ipe from him)

I was wondering if I should rip it length wise and if that would make it easier to make the R/D shape since I read the Ipe doesn't like Steam? Maybe 2 thinner slats of the Ipe would make the bending transition a bit better?

StoneAK · « **Reply #25 on:** June 23, 2011, 09:03:00 PM »

I ripped one of mine and it turned out good I took about a 1/4" off the belly side. most of the time I just plane it down to where I can bend it for the caul. Get the boo nice and flat on a belt sander and so it is nice and flexable. if you are shooting for 50# @28 inches don't rip your ipe any thinner than 1/2".

StoneAK · « **Reply #26 on:** June 23, 2011, 09:10:00 PM »

Here are a few of my Ipe boo combos some finished some not

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StoneAK · « **Reply #27 on:** June 24, 2011, 12:16:00 AM »

The third bow down isn't finished yet

Buemaker · « **Reply #28 on:** June 24, 2011, 03:16:00 AM »

Canopyboy, I see that the Bamboo is facing down on your bowform. Do you use a kind of soft spacer between the form and bamboo to even out the nodes ? Bue--.

canopyboy · « **Reply #29 on:** June 24, 2011, 08:43:00 AM »

Bue,

Yes, put a few layers of neoprene foam rubber. It gives me a fairly even pressure on the bamboo side. When it comes out of the oven, the rubber is permanently deformed, so I think I need to find a better way as this only allows me to use once. This last time I also smoothed the nodes out just slightly before glueup to make it a bit easier to accommodate. So far my glue lines have been great.

fujimo · « **Reply #30 on:** June 24, 2011, 09:26:00 AM »

i use a 1" thick piece of the hard styro foam insulation board( blue or pink- either /or). it flexes well to the form.
i presand a concave down the length to match the boo radius- takes a minute by hand.
and i pre press in indentations with the boo for where the nodes are going to fit in, and for the whole radius when i do my dry run- then that ensures even pressure all around.

SEMO_HUNTER · « **Reply #31 on:** June 24, 2011, 03:06:00 PM »

I use a strip of rubber that's about 1/8" thick on my caul to cushion the nodes of the boo, and I also pre sand the nodes a bit before putting the boo down on the rubber. My glue lines have been real good so far, that's the least of my problems. It's just about everything else that comes afterwards that's been giving me fits lately.

StoneAK · « **Reply #32 on:** June 24, 2011, 06:13:00 PM »

I switched to using rubber on my caul as well for boo it has been working really well.

KellyG · « **Reply #33 on:** June 24, 2011, 06:24:00 PM »

Would make in a reverse caul work. I mean on that bends from the belly instead of the back. You would only have the handle to deal with, but if you cut a space for it, then used shims under it that would work I think. Just brain storming on that one.

SEMO_HUNTER · « **Reply #34 on:** June 24, 2011, 06:38:00 PM »

Quote

Originally posted by KellyG:
Would make in a reverse caul work. I mean on that bends from the belly instead of the back. You would only have the handle to deal with, but if you cut a space for it, then used shims under it that would work I think. Just brain storming on that one.

That's not a bad idea Kelly, your thinking in the right direction. I've kinda thought along those lines myself when I did a BBO on a flat 2x4 with the handle section clamped down, then put 3 1/2" blocks under the tips to raise them and add reflex.
I was wondering the same thing you just mentioned, but that's as far as it ever went.

The glue up did go alot simpler that way with the boo on top and the osage or Ipe on the bottom, and then the clamps just on the wood itself with the limb tips suspended up on the blocks.
It took way less time to clamp and not near as much pressure as doing it in the caul.

I guess a guy could take the same pattern and just invert it to make a reverse caul design? Don't see why not? Only thing I could see that wouldn't change much is the amount of clamp pressure it takes to get the Ipe and boo to form to the shape of the caul. Ipe especially because you can't pre-bend it to the shape of the caul with heat like I do with osage.

I may have to go to the garage and whittle one out just to see if it would be any better that way. :rolleyes:

canopyboy · « **Reply #35 on:** June 24, 2011, 07:52:00 PM »

I thought about a backwards caul for use with boo. But I thought about it after I made this one. It'd be great for a r/d bow. The thickness of your riser would be your d, then block up the tips for the r. Clamp in between to pull it down, and for the transition areas you just use spring clamps.

SEMO_HUNTER · « **Reply #36 on:** June 24, 2011, 07:57:00 PM »

Quote

Originally posted by canopyboy:
I thought about a backwards caul for use with boo. But I thought about it after I made this one. It'd be great for a r/d bow. The thickness of your riser would be your d, then block up the tips for the r. Clamp in between to pull it down, and for the transition areas you just use spring clamps.

Yep, I also thought about that too CB but then your back to just about the same amount of clamping work as the caul. I saw that method over on poor folks website.
Don't get me wrong, I like my caul just fine for heat treating, straightening, and I love the R/D shape of it, and even the glue ups in it which really isn't what it was meant for. The glue ups should be done in a form with an air hose, but I figure that if I can get it to pull double duty then why not? I got out cheap.

canopyboy · « **Reply #37 on:** June 24, 2011, 08:01:00 PM »

So this is where I ended last night. Just got home tonight and can only spare a little time so we'll see how far she gets.

I agree with SEMO, it is tough for me to tiller this shape. And if I wasn't against a deadline I'd practice on a piece of hickory or something that's plentiful and doesn't require the prep and glueup.

The tips are already flexing quite a bit due to pre-tapered thickness (I took off about 3/16 between the riser and tip). But you can definitely see the effect (at least in person) where the nodes are in the bamboo. I want to maintain the constant ipe taper, at least in thickness. So I'm thinking I can work those node areas by shaving the sides a bit. Anybody have thoughts?

SEMO_HUNTER · « **Reply #38 on:** June 25, 2011, 12:31:00 AM »

I think I would keep working the mid limb area evenly, either by taking some width off the edges or sanding the belly.

But then what do I know? I need practice tillering these myself!

We need an "Expert" opinion here.

Buemaker · « **Reply #39 on:** June 25, 2011, 08:35:00 AM »

Thanks, good idea. Bue--.

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Author Topic: Using Ipe....The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly! (Read 1803 times)

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