Artistic lams.. show us your limb art!

[Bradford]

Thought I would try to get some creative juices flowing.  Here are three I have ready to go..

 

I am going to try a dragon fly cut out on the next bow.. I practiced with my band saw and looks like I can make it work..

So come on boys.. what artistic things you have done.. lams, tips or even on the riser... let's get more creativity going!!

[Bel007]

Sweet stuff there Bradford.  Will be watching this thread...

 

[DVSHUNTER]

Those are sweet lams.  KennyM made a bow for me in thhis years swap with some cool limbs like that.  I will take some better pics for you tomorrow.This was a bow of Mine I tried some stuff on. Its all been done befor, but I love seeing everyone's spin on it. Limb Art.
   

Handle overlays on selfbows.

 

[Osagetree]

David, how'd you do that font? Will it fade with the darkening of the osage?

[DVSHUNTER]

Stickers Joe. So far the colors have stayed separated I've been told.  You can osage pretty dark pretty quick of you are trying.

[Osagetree]

I've used bleach to darken osage. Ever tried that? Draino works well too.

[DVSHUNTER]

I've used oven cleaner before Joe. It works well, but bleeds under the stickers and makes a messy pattern. With the sunlight you get that clean look.  I'll have to try the bleach thing.

[Trux Turning]

Bradford now you need to show us how you're making those      

[Bradford]

Alright Trux.. only because you have the praying smiley going...LOL

First off, pick out your two or three woods.  You want to cut them a little wider than what the final width will be.  So since I do 1 3/4" limbs, I cut out 1 7/8 widths of wood.  So I cut out 1 7/8" wide by 1/4" thick.

 

Then you figure out where your pattern is going to be and you glue the woods together on top of each other over lapping in the pattern area.  I don't have a pick of this.. but think of two 1/4" thick pieces with dots of tightbond three.. I might overlap 8".  I let them dry up for an hour or so.  Then off to the scroll saw.

 

 

So I am cutting thru 1/2" to 3/4" (depending on how many woods).  Cut the pattern and then separate the woods.  With just tiny drops of tight bond, the woods pop apart pretty easy.

Then I lightly sand and glue the different woods up with tightbond 3 again

 

I use a nail in my bench on both ends to hold them long ways and then use small clamps to hold it together width wise.

Once those dry up I square up the wood.. a few trips thru the drum sander and the 1/4" ends get a pass or two thru the 4" jointer.  Get the bandsaw prepped and cut thru the 1/4" to make two..

[Bradford]

 

Now I have two lams ready to be drum sanded or lam grinded down to size.  

If you wanted 4 lams of the same, just increase your thickness of the build and cut 4 out on the bandsaw.

 

 

 

 

 

[SEMO_HUNTER]

Very nice Bradford, I bet that was like working with egg shells when cutting them in half and even sanding them down. I could imagine them seperating in my hands and then a wrench flying acrossed the garage bouncing off the wall and breaking through a window out of frustration when I knew I'd have to start all over.  

[vth0kie12]

Bradford, you use titebond and not smothon for the joints. is there a reasons why and is titebond strong enough?

[vth0kie12]

Bradford, you use titebond and not smothon for the joints. is there a reasons why and is titebond strong enough?

[Bradford]

Yeah.. wood to wood.. can't beat tight bond 3.  It is going under clear glass with smooth on when it's done.

I don't think I would want to use smooth on for this.. I would be afraid of warping the 1/4" stick of wood while drying under heat.

I still have an all wood bow that I built using only tight bond 3.. still holds up and still bends back.  It is good stuff.

I did have one seperate on me when I was final sanding it down.. but I just glued it back together and put it in the stack.. came out fine.

[DJP]

 
 
 

[Troy Breeding]

Did these limds several years ago.

 

This was the riser I put them on.

Troy

[Bradford]

There we go.. now we cooking with bacon!

Looks good guys

[bbs383ci]

wow you guys have incredible talent  

[kennym]

SWEET!!      

[Troy Breeding]

I had close to 40 hours in glueing and work time in the riser alone.    

Troy