Next question,, Carbon

[Hill Hunter]

Getting ready to try my next bow, will try a take down this time, but it seems I am already looking down the road to the next one, which raises a question.
if using Carbon on back or back and belly, what kind of weight change is there if swapping carbon for a strip of .040 glass?

[Hill Hunter]

anyone??

[Mike Most]

I am not a carbon expert, but I would put it in as a power lam. or swap out a parallel lam and leave the glass on the outside.  Maybe someone else will chime in....  :confused:

[Dan Bonner]

That's a tough question. There are many types of carbon layups. The best stuff I have used I have had custom made. I get it from ACP in California. I use .036 uni directional. It will add about 20% to the draw weight for a carbon back. Double it for back and belly on my rd lb.  Carbon only helps if it is used as a skin. Put it in the stack between glass and it's a high dollar racing stripe. I would not bother with it on a recurve. It doesn't like compound bends. It doesn't like compression either but it loves tension. Best results I have had are using it on the  back only. Double carbons I have built have been super fast but tend to blow apart at the belly. Interesting you would ask this because I just  built a carbon back 1 pc today. First carbon rig I've built in 3 years. Good luck.

Bonner

[psychmonky]

Not to high-jack the thread, but has anybody tried it as a backing on a wood bow? Lots of places sell 1/16" unidirectional carbon and I thought it would be a cool backing.

[Hill Hunter]

Thanks Dan;
this will help, just building my form for a RD take down, after building one in Glass to test the design I would like to try one carbon backed.

[Dan Bonner]

Psychmonkey,
I'd be real careful with a uni that's that thick. It will add a TON to the draw weight. I doubt it would work well with an all wood build. It will probably crush the belly wood with massive compression and cause the bow to explode!

[psychmonky]

...and I thought "well 1/8 is Prolly way too thick...ill bet 1/16 is prolly perfect." See how little I know?

[HMlongbow]

If you are using carbon I don't use anything over .022 thick.  I have tryed the .030 carbon and the limb snapped in half and then no good.  The max you can safely use I would say is the .022 and use it under the veneer and not between the cores as then it becomes a high priced filler with no results.  I have found that using carbon adds about 14% in performance to a bow.  The best results with carbon is in the recovery of limbs.  This is what carbon is best for.  The smoothness and it also is lighter than most woods so that is lighter limb.
I hope this helps

[Hill Hunter]

Originally posted by hitmanlongbows:
If you are using carbon I don't use anything over .022 thick.  I have tryed the .030 carbon and the limb snapped in half and then no good.  The max you can safely use I would say is the .022 and use it under the veneer and not between the cores as then it becomes a high priced filler with no results.  I have found that using carbon adds about 14% in performance to a bow.  The best results with carbon is in the recovery of limbs.  This is what carbon is best for.  The smoothness and it also is lighter than most woods so that is lighter limb.
I hope this helps

so you are using it under the veneers instead of on the back?
I knew in the core was not where I wanted it but I do like the idea of it under the veneer if possible.