what kind of form do you use?

[Brianlocal3]

I have been looking thru the bowyer threads as of late and I see that the firehouse double form is used a lot.  Why is this form so popular?

I know at Stalker they use a single form with a bunch of holes in it for c-clamps as does Jason at Woodpeckers Lair archery. James at JD berry uses a single form with iron rods that compress his bows to the form.  I have also seen a guy use ratchet straps as his pressure?

So what do you use for pressure on your forms.

[rmorris]

I started out with clams but was getting small waves in the limb where the clamps applied pressure and it made the form super heavy to put in the hot box. It is also hard to tell with clamps what pressures you are putting on the limb and if every clamp has equil pressure.

With the air hose I get a consitant pressure over the entire bow and i can very easily control the pressure with the use of a regulator on my compressor. It makes the form much lighter to place in a hot box also. If you do not already have all the clamps you need I think the initial investment in clamp would be nearly the same as the air hose assuming you have an air compressor.

I have only used these two methods but I will never go back to clamps.

[fujimo]

you can use a hand /foot pump- have done that lots- pretty small volume there.

[jsweka]

rmorris pretty much summed it up - "consistant pressure over the entire bow"

[Roy from Pa]

I don't think the clams would be very strong...  

[perry f.]

I use a firehose double form. I use a bicycle pump that has a pressure gauge on it. It works great

[wood carver 2]

Originally posted by Roy from Pa:
I don't think the clams would be very strong...      

They might not be strong, but I'll bet they taste good after baking in the hot box.    
Dave.

[rmorris]

Roy you apparently know nothing about these desert clams they are much stronger than your coastal clams.

I need to stop using my phone and reading what I write...

[goobersan]

Brian, I have some leftover firehose if you're looking to go that route. That's what I've used, only had a small issue with the kids bow due to much thinner lams. No big deal, I now know how to compensate for the lighter weight bows.

[Brianlocal3]

Thank you for the offer on the firehose, but I am a little unsure if I'll even tackle the project yet. It is something I am debating if I want to do it or not.  I love to read about and see te talent here, but I just dot know if I have te time yet to try.

[dfrois]

Weel, I`ll describe my form, to give you all something to laugh at...I only made a few takedown recurve limbs, a straight longbow and a riser. So, the only form I have is for the recurve limbs. It is a single form, supporting the belly side of the limb, with side-to-side holes across the bottom. The holes receive short "iron rods" (actually, cutoffs from aluminium arrows), and the stack is tightened by a strong rope, weaved from side to side across the top of the stack. I use 4 or 5 thin "lams" of polysterene between the stack and the rope, and tighetn it really tight.

This only works because I don`t use Smooth-On, but rather, an epoxy resin that cures at room temperature. So far, I have enjoyed good glue lines, and no delamination problems...but the strongest limb pair I have made was just below 50#. It has had a few hundred arrows,perhaps more than a thousand, shot through it, with no ill effects so far. The others are weaker, around 30#, and have had thousands of arrows shot.
I can post a picture, if you want to LOL at it...

DF

[Pennsyltuckey pete]

"rubber band" form

 

[Sharpend60]

Where would locate the pictured rubber bands.
I have a friend in WA that mentioned he uses em, I just kinnda scratched my head.

[Roy from Pa]

You could use a car tire inner tube and cut 1 inch wide strips from it. You would get several from one tube.

[Stkbow3]

I use a single form and cut long strips of rubber roofing and just wrap around the whole form, after 70+ bows I see no reason to change.

[goobersan]

I saw a guy on a youtube video use 4" or 6" plastic wrap, used for shipping, and cured at room temp. basic 2x4 form

[Buemaker]

Dfrois, yes let us see a pic of your form. It is always interesting to see how other people do things. Myself I use the firehose on glassbows and clampies on wood or Lignostone.

[dfrois]

Hope this works:
 

The sticks are arrow cutoffs, and the green/blueish stuff is polystyrene, which is moderately compressible with high forces. Works well...
DF

[dfrois]

I thought about using rubber bands, cut from tire inner tubes, but I feel that I can control the pressure applied better with the rope. Mind you, the first one I did left me with friction bubbles in two fingers...Tying one of these is a full workout!

DF

[Millhimes]

Buemaker,what is lignostone?Never heard of it-Joe