strip for bow form question

[Jerry Gille]

I am making a new bow form and am at the point where I want to glue a piece of something on the bottom form to smooth it out.  I routed it out but still like to have something glued down to lay the bow on.  I've used Bingham's "formica" in the past.  Always looked a lot like fiberglass to me.  I've also used a piece of glass.  Both have worked fine on past forms.  But I'm a tight wad and don't want to use a good piece of glass for this new form nor do I want to order a piece of formica from Binghams.  Can anyone suggest something similar that I may be able to pick up at a home store locally?

Thanks!

[jess stuart]

I was able to score a fairly large piece of formica from the left over pile in a cabinet shop. I think it was free for the asking.  In fact years back Binghams would actually send formica instead of glass.  Some use a parallel lam of wood instead of formica either will work fine.

[fujimo]

i used a piece of hickory i had, ran it through the thickness sander- got it perfectly flat, and abou 1/8 " thick- glued that on, then sealed it and waxed it- very happy!!

[MB_Sweden]

Im using aluminum strip, 1mm / 0,040" thick

[Magnum in Ms]

I use a 1/16" strip of aluminum from Lowes

[fujimo]

what do you glue the ali down with- smooth on?

[Robertfishes]

I have 3 forms, I used 040 Black fiberglass on each one. I used 3M "High Strength 90" high temp spray on contact cement glue to glue a set of red elm tapers to the form and a piece of fiberglass to the tapers for the final piece. I could have stopped with the tapers but I always thought the fiberglass might be easier to wax and clean than a wood surface. I can see and feel any small pieces of anything on the smooth black glass.

[Pat B]

Contact cement should hold the aluminum strip down.

[Jerry Gille]

Thanks for the suggestions everyone!  Any idea what department the aluminum strip would be in at Lowe's?

I got a guy looking into some scrap formica from a cabinet shop too.

[JamesV]

Most local custom cabinet shops have scrap formica and will cut it for cheap, if not free. Take one of your bows along to show and I bet they will help you out.

[D]

Its in the nuts and bolt section.  That's where I got mine anyway.  I got one that is 3/16ths I think and screwed it down and recessed the screew head down in it and then filled the holes with bondo.  I didn't think any glue would work on aluminum for that until now..lol  Glueing it would be a better idea..lol

[Magnum in Ms]

I used a high temp spray on glue on one form and it worked fine. The last form I made I used smooth-on and it came loose on the ends.

[critman]

X2 on the 1/16 aluminum from Lowes.

[snapper1d]

I have used wood like fijimo.Th aluminum scare me because it would rather bend and kink in one place than bend and curve around like wood or formica does.When putting aluminum down if you kink it you cant get that kink back out and the more you try the worse it gets and then its just an expensive piece of recycle material.

[snapper1d]

Also to add.If you use 2 strips of wood on top as your pressure strips and use a little glue between them then you will have a top pressure strip formed perfect for every time you make a bow.