Wanting to make a tri lam

[rkwelp]

Is it possible to make a tri-lam that will pull 45-50 lb but only be 60" long? I have tried 3 times now but all 3 broke during tillering. My last one had a walnut back, hickory core, and cherry belly. I got it tillered good to 26" draw, but it broke when I tried to get it to draw further. I do not want to use bamboo or fiberglass. Any recommendations for the lams?

[joe nichols]

Ok, I am by far the least experienced on here but.  I am currently doing a hickory/hickory RD bow.  I got it tillered to 50ish at 26".  It is 60" long and 58" knock to knock.  It shoots fine but I have a hinge I am trying to get rid of.  Someone suggested a hickory, hickory, hickory.

[mwosborn]

Clean hickory for the back.  Core and belly can vary - lots of options - Maple, elm, cherry, etc for core - Ipe for belly.  Several build alongs on here.

How long were your risers on the ones that broke? Do you know why they broke?  I would try and figure out that - no use doing the same thing over and over and breaking more.

Also, do you have your heart set on a 60"?  Make it 64 or even 62 and that makes it a little easier to get to 28".

Good luck!

[rkwelp]

Thanks for the replies guys. Here's a little history. My first 2 bows were board bows. A 72" and a 60", both of which were shootable bows. I still use the 72". My sons 60"  bow was broken by someone mishandling it. He is the one wanting a short bow at around 55 lbs. I have also made r/d bows on a form with fiberglass. But I am only wanting to make all wood bows now and not really wanting to use a form.

[rkwelp]

I will say that I was seeing and feeling what I think we're compression bumps on the cherry I used for the belly. The only reason I used the hickory for the core and not the back was I wasn't confident with the way the grain looked. The walnut I used for the back was very straight grained. The handle was 10" long.

[Bowjunkie]

You are asking a lot from those woods... not only that... but you're exploiting their weaknesses. Cherry isnt a good belly wood for such a bow and I wouldnt use walnut for the back either.

In trilams, I only use walnut and cherry in the center. Try something like hickory/cherry/osage... or hickory/walnut/ipe.

You're wasting your time. Stop it  

Get good wood.

[rkwelp]

Thanks Bowjunkie, I am more of a woodworker than a bowyer and I seem to fixate on certain woods for their beauty. I will look further into different woods. Also can a wooden bow be worked too fast?

[LittleBen]

Originally posted by Bowjunkie:
You are asking a lot from those woods... not only that... but you're exploiting their weaknesses. Cherry isnt a good belly wood for such a bow and I wouldnt use walnut for the back either.

In trilams, I only use walnut and cherry in the center. Try something like hickory/cherry/osage... or hickory/walnut/ipe.

You're wasting your time. Stop it    

Get good wood.

Jeff gets to the point. I'd tend to agree. Clean hickory for the back(or bamboo), core of walnut, cherry, or maple, belly of Osage, ipe. That will do amazing things

[Bowjunkie]

If the wood is adequately seasoned and at a good moisture content, and you don't pull farther than necessary to reveal a flaw... fix it immediately, and exercise the bow 30 times or so before pulling it an inch further to repeat the process... then no... you can't work too fast.

That said, I'm probably the worlds slowest bowmaker  

[Roy from Pa]

That said, I'm probably the worlds slowest bowmaker.  

No doubt in my mind..    

[Roy from Pa]

A little reminder about IPE. It is known to cause severe reactions to some folks. Use protection.

My tri lam glue up form below. You will need some type of form to get reflex / deflex.


 

[LittleBen]

Yeah Roy is right, Ipe seems to be hit or miss. I think most are not allergic but those who are probably won't ever forget it.

I heard Roy recount his story of Ipe reactions and it sounded not fun at all.

[rkwelp]

How straight does the grain on hickory have to be when using it for the back. And can i use hickory for the belly also?

[takefive]

Most of the hickory backings I've used have some degree of grain run off or run up and I haven't had one fail.  Obviously, the straighter the better, but it's tough to find perfect boards.  As long as the grain runs reasonably straight the length of the board, I'll use it.  You can use it for the belly, also.

[rkwelp]

I like your form Roy, I have a form but mine has much more r/d than yours. I'll post a pic when I figure out how. I haven't been on these forums for about 6 years, about the last time I actually made a good shooter. I got some hickory today and am going to try a hickory/cherry/hickory tri-lam. I am shooting for 50lbs. @ 28". Can anyone give me an idea on my lam thickness. My cherry lams are tapered.

[Roy from Pa]

I can add a lot more reflex if I want with my form. The cherry lam I would make it 3/16th at riser tapered to 1/8th at tips.

[rkwelp]

I would like to make one like yours, as I could see how you could add more or less. Mine is solid, I made it from a laminated beam I got from a home renovation. Yours also works just the opposite of mine. My limb tips are pointing down when on the form. Thanks for the advise on taper. Funny thing is, I have two pair of cherry tapered lams that total the size you said. What do you think of hickory belly.

[mikkekeswick]

3/16ths backing. 1/16th core and  the belly wants to be about 5/16ths.
Hickory isn't great in compression so I would tiller until I saw any set and then trap the back quite heavily IF the grain is straight enough.
28 inches is a long way to draw a 60 inch wood bow without a very good belly wood. Of course it all depends on the amount of reflex/deflex you induce at glue-up but I would err on the side of more deflex if you want to get to full draw with the belly still in a good state.

[Roy from Pa]

I would have the belly 3/8 at riser, tapered to 1/4 at tips. You're going to tiller by removing wood from the belly so you need more wood there. But with everything tapered, you shouldn't need to remove much, but you need to facet the belly edges of the limbs also.

[rkwelp]

Thanks guys, I have decided to make a longer bow. I picked up enough hickory to make at least 2 if not 3 bows if I use it for belly and back. I have 70" and 66"  lams. But I am not going to rush into using the hickory for the belly. There is a pace here in St. Louis where I can get kiln dried rough cut Osage. I have bought it before and made jewelry boxes out of it. They sell it in 8\\4.