Smooth On and stack thickness........

[LookMomNoSights]

In a limb stack of 4 lams and glass (comes to 5 glue lines?), how much width should I be expecting to pick up using Smooth On?
Thanks Everyone.......

[KenH]

Thickness?  Not enough to worry about.  All of the Stack Thickness Calculators I've seen, automatically figure in epoxy.

[Mad Max]

I noticed when I glue up a kennym bow
2 lams, 2 glass I get 44#
2 lams,2 veneers, 2 glass 50#. same stack thickness

[7 Lakes]

Good question, since almost all my bows are 4 lams I can ignore the thickness of the glue since it's the same for every bow.  I've also wondered if the wood compressed some but once again since it happens on every bow....  I'll have to check the next glue up to see just what the difference is between Pre and Post glue up.

[LookMomNoSights]

Mike.....thanks for the reply and Id be very interested in your findings.

Mark,  I'm kinda confused with what you said.....I understand how you went from 44 to 50 by adding the veneers (back and belly I assume?) but I don't understand how you get the same stack thickness when adding a layer (veneers)and the additional glue line that goes with it?
Am I reading it wrong?

[Mad Max]

Originally posted by LookMomNoSights:
Mike.....thanks for the reply and Id be very interested in your findings.

Mark,  I'm kinda confused with what you said.....I understand how you went from 44 to 50 by adding the veneers (back and belly I assume?) but I don't understand how you get the same stack thickness when adding a layer (veneers)and the additional glue line that goes with it?
Am I reading it wrong?

Build your own Bow, I bought the drawings for the 62" recurve T/D. His stack thickness for the # that you want, One list for no veneers and one list for veneers. .010 more stack for a 50# bow with no veneers.

[kennym]

The way I see it, it compares to the number of plies in plywood.  More plies = more strength.

I only do 4 plies on mine so like Mike I don't have much comparison to go by.

[T Folts]

I think it would difficult to tell unless you used a CNC to profile your limbs. We hand shape so I don't think you could get that close to tell.
However after a person does a lot of bows with and without veneers one could see a difference.
Anyone have a opinion who build a lot of bows over the years. I know I haven't.

[Crooked Stic]

I think with more lams (glue lines) you will have less spring back off the form. That seems like a lot of difference though.

[jess stuart]

I think there could be a difference in stiffness in different veneers and to a lesser extent woods. I have experienced weight changes outside of what I expected when using veneers with the same stack height.  Some veneers are very figured and I expect not as stiff as less figured wood.  I know with my bows I gain several pounds with maple as a core vs aboo.
I do think T Folts is correct profile can easily account or several pounds either way.  Most bowyers say +or- 2-3 pounds draw weight, so  actually have a four to six pound window built in.

[Wolftrail]

Originally posted by 7 Lakes:
Good question, since almost all my bows are 4 lams I can ignore the thickness of the glue since it's the same for every bow.  I've also wondered if the wood compressed some but once again since it happens on every bow....  I'll have to check the next glue up to see just what the difference is between Pre and Post glue up.

Nice bows you make. Is the Backwoodsman 60" an R/D style, just asking because many of your bows are sort of a mild R/D design.