New Bamboo backed Ipe bow

[Ismail]

Yes, using a Makita heavy duty hand held sander. Removes wood at a terrific rate so have to go very carefully.

[macbow]

Would be difficult to get even thickness that way for,sure.
If one side is,good then I would do the glue up and work out the high and low spots as you floor tiller.

A scraper would be a good tool at that point.

[mikkekeswick]

My advise is to get them lam perfect before glue-up. Remember what I said about a house of cards....it doesn't take much to upset one!
Try mounting your sander a fixed distance above your workbench or similar them feed your lam through? Just an idea. Failing that do a bit of looking about locally? Phone book maybe and find a cabinet makers shop, they will have a drum sander and it will make your gluing surfaces perfect and the lams perfectly flat.

[macbow]

Mikes advice is solid.
My concern is if you keep trying to get them consistant the way your currently doing it you will eventually end up with problem.

[Ismail]

I know what you saying. Hand held sanders are dangerous in bow making.

Did final touches with the sander just now, just the thick spots.

Know of a place nearby where they make solid wood furniture, they should have a thicknesser. Will check with them.

If this bow comes out right, will definitely get myself one. Checked around, not too badly priced.

[wood carver 2]

A thickness planer is great, but they have limitations when it comes to very thin stock such as lams. Thin wood can disintegrate in a planer.
This is where a drum sander shines.
Dave.

[macbow]

Yes your cabinet probably has a drum sander.

[Ismail]

Here is my mock setup. These are the 2 bar clamps I got today.

 

From the other side:

 

Did this just to get the feel of it.

From what I guage, its going to take some pressure to clamp down the stave to the mid limb post?
At 13mm thick the ipe is still quite stiff. It is bending, but will take a fair amount of force to clamp it to the mid limb post.

[Buemaker]

How tall are your posts? I think Roy uses 3 3/4-2 3/4 and 6".

[Ismail]

Buemaker, think you right. My centre post is a bit too high.

[Ismail]

Sorted it out. What happened was that i had not compensated for the base height on that one, so was an inch higher.

Should be easier to clamp it now.

[wood carver 2]

Be sure to pad the clamps so they don't damage the bamboo.
Dave.

[macbow]

A regular bar clamp will work well for the center.
A very rigid base is required to keep any give when the two clamps are tightened down.
Do those bar clamps have a screw portion to pull down the tough spots?

Some short sections of cut off bamboo can make good buffers between the clamp and bamboo backing.

[LittleBen]

That looks very asymmetric.

[Ismail]

Its not the final setting, just a mock setup  to show where about I am. That's why its on my lounge table also.

Will a plank of pine be ok for a base? Can put 3 legs under for clamping space and support.

Maybe some other idea?

[Ismail]

Got 2 types of bar clamps. One is the metal one with the screw, the other is a plastic handled one with a fancy cranking system for tightening it.

Will put some pictures up tonight.

[Bowjunkie]

I too noticed the top limb midlimb post wasn't at mid limb.

You can use pine or anything you want as long as it's stout enough that it won't give when the clamps are tightened.

[mikkekeswick]

Yup...ipe is stiff! I personally would cut down on your reflex about an inch.
Reasons - ipe is stiff    , more reflex will make it harder for you to tiller, lams will take less clamping force to contact form correctly, less chance of your ipe pulling a splinter on its (future) belly, less chance of potential glue starving issues and less 'springback'.
Also although reflex is generally considered a good thing and it is if used well, a 'fresh' belly will give the faster bow.
What type of glue do you plan on using?

[Roy from Pa]

Come on Ismail....

Get Er Done..  

[Ismail]

Sorry if im getting on you guys nerves with the long drawn out process.

Problem is i didnt have anything that was needed, nor does anyone in the family have a history in wood working, so have to start from scratch.

Nevertheless, no need to despair...got a whole lot of spring clamps today and an inner tube also. Just need to cut it up.

Planning on using Resorcinol for glue up.