Design Help

[deadsilence]

My wonderful wife got me this kit for my birthday.  http://www.3riversarchery.com/bamboo-backed-hickory-bow-kit.html  The description says it is good for Howard Hill or ELB style bow.  I would really like to make a R/D out of it, I was thinking I might could shorten it to 60-64" and tapper the hickory down to something that would be flexible enough during glue up?  or should I re-saw the hickory to a level measurement and then glue up then glue on a riser.  I would also like to have a shelf.  Any advice is greatly appreciated.

[Pat B]

A hickory backing of 1/8" or slightly less should take the R/D shape well. As far as a shelf goes I would narrow the neck to 3/4" or so and add a shelf instead of cutting one in.

[deadsilence]

The kit came with a nicely tapered piece of bamboo for backing.  What I was mainly thinking about was taking the provided piece of hickory and tapering it or doing a straight cut re-saw and gluing that up with a reflex deflex profile. Then adding a handle to match the curve after that.  I'm just not sure if this combo of material would lend itself to a nice R/D bow.

[macbow]

Looked at the kit.
Doesn't make sense to me to use the hickory on the belly of the IPE.

How thick is the IPE, if they are talking 70# bow at 70 inches it might be too thick for bending into a R/D. Mayhave to reducethe IPE thickness befor glue up.
Don't seewhere the hickory is needed at all unless you want a trilam.
You could use the hickory or the bamboo as backing. I like Bamboo.

[deadsilence]

The hickory is 37/64" straight thickness and the ipe is a little less than 1/8" at the tips and just over an 1/8" in the middle.

[macbow]

My suggestion would be to make a trilam.
I would cut the hickory to about 1/4 inch thickness then taper it towards each end.
The hickory would be in the middle with the IPE.  as the belly.
The bamboo as backing.

This would get you in the 50# range plus as a R/D.
I would look at 64 inches of length for a 28 inch draw.

Look up some of the bow builds and you will get the idea.

The reason I would try to taper the hickory some is so less wood would have to come off the belly during tillering since the IPe is thin.
Width about 1 1/4 wide at fades.

Look up Roy from PA's form.

[deadsilence]

Here are some pictures of the kit.  The first one is the tips and the second is the middle.  As you can see The ipe is pretty thin at the tips.  I am afraid that the ipe would be too thin for belly material in the outer limbs.  If took 5" off each end that would get me to almost and 1/8" on the ipe, would that be thick enough?  How thick would the hickory need to be?

 
 

[mikkekeswick]

It's all well and good to use thin belly lams once you have a 'recipe' for a particular form but doing a glue-up with an 1/8th belly lam is asking for trouble.
How many bows have you made?

[deadsilence]

Just a couple straight board bows and one successful hickory backed ipe and one failed one    those count more than the successes.

[deadsilence]

Well in that case does anyone have a recipe for this type of material  

[deadsilence]

I found this kit last night, I wonder what the tapers are on it.  Same wood just a pre-tapered belly core with this one.

 http://www.kustomkingarchery.com/Tri-Lam-Reflex-Deflex-Parts-Kit/productinfo/7310/

[macbow]

Mike is right on the Ipe being too thin for the belly if much tillering is needed.

With what you have using the Ipe as a core would probably be best. I have not used IPE as a core. It just makes a good belly due to it's great compression.
What weight and draw length is your target.

[deadsilence]

50-55# would be nice, 28-29" draw.  I am not opposed to building a 66-68" Howard Hill Style bow. I am just not sure what the best way to go about pre-tapering the belly is.  I see many HH bows that have a lam that runs over the back of the riser.  Is this lam flat? Is the next lam tapered.  Could I rip the hickory down the middle and glue both pieces level in this manor? I really need a bower that lives close to me willing to take on an idiot apprentice lol.

[macbow]

I mostly build bamboo backed bows, R/D design.
If you wanted to travel to Warsaw Mo. I would be happy to help you build a bow.
Have a place to sleep over in my shop to make it easy.

[deadsilence]

Preciate the offer Macbow!  We get up that way every now and then, might give you a shout.  Does anyone have recipe for a Hill style bow with this type of material?

[deadsilence]

So let me propose something and see if anyone thinks it is a terrible idea or feasible.  I would rip the hickory from the flatside to get a 1/4" flat strip.  What hickory was left over would be tapered.  For the glue up from back to belly would be bamboo, ipe, tapered hickory, then a 15" feathered out riser, then glue the flat hickory from the tips all the way up fades.  Would it be better to swap the tapered hickory and ipe in order to get the ipe closer to the belly?

[macbow]

I don't think it would matter on the order.
Maybe consider having the inside hickory closer to 1/8 to leave a little more thickness on the belly for removal for tillering.

[Roy from Pa]

The IPE has to be the core lam, it's too thin for the belly. The hickory is pretty thick, I would cut it down to 3/8th thick then taper it from 3/8th at the handle to 1/4 at the tips.

[macbow]

About time you showed up Roy.

[Roy from Pa]

I was waiting for Kenny M to chime in but I guess he doesn't know much about bow building...