WOBI blow explosion by yours truly.

[John Malone]

Hello Guys, so I'm in uncharted waters again and could use some help. I've cut my ipe and now have two pieces 72 long, 1 3/8 wide and 13/16 thick.

 For the first bow I will be using my white oak backing strip, I've never done a r/d or worked with ipe and bamboo so ill use the boo on the next one. Trying to keep it as simple as possible. If 13/16 plus 1/8 backing strip turn out to be to thin for a bendy, I have enough ipe left to do a glue on riser stiff handle bow.

 The WO has a slight wave in the grain, I can center it in the handle area of a 59 3/4 inch bow (26 draw), it only last a couple inches. I'm thinking it will be fine, its not much but........(who knows).
So I'm thinking 60 inches t2t 1 inch wide BITH bow, parallel mid limb to mid limb, taper to .5 or less tips with slight reflex.
How does this sound? Design advice welcome.

[John Malone]

Question can I prep the ipe for glue up with mineral spirits or alcohol, don't have any acetone.

[Pat B]

Like I said on PA I think just sanding and a brush off with a good brush is your best bet. I've heard that solvents will bring oil to the surface.
Lets see what other more experienced bowyers say.

[John Malone]

Ought to be good.

[mikkekeswick]

Yes Pat is right do NOT use acetone....
Anyway you could never get all the oil out of ipe even if you tried!
Ipe at that thickness will make a 100#'er
At 60 inch long I would glue up at around 3/4 thick total for a 60#'er.
Ipe is stiff stuff  
For your r/d bow you would need the ipe to be around 3/16th to 1/4 max. The problem is its stiffness, any thicker and it either simply won't conform to the form or it will raise splinters/snap if you force it. Anyway it sounds like a r/d is in your future! Just ask for lam thicknesses when you come to make one. I can give you fairly precise measurements.

[John Malone]

Thanks Mike, not sure I follow you though on the thickness. Originally I said r/d, I meant only some reflex. The way Pat did  in his alb lemonwood build.
But I will be doing a R/D in the future and would be very grateful for help with lam thickness when I do.

[John Malone]

Well Guys, got the belly taper roughed in on both limbs 13/16 down to 7/16 at the tip. Shes still 1 3/8 wide and stiff, you could hunt elephants with this thing if you could brace and draw it. So I guess I should put a string on it line up the tips and work a rough profile in there. Leave some wiggle room maybe 5/8 tips 1 1/8 on the rest.

[John Malone]

Roy, you said the parallel out 6 inches formula works on any bow right. I'm going with that on this one. I'm thinking if ipe is as stiff as people say, and it seems to be, this will keep me from having paper thin outer limbs. I planed on ending up with 3/8 tips, the rest will be one inch wide.

[John Malone]

To late now, she's almost ready to run. No clue how this recipe will turn out, so some body hold this jug and let me know when the feds get here.

[John Malone]

Well its what I got.
 
 
 

[John Malone]

Every thing went right as far as I know. Had it all lined up ahead of time just hope I got it all done before it started to set up. Meant to use tight bond original grabbed tb2 by mistake. I only put an inch and a half in it, if it keeps any after tiller ill be happy. Every one else seems to do 2-2.5 but until I know how this ipe works I didn't want to cause myself undue difficulties. When I get to the next one with the bamboo, hopefully I will have a better feel for it and be able to do a more proper reflex.

[Roy from Pa]

It will hardly have any reflex. And you should alternate the clamps side to side. Look at my bow party pictures.

[John Malone]

Roy, its a slightly different set up than yours. I was told by several people that ipe wouldn't take deflex well. All the clamps are centered on the bow and hook from beneath the bench, so there is no twisting from the weight of the clamps being on one side.
Ive been watching you fellows and listening. I need to get me about 30 c-clamps, may go to harbor freight this weekend. I plan on doing the boo backed one just like yours, if it doesnt hold the deflex oh well.

[mikkekeswick]

Clamps obviously work but a better option is to go to your local bike shop and ask for their waste innertubes. You'll likely get a big box for free  
The tubes give a more even compression (better gluelines), weigh nothing and are free.
your glue-up is going to be very stiff....plenty of floor tillering!  

[mikkekeswick]

Oh and ipe WILL conform to a pretty radical shape but you must know stack details and use a thin enough piece with very good grain. Trying to bend a too thick piece or a swirly grained piece of ipe is not a good idea.

[John Malone]

Thanks Mike, The grain looked ok in this ipe best I can tell, I did notice some swirls as you said, possibly a knot? Another reason I didn't try for lots of flex. But what I did put in was fairly easy.
 I don't even know what stack details are, but I got a good idea. After this bow I hope to have  a better feel for it. That way I can intentionally get in over my head. lol

[Roy from Pa]

It will make a bow. Good practice, Johnny.

[John Malone]

Its gonna make a kick ass bow, trust me. Or its gonna blow up like bad boob job, well shall see.

[John Malone]

How long to leve that clamped up, used tb2?

[Roy from Pa]

I leave them dry 24 hours. Especially when clamped with reflex.