Bamboo Backing Patterns...what's yours?

[Gunney]

Hey All,
Been messing with some different configurations, but have been sticking close to Dean's Video. I feel like mine may be a little thin.

63 1/2 inches total (62 NTN)

8 inch handle section. Center (Bulb) 1 1/4 inches down to 1 inch at bottom of bulb and back out to 1 1/4 at end of Handle Section.

From the handle section, a taper from 1 1/4 down to 1/2 inch at the tips.

Upper Limb from end of 8 inch handle section to tip end is 28 1/2 inches.

Lower Limb from end of 8 inch handle section to tip end is 27 inches.


Maybe I'm missing somthing but it doesn't look like I'm getting the same flare out to the limbs as Dean's video shows, yet I'm using the same measurements.

Let's hear what your measurements on your Boo patterns are.

[MW Gray]

I don't see anything wrong with the layout you are using.  

I am building one 70 inches total (about 68 NTN), with an 7 1/2 inch handle section; center of handle will be 1 3/8, down to 1 1/8, back to 1 1/2.  From that point (1 1/2) the limbs will taper to 1/2 inch tips.  The length difference between top and bottom is a full 2 inches.  

This is my first Torges style bow.  I have a very long draw that has lead me to such a long first bow.  I hope to try shorter bows (68 and 66) in the future.  

If you are having problems with the taper, I suggest practicing on some scrap pieces.  That's what I am doing.  Hopefully, it will help me produce a workable first selfbow.

Dean does suggest reducing the limb offset as you move to shorter bows.  Something you might want to try.  I think he says he uses about 1 inch for bows less that 64 inches.

Good luck, and keep playing with the deminsions until you find one that works for you.

- Michael

[Tom Leemans]

Hey Gunney!
Are you talking about the fade area? (from the narrowest part of the handle out to the widest part of the limb?)

You will find that your handle area will evolve towards a more slender profile as you build more bows. It can be narrower where the area is thicker (from back to belly), without hurting the integrity of the bow. Sometimes it just looks narrower as you view the bow from the back, because the area is rounded a bit more. Fade length changes how it looks too. The first time I saw one of J.D.'s bows, I used to marvel at how skinny the necked down area of the handle looked.

I usually use a 2" flare length, but the next bows I do may be down to 1-1/2".