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Main Boards => The Bowyer's Bench => Topic started by: J. R. Harp on September 27, 2015, 10:25:00 PM

Title: LVL For Bow Form?
Post by: J. R. Harp on September 27, 2015, 10:25:00 PM

Seems like it would be easiest to build a form out of LVL.  Any reason laminating it up with plywood would be better?  Thanks

Title: Re: LVL For Bow Form?
Post by: rmorris on September 27, 2015, 11:00:00 PM

LVL is the way to go. Good stuff.

Title: Re: LVL For Bow Form?
Post by: mikkekeswick on September 28, 2015, 02:37:00 AM

Well I've just bought some and it definitely isn't as stiff once made into a form as the ply forms that i've glued up myself.
What wood have they used in the stuff that people have used and liked? Mine is made out of a very soft pine?
When I inflated the hose for the first time there was all sorts of creaking and movement.

Title: Re: LVL For Bow Form?
Post by: Bowjunkie on September 28, 2015, 05:54:00 AM

Check each piece well before purchasing for bow forms. Many places just leave them lay outside. They're water resistant, but not waterproof. I have presses made with it, but the last piece I brought home turned out to be cupped to the side. I'm going to try to plane it, but it may end up too thin when I'm  done.

Title: Re: LVL For Bow Form?
Post by: Roy from Pa on September 28, 2015, 06:03:00 AM

Birch plywood is also very strong and nice material. Not cheap though.

Title: Re: LVL For Bow Form?
Post by: T Folts on September 28, 2015, 08:01:00 PM

Not all LVL is the same do your research to find the best you can. Some are real light with thicker ply others are heavier.

Title: Re: LVL For Bow Form?
Post by: bamboo on September 28, 2015, 09:06:00 PM

look at laminated scaffold planks-very stiff and consistent

Title: Re: LVL For Bow Form?
Post by: Robertfishes on September 29, 2015, 07:04:00 PM

I have only used "Cabinet Grade" Birch plywood myself. I was planning on trying LVL on future forms. I can get really good Birch plywood from a local "high end" cabinet shop so maybe I should just stay with it.

Title: Re: LVL For Bow Form?
Post by: BigJim on September 29, 2015, 09:47:00 PM

All I ever use is LVLs. For longbows, they are typically a little wide so when you plane or sand them down it will straighten up usually no problem.

I have been using mine in a hot box for the last five years or so and probably have over two hundred bows built out of each of four forms  during that time not to mention all the limbs.

When making recurve limb forms, I sand until true and then laminate a sheet of plywood to it and then re sand until I get the desired thickness....I run them through a wide belt sander to sand. A planer would work as well.

You know it is very possible to get a warp when gluing large sheets of plywood together too.

BigJim

Title: Re: LVL For Bow Form?
Post by: mikkekeswick on September 30, 2015, 03:38:00 AM

The stuff i've just got my hands on isn't great quality at all. I can get it bang on my desired forms width but I was really surprised by just how much movement I got when I inflated the hose for the first time....So I've reinforced it with some 3mm steel strips, it's better but there is still quite a lot of movement when I inflate the hose so for me i'll be sticking with birch ply.
the brand name of this lvl is Kerto Q.....my advise is to avoid it like the plague!
Jim what wood are they made off and how thick are the lams in the lvl that you use?