Trad Gang

Main Boards => The Bowyer's Bench => Topic started by: anchorman on June 09, 2021, 12:29:22 AM

Title: Tapers and parallel laminations
Post by: anchorman on June 09, 2021, 12:29:22 AM
Fairly new at making bows have always used a taper and a parallel. As this is the way I learned now wondering if it's possible to use 2 parallels or 2 tapers and what are the pros and cons? Also if you use thicker glass and thinner laminations to come up with the same thickness as using thinner glass and thicker laminations will it change poundage or draw smoothness thanks
Title: Re: Tapers and parallel laminations
Post by: Longcruise on June 09, 2021, 01:53:43 AM
Realize that the count of tapers or parallels is not so important as the total thickness and total taper.  IOW, if you wanted a total of  .002 taper it wouldn't matter if it is one taper of  .002 or two of  .001.

As far as poundage vs glass thickness goes i don't think it matters BUT I have never kept track of any differences that there may be.   Others here are more meticulous about that.
Title: Re: Tapers and parallel laminations
Post by: bigbob2 on June 09, 2021, 01:57:58 AM
Glass generally adds around 1# per thou, and timbers around .003- .005 for 1 #, is my personal experience.
Title: Re: Tapers and parallel laminations
Post by: JamesV on June 09, 2021, 04:10:08 AM
The extra glue lines will add to your total stack. The way I spread my glue it adds about .003 for each glue line. Example: If I am making a copy of a bow with a total stack of .250 and I use .060 glass and .190 core wood the bow will come in heavy.

James
Title: Re: Tapers and parallel laminations
Post by: Crooked Stic on June 09, 2021, 10:01:35 AM
James are you using an air hose when you make your bows. never heard of glue adding .003. extra glue lines may add a bit of draw weight because of less spring back but not very much.
Title: Re: Tapers and parallel laminations
Post by: mmattockx on June 09, 2021, 10:25:40 AM
Also if you use thicker glass and thinner laminations to come up with the same thickness as using thinner glass and thicker laminations will it change poundage

It sure will. The FG lams are 3-4x as stiff as the core wood, so replacing wood in the stack with FG will absolutely increase draw weight.


Glass generally adds around 1# per thou

Is that while keeping the stack thickness the same?


Mark
Title: Re: Tapers and parallel laminations
Post by: jess stuart on June 09, 2021, 08:07:30 PM
I sometimes use .030 glass on the back of very light bows.  With the same stack when using .040 on the back and belly I loose about 5 #. Identical stack just .010 less glass.
Title: Re: Tapers and parallel laminations
Post by: kennym on June 09, 2021, 08:46:07 PM
I sometimes use .030 glass on the back of very light bows.  With the same stack when using .040 on the back and belly I loose about 5 #. Identical stack just .010 less glass.

Solid info there Jess!