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Main Boards => The Bowyer's Bench => Topic started by: Pointed_stick on January 26, 2022, 10:52:17 AM

Title: It begins again...
Post by: Pointed_stick on January 26, 2022, 10:52:17 AM: Managed to score at the lumber yard today! So the next bow is about to begin. This time in IPE, and have 2 different types of back material coming. Got enough to build 4 bows in lumber. Dry, straight, and a nice tight grain pattern with basically zero run off. My last build is a great shooter, but draws 32# at 28", legal for large game in my state is 40#. My goal for this 1 is to try and land in the 50-55 range @ 28". I can see this bow building thing becoming very habit forming....should have a flemish string jig, and some spools of b55 arriving tomorrow so I can make every part of this project. Will be searching the archives here for various bits of info as I go.
https://photos.app.goo.gl/oAQECSUsi2jhMocc8 (https://photos.app.goo.gl/oAQECSUsi2jhMocc8)
Title: Re: It begins again...
Post by: Appalachian Hillbilly on January 26, 2022, 11:47:30 AM: Post up pics as you go! I got a nice piece of IPE for my next riser
Title: Re: It begins again...
Post by: Pointed_stick on January 26, 2022, 12:35:09 PM: Quote from: Appalachian Hillbilly on January 26, 2022, 11:47:30 AM
Post up pics as you go! I got a nice piece of IPE for my next riser

Will do! Never worked with IPE before, sounds like it's gonna be a good time. Same fire rating as concrete they say,lol
Title: Re: It begins again...
Post by: kennym on January 26, 2022, 01:34:32 PM: Use good dust collection, I've heard of some folks having a bad reaction to Ipe. :thumbsup:

Coco and yew kick my butt...
Title: Re: It begins again...
Post by: Roy from Pa on January 26, 2022, 04:22:09 PM: Yup, IPE really tore me up.
Title: Re: It begins again...
Post by: Pointed_stick on January 26, 2022, 11:27:34 PM: Quote from: kennym on January 26, 2022, 01:34:32 PM
Use good dust collection, I've heard of some folks having a bad reaction to Ipe. :thumbsup:

Coco and yew kick my butt...

Good tip, thank you. I use mostly old hand tools. Makes more shavings than dust which should be in my favor.
Title: Re: It begins again...
Post by: Pointed_stick on January 28, 2022, 12:20:01 PM: In the interest of saving the teeth on my better hand saws from needing sharpening again, I decided to try something. Turns out cutting Ipe to length with a hacksaw works perfect! :bigsmyl:
Title: Re: It begins again...
Post by: Longcruise on January 28, 2022, 02:21:12 PM: Hacksaw!! Yes, one of my main go-to tools. :)
Title: Re: It begins again...
Post by: Pointed_stick on February 01, 2022, 06:22:01 PM: Gluing up the riser section....Ipe so far is not gonna be my favorite wood to work with. Cuts better than expected. Does not plane well, which everything I read said it would. Same result working the grain from either direction.
Title: Re: It begins again...
Post by: Pointed_stick on February 04, 2022, 11:28:43 AM: Cutting limb tapers today. This Ipe stuff planes as nicely as described on the edge, but is still subject to some tear out if approached too aggressively. Takes on a super smooth finish. More progress to made tomorrow.
Title: Re: It begins again...
Post by: Mad Max on February 04, 2022, 02:59:40 PM: Is part of the Ipe the fades too?
Title: Re: It begins again...
Post by: Pointed_stick on February 04, 2022, 11:38:00 PM: Quote from: Mad Max on February 04, 2022, 02:59:40 PM
Is part of the Ipe the fades too?

Yes will be blended from the maple down into the Ipe
Title: Re: It begins again...
Post by: Mad Max on February 05, 2022, 08:38:15 AM: :thumbsup:
Title: Re: It begins again...
Post by: Pointed_stick on February 09, 2022, 01:00:11 PM: Bamboo flattened, rough shaped, and tillered with some pointers from a clay hayes bow build. Running out of time before work so that is gonna have to enough for 1 day.
Title: Re: It begins again...
Post by: Pointed_stick on February 11, 2022, 12:00:59 PM: Gluing on the backing, and adding about 1.5 inches of back set. No d-flex as I already have the riser in place. Space is limited here so had to glue and clamp outside then bring in. Trying a new epoxy. So far everything looks good. Nice squeeze out all the way around. Gonna give it 24 hours and pull them all off. I have made what I think are a couple rookie mistakes in this project, but nothing I think will ultimately cause me any major issues at the end. One of which was missing a small pin knot in the board. Overall, of the many woodworking projects I have involved myself with from pipe making, to boat building, bows are some of the most rewarding so far.
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Title: Re: It begins again...
Post by: Pointed_stick on February 12, 2022, 02:58:08 PM: All the clamps are off. The glue up looks good. Fair amount of cleanup from epoxy running down to do. Maintained about 7/8" of back set after everything was released. All in all still on track.
Title: Re: It begins again...
Post by: Pointed_stick on February 20, 2022, 12:06:44 PM: String nocks cut in today getting ready for long string tillering. A little maple added to the belly side to reinforce the tips, you can see the small pin knot in the limb that made this decision for me.
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Title: Re: It begins again...
Post by: Mad Max on February 20, 2022, 01:30:41 PM: How thick is that belly underlay?
You should make the fade end of the underlay at least 2" long. too steep of a angle :thumbsup:
Title: Re: It begins again...
Post by: Pointed_stick on February 21, 2022, 08:10:05 AM: Quote from: Mad Max on February 20, 2022, 01:30:41 PM
How thick is that belly underlay?
You should make the fade end of the underlay at least 2" long. too steep of a angle :thumbsup:

They are a hair under a 1/16 of in inch. I assume the fade you refer to is to prevent creating a hinge where the underlay ends? Thanks for the tip.
Title: Re: It begins again...
Post by: Mad Max on February 21, 2022, 08:39:14 AM: :thumbsup:
Title: Re: It begins again...
Post by: Pointed_stick on February 21, 2022, 09:58:14 AM: I appreciate any pointers from you guys. While woodworking is definitely not new to me, bow building is. I am bound to make some of the rookie mistakes as I try new concepts etc. New fades, much more gradual, finishing with a very smooth transition into the Ipe.
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Title: Re: It begins again...
Post by: Pointed_stick on February 26, 2022, 05:13:34 PM: Long string tillering done today....took way longer than I thought. Got a nice looking arc to the bow going, and currently at 56# @ 28". Next to finish carving the tips, and make an actual string to get it dialed in the rest of the way. So far it's looking good!! Taking on 2 materials I have never worked with before has been quite a challenge.... :knothead:
Title: Re: It begins again...
Post by: Pointed_stick on February 27, 2022, 11:30:38 AM: [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]
Title: Re: It begins again...
Post by: Mad Max on February 27, 2022, 12:06:10 PM: Looks good :thumbsup:
show us the belly of the string nocks
Title: Re: It begins again...
Post by: Pointed_stick on February 27, 2022, 12:42:31 PM: Still a little light finish work smoothing the shoulders into the belly side of things to be done

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Title: Re: It begins again...
Post by: Mad Max on February 27, 2022, 12:47:09 PM: Nice :thumbsup:
Title: Re: It begins again...
Post by: Pointed_stick on March 01, 2022, 05:06:11 PM: Unfortunately this project ended in failure today. Looks like the experimental epoxy was to blame here. Marketed for golf club repair, 5600psi strength, 20 minute working time. Able to withstand dynamic force, also means it is very rigid when cured and does not offer the flexibility needed to be successful for limb lamination. Among many lessons learned during this project. Soon to start the the next bow project with piles of new knowledge gained from this one under my belt. Looks like I will be ordering some ea40 this evening...
Title: Re: It begins again...
Post by: Flem on March 02, 2022, 09:50:30 AM: Thats a bummer :tongue: Where you trying to save money using that epoxy?
I take risks with adhesives also, but have not tried to do a complete glue up with short pot life epoxy.
You must have been moving fast!
Any pictures of the failure? Would be nice to see how it failed.
Title: Re: It begins again...
Post by: Pointed_stick on March 02, 2022, 10:32:07 AM: Quote from: Flem on March 02, 2022, 09:50:30 AM
Thats a bummer :tongue: Where you trying to save money using that epoxy?
I take risks with adhesives also, but have not tried to do a complete glue up with short pot life epoxy.
You must have been moving fast!
Any pictures of the failure? Would be nice to see how it failed.
Not really a question of saving $$, not a super cheap product based on quantity. I just like trying new things in general. This one sounded really interesting based on the specs and description. Here is a pic, you can actually see glue residue on both pieces. Down towards the lower part it also seems to have torn a lot more fibers of the ipe iin the process instead of just delaminating, I assume this is where the force of the separation became much more dynamic, and adhesion must have been stronger... heard like a small tick....and then a few seconds later stuff got more dramatic and there were parts on the floor. Fortunately just strung to view the arc with a short string, and not under the tension of full draw.
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Title: Re: It begins again...
Post by: Flem on March 02, 2022, 11:00:37 AM: Looks like you might have run out of time and got incomplete bonding. You can double the gel time by lowering the temp of the epoxy by 18deg, not that it would have helped if the epoxy is too brittle, which most quick set epoxies are. The one exception that I am familiar with is PC Clear. I have not seen an epoxy with more flexibility and still have good adhesion. You can literarily twist a dried piece into a noodle.
Title: Re: It begins again...
Post by: Pointed_stick on March 02, 2022, 12:12:07 PM: The upside is the string I made is a good upgrade for my Wing bow which was due for a nice flemish twist anyway. The smaller long bow loops aren't an issue since the Wing tips/limbs are very slender for a recurve on this model to begin with.
Title: Re: It begins again...
Post by: Flem on March 03, 2022, 10:03:10 AM: Got to love a Flemish twist........ it's my signature move :saywhat:

Yer gonna throw your back out ole timer:)
Title: Re: It begins again...
Post by: Flem on March 03, 2022, 11:13:42 AM: OK, was my signature move :biglaugh:
Title: Re: It begins again...
Post by: Pointed_stick on March 03, 2022, 12:20:17 PM: Quote from: Flem on March 03, 2022, 10:03:10 AM
Got to love a Flemish twist........ it's my signature move :saywhat:

Yer gonna throw your back out ole timer:)

Gotta make the bows look good enough to provide a distraction they don't notice yer hunched over strugglin a bit...nice black and silver twist should help
Title: Re: It begins again...
Post by: Flem on March 03, 2022, 01:52:14 PM: Quote
Yer gonna throw your back out ole timer:)

Somebody with magical abilities piggybacked my post :campfire: