Bowswap ILF Buildalong - All Done!

[BK in Wisconsin]

Hope you don't mind a few questions...

Absolutely!

If anyone at any time has a question...feel free to ask!!!!!

Any issues with the glue coming apart during glue-up (not the smooth-on, but the original factory glue)?

Funny...I was just on the phone yesterday discussing this exact topic But to answer your question.....No, not any more than edge grain wood has the tendency to split in the same manner. When you get anything thin enough it's pretty easy to snap. Once it's laminated between glass there won't be any trouble.

Do you flip the lams (side to side) during glue up so the factory glue seams offset each other?

Not intentionally. But by getting 6 lams per plank, then randomly using & flipping 3 on each limb, combined with glue-up slippage..... the odds of having all 3 factory glue lines line up perfectly are pretty much nil.
If you're the slightly OCD type ( ) you could make the center lam maple or some other hardwood if ya wanted.

Is there a good online source?

Dunno...I get mine locally.

[teagus]

Nice cut. What bandsaw blade width for that radius?

[BK in Wisconsin]

Nice cut. What bandsaw blade width for that radius?

thanks.

I'm not sure what you're supposed to use, but the sharpest blade I had was 3/8" so that's what I put on there

[Mann]

BK
You say you get the bamboo locally, can I ask where, is it a chain store or a specialty house?
Thanks
Jim

[Bobmeister]

I'm loving this. Maybe it will motivate me to work on my swap bow .

[BK in Wisconsin]

BK
You say you get the bamboo locally, can I ask where, is it a chain store or a specialty house?
Thanks
Jim

This is the stuff...
http://www.morningstarbamboo.com/catalo ... uctId=1918

[4nolz]

. He said he'd rather it be tough than pretty

so your answer is a curved footed riser with double I beams? WOW! when you shape that its going to blossom like a flower!


if thats plain I can only imagine what fancy would be!

[BK in Wisconsin]

so your answer is a curved footed riser with double I beams? WOW! when you shape that its going to blossom like a flower!
if thats plain I can only imagine what fancy would be!

LOL....the I beams are for strength, the accents are for strength too. They had to be there. Making them curved instead of straight really only cost me about a half hour extra so it was well worth it.

As for the blossoming like a flower, well that depends on how the accent glue-up goes. I make the risers 1.75" so I have plenty of room to square them up after glue. I only need 1.4" finished width. So depending on how much width is left, I may have the option of not having the phenolic I-beam show in the sight window, or at least very little of it.

[BK in Wisconsin]

So I got a phone call last night from a friend I haven't seen in a while asking for a little more info on how I get 6 lams from each plank.

7 1/4" freud blade for a thin kerf.
Featherboard to keep it tight against fence.
Zero Clearance Insert.
Pushstick.

The ZCI is a MUST. Without it, the lam will get sucked down the gap and will either ruin the lam or cut off your fingers, or both. Seriously.

Set your blade up so you're ripping lams about 1/8" thick. The bottom of the flooring plank is not flat, it has ridges, so we want to leave that lam a bit thicker than the other 2. So, put the flat finished side of the plank against the fence and let her rip. The leftover piece will be a tad thicker giving you extra room to grind off the ridges.

[BK in Wisconsin]

Didn't get a whole lot done last night. In my recurve .001" equals 1lb draw weight so I took a lot of extra time fine grinding to ensure the stack was accurate.

One bow is planned be 55lbs, the other 48lbs. I am however changing both my taper rate, and the wedge length so there is plenty of room for error.

Stack back to belly:
Black glass
Aboo taper
Aboo parallel
Aboo taper
Brown glass