Author Topic: Hickory backing to a completed Self Bow  (Read 3133 times)

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Offline Prepper

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Hickory backing to a completed Self Bow
« on: August 23, 2011, 12:45:51 pm »
I completed a self bow out of Ash wood.  As an after thought, I want to add a hickory backing on the Ash self bow.  I have obtained a hickory backing and Tite III from Glue 3 Rivers Archery.  My plan is to glue the backing onto the back of the self bow and trim down to the hickory backing to the shape of the self bow. 

Is there anyone who has experience with doing this and would like to give me the benefit of their experience?

Thanks,

Offline Pappy

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Re: Hickory backing to a completed Self Bow
« Reply #1 on: August 23, 2011, 01:57:06 pm »
That should work if it is good flat surface ,of coarse you know then you won't have a selfbow anymore. :) :)
   Pappy
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Offline PEARL DRUMS

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Re: Hickory backing to a completed Self Bow
« Reply #2 on: August 23, 2011, 02:00:46 pm »
It will add sunstantial draw weight as well, a re-tiller job will be needed odds are. If the back of your ash bow is good, why bother with a back at all?
Only when the last tree has died and the last river has been poisoned and the last fish has been caught will we realize we cannot eat money.

Offline MWirwicki

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Re: Hickory backing to a completed Self Bow
« Reply #3 on: August 24, 2011, 12:48:33 am »
Any hickory backed bows I've made were intentional.  With after-the-fact hickory backing of course, you'll need to plane or sand the back of the ash bow near perfectly flat.  If there are any undulations in the existing selfbow, you'll have thin and thick spots of core wood, after flattening.  Like Drums said, you'll definitely have to re-tiller.

If it were me, I would use the hickory backing on something like an osage board stave.
Matt Wirwicki
Owosso, MI

Offline Prepper

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Re: Hickory backing to a completed Self Bow
« Reply #4 on: August 25, 2011, 10:58:35 am »
The reason I want to put a backing on it is that I have a hinge in one limb and I don't want to decrease the draw weight with more tillering.

Offline Strongbow

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Re: Hickory backing to a completed Self Bow
« Reply #5 on: August 25, 2011, 12:11:13 pm »
I just finished a hickory backing refurbish.  I also hinged a limb and did not want to lose weight so I glued on the hickory backing.  I was working with a red oak board so my back was completely flat.  As others said you will need to plane the back flat to glue on the backing.  I used TBIII and it seems to have worked well, but I have heard Urac 185 is better and plan to try that on my next laminate.  Make sure you have plenty of clamps on hand to get a good glue joint.  I used 20+ clamps.  Another consideration is that if you back it, you can glue some reflex into the bow when you glue it up.  This negated the string follow for me.  This is just a report of how mine turned out.  I am still very new to this and I recommend you follow the advice of those who are much more experienced on this site.

Offline PEARL DRUMS

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Re: Hickory backing to a completed Self Bow
« Reply #6 on: August 25, 2011, 12:30:30 pm »
Try a very thin belly lam instead of a complete backing.
Only when the last tree has died and the last river has been poisoned and the last fish has been caught will we realize we cannot eat money.