A little farther along here with this build.The handle has been cut out and fitted.Not really glued yet because I think the handle wood contained too much moisture yet from laying outside.Within a week I'll glue it on.
First after core and backing come off form and it's sides are cleaned up of excess glue I measure out 6" from center both ways for a foot long handle and fades.I lay the core on a piece of wood as wide as my bow and just trace the inside curvature of that foot length.Adding backing & core the extra wood for a 1.5" thick handle in the center 4".Cut it out with band saw.Measure where 4" handle will go in the center.Sand and fit it perfectly to the core.Thinner laminations bendable and glued together for the same depth can be used too for highlights etc.but I had plenty of extra cedar and wanted a solid piece.Here's some pics.
Next sanding it to fit perfectly.If you can finger pressure any light away your close enough for a thin glue line with c clamps
Fades drawn onto it too for later cutting.You want them kind of sweeping not straight line.
Finally the dry fit and ready for glue up.
Bows like these can be made with self bows too which I have out of different woods but not out of this tempermental red cedar.Again this is just one way to do it of which I've been shown. There are other ways too.Still a ways away from tillering yet where it hopefully will become a bow.I've reduced some already on the outer limbs but not too much.Want to keep my reflex enough for it to work decently on the inner limbs but not too much into the fades.They are touchy to tiller that's for sure.For me at least.
