Advice on first wood-backed bow?

[upstatenybowyer]

Thanks bubby and DC for the bike tube idea. Went to my local bike shop and they gave me a box full. I think I'll try that snake-looking caul with 60 holes and dowels and if the bow lives through all the many steps of construction I'll be sure to give credit where credit is due. 

[upstatenybowyer]

The erc ended up being no good so I went to a local lumber yard and got some "vertical grain" douglas fir milled into 60" long, 2" wide, and 1/4" thick pieces. I've read that DF can make a good bow if handled correctly. Anyway, I used the inner-tube caul to glue the ash backing to 1 of the DF laminates, and once that's dry, I'll add the second. How's this looking?

I included a shot of the DF.

[mikekeswick]

I leave the tubes whole and wrap around the complete form. No holes to drill, no dowels to mess about with. I would have used more tubing. I wrap one way from tip to tip and then back the other way so as to not induce any twist. Forms are best made out of laminated and screwed exterior or birch ply once you are happy with the shapes.
Doug fir makes great arrows....when making lam bows use premium wood. It isn't worth the hassle using sub par material. I understand what stage you are at making bows tho....

[Del the cat]

+1
You need plenty of strapping... if you can still see the bow you don't have enough strapping! Why do all that work just to find you have a gap or thick point in the glue line...
Trust me I know I've had to rasp off a 'boo backing 
http://bowyersdiary.blogspot.co.uk/2013/03/glue-up.html
Del