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Author Topic: Ipe Flatbow / Hickory backing ?  (Read 3065 times)

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Offline legend

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Ipe Flatbow / Hickory backing ?
« on: July 20, 2017, 01:11:46 pm »
Hello All .
 I would like to know what the members thoughts are regarding using a 68" long Ipe stave for making a Flat Bow around 1 1/2" width at fade outs tapering to 1/2" at tips , with a 1/8" hickory backing ? side profile thickness would be 3/8" at tips . ?
Do the two woods compliment each other regarding compression and tension . ?
Would it be acceptable to form slight recurves  at tips /
Using steam and dry heat to create any shaping , would I do this separately for the two woods then glue them together or is it safe to bond them first and then shape ?

I would appreciate any help with this one  .
With thanks .
Mike
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Offline Pat B

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Re: Ipe Flatbow / Hickory backing ?
« Reply #1 on: July 20, 2017, 01:39:33 pm »
Hickory backed ipe makes a fabulous bow. 1 1/2" is the widest I'd make it, with 1 3/8" to 1 1/4" being more idea. Ipe does not take to heat(steam or dry heat) adjustments or bending so unless you can kerf the limb tips to bend the recurves you are out of luck. Maybe others have different options.
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Offline Badger

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Re: Ipe Flatbow / Hickory backing ?
« Reply #2 on: July 20, 2017, 02:03:49 pm »
  You can thin the limbs down thin enough before glue up to get some mild reflex into the glue up. It makes a great bow. I just tillered on out this morning. I had to glue a patch on both ends because I thinned it too much and it started to buckle on me as I was approaching full draw. best to keep the ends stiff on these as narrow thin tips can buckle suddenly.
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Offline PEARL DRUMS

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Re: Ipe Flatbow / Hickory backing ?
« Reply #3 on: July 20, 2017, 02:27:14 pm »
This bow is 69" ntn, 1.125" wide and pulls 53# @ 28". Its takes very, very little wood to make a stout bow. Keep your backing thin, around .187". That way your allowing the belly to keep some thickness. Don't bother with recurves, it wont do anything but make it more difficult to achieve the same end results. As Steve said, get some taper in the ipe before glue up and that will allow some reflex to be added with blocks under the tips. Be SURE the limbs are bending evenly and the same before you glue up, or you will end up with more, or less, reflex in each of them even though they appear the same clamped up.
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Offline bushboy

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Re: Ipe Flatbow / Hickory backing ?
« Reply #4 on: July 20, 2017, 03:17:38 pm »
Not a bad idea to give the hickory a bend test to make sure it's sound before investing a bunch of time.
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Offline PEARL DRUMS

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Re: Ipe Flatbow / Hickory backing ?
« Reply #5 on: July 20, 2017, 03:28:13 pm »
Good call bushy. I just tossed out a bunch of hickory backing I made from a plank. All of it broke before it bent into a full circle. Good hickory wont break.
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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 Badger

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Re: Ipe Flatbow / Hickory backing ?
« Reply #6 on: July 20, 2017, 08:15:14 pm »
  The big problem I have had with hickory/ipe is my own fault and something to watch for. If the backing is too thick on a reflex deflex design and you try to cut the curved section in the outer limb flexing it can sheer at the glue line if the backing gets much below about 1/8" thick, really important to taper and thin down the backing.
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