Hickory backed lemonwood ALB build along...now boo backed...now w/ osage belly

[Aaron H]

I'm following along too Pat.  Just picked up a lemonwood 1x2 from Kyle in Michigan this year. I like the idea of a classic design for a historical wood

[Pat B]

I've got a few more pics and a trick I learned from Pearlie.
I got the backing cut to shape, a little wider than the belly. Kind of hard to see from this pic...



...then laid the backing on the belly and clamped it in place...


...and this is the trick I learned from Pearlie. After making sure everything is lined up I drilled 2, 1/8" holes through the backing and into the belly at the center of the handle area but not all the way through. These holes are about 5/8" deep(backing is 1/8" thick). I them place 2, 1/8" pieces of dowel through the backing and into the belly(temporary now but will be permanent). These dowels act like alignment pins during glue up to keep the backing strip from sliding around with the slimy glue. Once the glue cures I cut the dowels flush with the back and the handle wrap will cover them up so they are not noticable. I've done this on a couple of other glue up and they are the third hand we always need at these critical times.
 I'm at a stopping point now. I have to go get glue and bicycle tubes for the glue up next time I go to town. I'm thinking about using Weldwood Plastic Resin, a urea type wood glue. I've used it before with good results so why not use it again. The bicycle tubes shouldn't be hard to find since Brevard has become a biking Mecca for mountain and road bikes with 3 or 4 bicycle shops here.
 In the mean time, before glue up I will pre-tiller the belly so I can get a nice even bend when adding the reflex at glue up. I'll take pics of all of this and post them when I do. So, til then, keep on making wood curls.

[barebo]

That is one slick alignment trick. The wealth of knowledge shared here is amazing. Looking forward to the final result. Thanks for the backing tip!

[RBLusthaus]

Pat, with the backing a little wider than the belly, the bike tube clamps wont work as well as they would if the back and belly were the same width, as they will catch the edge and not supply the pressure on the edges, where, IMO, it is needed most, wont it?  I use el cheapo spring clamps, on the edges, and one on each side of the glueup, for the full length.  Maybe 30 - 40 clamps in all.  As the glue dries and the wood shrinks back down to normal size, the spring clamp keeps the pressure up and constant too. 

I learned back a number of years from you about the Plastic Resin Glue and have been using it ever since on all things boo.  Very happy with it. 

When I glue up BBI's, I make the belly Ipe wider than the back Boo.  This way, when I do the glue up, which is right side up so I can add Perry reflex blocks under the limbs in the normal manner, I can see the squeeze out all along the edges.  If there is good squeeze out, I know that when the belly is taken down to the backing, I should have a good glue line.  If they are the same width during glue up, it is harder to see the glue line.   

Why do you make the back wider than the belly?

Russ

[Pat B]

I haven't done backed bows in a while so I'm re-learning and appreciate your input, Russ. I will trim the backing so it the same as the belly and probably use a pressure strip. Hopefully I can pick up some plastic resin tomorrow. I still need to pre-tiller the belly some before glue up.
 barebo, I'm just passing on what was passed on to me. That's why we're all here.   

[gfugal]

Definitely, add reflex, Pat. Lemonwood is good but it can take a bit of set when glued up straight.

Here's my question. Is it best to reflex a bow that will likely get set? I understand the reasoning behind it. If it's reflexed then the set it gets will only take it to parallel if that, thus preventing string follow. The question is this though if something is going to get set doesn't that mean the design is too stressful for the bow anyway, in which case reflexing it would increase the stress? So it makes you wonder which would be better for the bow? Would not reflexing it reduce the stress enough that it gets significantly less set? If so you'll also have to ask if the further back tips add more to early string tension despite more set vs limbs further forward but with less set?

[gfugal]

You also have to consider whether the reflex is natural/heat-induced of if it's perry reflex. Unlike natural or heat-induced reflex, perry reflex has the belly wood under tension in an unbraced profile, because it isn't settled but is still trying to return to a straight profile but the glue is preventing it. Therefore when it does bend to parallel, it merely gets rid of that tension instead of gaining compression since that's where it wants to be natural anyway. Therefore the limb may not be under more compression and therefore stress than if it was left neutral.

[PEARL DRUMS]

I plan on making a maple backed lemonwood in the coming months. I'm going to glue it up board flat. I will report back my findings.

[Chief RID]

I love build a longs. Thanks Pat.

[RidgeRunner]

Man.   That Hickory backing is wild....  Sure hope its color ends up on the final product.

I love a good build thread.   Thanks Pat.

David

[Pat B]

I'm having a hard time finding Weldwood Plastic Resin. I check all my local options, went on line but when I check with different companies it's either not available or they want almost $30 for a 1# tub. The ones that aren't available are priced from $6.95 to $8.95 for a 1# tub. I have one more option. If that doesn't work out I guess I'll use TBIII. I do have Urac185 but the last time I used it was 4 or 5 years ago and it was a few years old then so I don't know if I can trust it. Any suggestions will be appreciated.

[RBLusthaus]

Pat

I have a large tub of the plastic resin and could never hope, in my life, to use it all.  Send me your address and Id be happy to send you a baggie of glue. 

Russ

[Pat B]

Rus, that would be great. Let me send you something in return. PM sent

[ty_in_ND]

Great build along so far! I'm really looking forward to seeing what that Hickory backing will look like after everything is finished.

Just out of curiosity, do you plan on putting an overlay on top of the handle section so you can cover up your alignment dowels or will you just be using some kind of wrap over the handle?

Thanks for posting this build a long!

[Pat B]

Ty, an overlay isn't necessary because the handle wrap will cover the alignment pins and they could be disguised with a little paint anyway. I usually use a shaped piece of thick leather on the back of the handle on my bows to round out to fill the hand when gripped. I'll post pics of that when the time comes.