Primitive Archer
Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: spyder1958 on September 12, 2012, 02:46:21 am
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Ok gang, need advise on a putting together a plan to build a IPE bow.
First I found a local supply of air dried ipe he has 2"x2" in I'm guessing 20' long. I pick out out one with great horz. arched rings.
he cut me 6' and gave me another 1"x6"x4' board with about 8 to 10 rings per inch. Can't belive how heavy that 1x6 is.
I've seen and shoot another ipe bow unbacked and I like it, but it was to lite to hunt with.
I'd like to have a very fast hunting bow around 60#. I have tons of ?. Do you think it will have to be backed? Do I chase a ring.
Should I split the 2x2 in half and do two bows? Any help in design/build would be great.
Thanks, Graylan
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with epe i think your better off backing it, boo hickory or white oak, i've got a boo backed epe that's 64" ttt 11/4" at the fades and tapers to half inch nock's about 12" from the tip's, it's 65#'s or more at 29", Bub
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I pick out out one with great horz. arched rings.
(...)
with about 8 to 10 rings per inch.
This is basically totally irrelevant in ipé. Ring orientation is of no importance since the wood is very uniform. Ring count also does not matter with this wood, since it is not ring porous, nor does the density or quality depend on the amount of rings per inch (as it does with for instance yew). You just need to pick a straight grained board without any knots. In that aspect, picking a board of ipé is much easier then picking a board of ash or oak. Ignore the RINGS in ipé, but pay attention to the GRAIN.
Ipé can be used unbacked, but it is not easy. With your board and experience, I would advice you to use a decent backing. White oak, hickory or bamboo will all work beautifully, but even ash or maple could be used. You just create a flat surface and glue on a lamination as a backing.
If the 2x2 is REALLY 2x2 and not 1½x1½, then you might be able to get even four slim bows out of it. Each will be slightly under 1" wide then, which is sufficient for 50# in the hands of an experienced bowyer. However, in your situation you might be better off cutting the board once through the center, so you'll get two boards of roughly 2x1. Plenty to a 100# bow. In practice, I would rip the board to 1¼" x 3/4" before backing.
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Thanks Bub, and DS for your knowledge. So much to learn and somemany woods. LOL.
lucky I'm in the middle of the sister stave from the cypress eddie & steve helped me with. Its coming along very nicely. started working the limbs slowly.
I need a little more confidence and knowledge before starting the ipe.
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Spyder, I'd be glad to help you with the ipe just to find out where you found it around here. I've built a few Ipe bows and they were shooters. ;) Backing with bamboo is the way I'd go and you can just about get three bows out of a 2" square piece.
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Thanks Eddie, Remind me to bring you the knife.
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4 is possible but play it safe and rip to the dimensions Darksoul advised.
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There you go Graylin! Only thing I'd advise, if you've never worked Ipe before, some people have allergic reactions to the dust off the bat. I worked a lot of it starting out and exposed myself to the dust. At first I didn't have a problem. My body doesn't like it much now.
It's amazing stuff, enjoy!