Primitive Archer
Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: bigcountry on July 24, 2008, 07:48:39 pm
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A guy I talk too regularly on another site had a build along for a IPE/Boo bow. Looked like some cool wood to work with. Real narrow bow.
Is it true, that I can just get boards or IPE planks and cut them down? Does my IPE have to be perfect with the grain? I figured a backed bow, it just is being used for compression. The boo would be the tension work.
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Yep, Ipe is sold as a decking material. It usually comes as 5/4 rounded edge four or six inch wide planks. You do not have to worry about grain too much--the stuff is like iron. In fact, you won't believe how thin you have to get it to even draw it. It makes a great bow backed with bamboo. It is a perfect combination. Glue on a fancy handle and it will make a great shooting beautiful bow. The contrast between the chocolate brown of the Ipe and the blond bamboo is striking.
Dan
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Yep, Ipe is sold as a decking material. It usually comes as 5/4 rounded edge four or six inch wide planks. You do not have to worry about grain too much--the stuff is like iron. In fact, you won't believe how thin you have to get it to even draw it. It makes a great bow backed with bamboo. It is a perfect combination. Glue on a fancy handle and it will make a great shooting beautiful bow. The contrast between the chocolate brown of the Ipe and the blond bamboo is striking.
Dan
;) absolutely
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;D Some of us here have made hundreds of these bows over the last 12 years or so...
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That settles it, I want to make one.
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Hickory also makes a good backing for ipe and the process of preping it and applying it is a bit simpler, especially if you are new to backing bows. Pat
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Thanks Pat. I was wondering about getting the bamboo's width just right along with the taper. I guess you wouldn't want to whittle off the sides of the bamboo, was thinking this would be an issue I would have to look into. But with hickory, wouldn't be an issue.
As far as tension, is boo alot better than hickory or viseversa?
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Big country,It depends on the thickness of the bamboo or hickory you use, also you can remove, or "trap" the sides of bamboo as well. I have been doing this for years without problems..They both work great from my experience..
The bow Manny has sitting on the hog is made from thick 3/16th's+ bamboo and trapped trapped from the sides..TB4 has a photo of one of my tri-lams with the same basic section on it.. This particular bow is 8 years old.
Rich