My 1st HBI...oops...help!!

[lesken2011]

This is my first hickory backed ipe bow. I was hoping it would be my trade bow. Maybe you guys can help me figure out a way to save it. First, let me say I started out with a relatively thin piece of ipe (I know you don't need much). I ordered a board several months ago and followed the cutting method below to get as many bows as I could from a bow. This came from the poor folks bows site.





Here is my intial glue up. I started with a 3/16 piece of hickory backing since my ipe was so thin.





a closer view...





I used TBIII. I cleaned the ipe with alcohol before the glue up. I decided to use a 2-layered handle build up of poplar next to the ipe with cocabola on top. I thought I took a pic of the handle glue up, but I guess I didn't. The reason I picked poplar instead of a hard wood, was I thought it would be easier to work next to the ipe without getting a hinge.


First let me say that I made the mistake of buying a cheap bandsaw when I started learning this and realized quickly that you can destroy a stave, or board quickly if you make a mistake. Most of my cuts on the band saw looked like the ocean on a windy day anyway. I took a chance and tried my table saw for my cut out and taper on this one and got lucky.


Then it came time for the more detailed work. As I have acquired more tools such as scrapers, files, spokeshave, etc. I have been trending toward using them more and less power tools. So I started off by trying to clean up the saw marks with the scraper. I must have the wrong blade on my table saw, because that took forever. I even tried to use a file, but the ipe started coming off in big chunks. Is this normal or is the piece I have dryer than usual? Since I had no choice, I was forced to use the belt sander. After I got is all evened out I started with the long string. The right limb was a little stiff, so I too some more off and the next try, Believe it or not, it looked pretty even! Then, when I tried to brace the bow again, the unthinkable happened...





Yes, the old handle pop off!! The first time it has happened to me.


First a couple of pics of the tiller....without the handle, unfortunately. Here it is at 15". It is 40#, so far at this draw length. I think I am fine to get to 50 or so #...don't you think?





Here is the same shot with arc shown...





I know the tips are kinda stiff, but my question is, or my potential options are


1. glue the handle back on and wrap the ends. This will conceal the layered look handle, though.


2. Drill it with my drill press and glue in pins. There will be a leather handle anyway.


3. Make a bendy handle bow and build the handle up with leather or something.


I really need your feedback on this one. Thanks!!

[PEARL DRUMS]

Chop it downa dn make a short bendy out of it. Handle poppin' never works out good.

[half eye]

I've been making a lot of Eastern Woodland bows lately and can tell you that "fat" handles are not really necessary. Posted a real short boo-backed Ipe long time ago and it was scary small, drawing 60# and shot really good, and was comfortable in the hand.....just my experience though.

You went to some trouble with your grip glue-up...maybe you could save it for a different bow? It's a real nice looking bow just the way it is. just my .02
rich

[lesken2011]

Thanks for the feedback. It just dawned on me that I did not post some of the stats. The bow is 66" ttt and 64" n2n. The riser length was 10" as I tried to do a gentle fade into the ipe.


PD...when you say shorten it, how will that affect hand shock? Will it hurt to leave it longer as far as performance?


Rich...yeah, I thought about that. The handle is kinda small, though. Do you usually build your up with superglued leather?

[PEARL DRUMS]

If your drawing to 28" I would snip her down to 60" ttt. Hand shock is mostly about tillering , not so much style. Longer bows are generally faster, but there is a give and take point. If you have 32" of working limb on a 28" draw bow your only dogging the bow down with lazy limbs. You want those limbs to work 90% of their butts off.

[half eye]

Lesken, No they dont have grips, per-sey....heck they dont even have leather wraps (wooldings) just a small file mark for the arrow pass. There is absolutely nothin wrong with standard grips, most people make that way.....but you have such an even, symetrical tiller going now that I just thought a bend through without the big grip would make ya nice bow.....sort of like an ELB with an eliptical tiller. Those bows are simple in the grip area and if anything they may have leather on the "sporting" models.
rich

[half eye]

Lesken, sorry I forgot to mention that if you look at "egstonvonbrick" post "elb in an afternoon......that bow look familiar to you? that's what I was getting at.
rich

[bubby]

I agree with halfeye and pearlie, I've got a boo backed epe with a stiff, thin grip area 62"ttt 70# @ 29", shorten it up and let her bend full compass, Bub

[Stefan]

I had a hickory backed massaranduba on which the handle popped off, if you intented to glue the handle back on I wouldn't have continued to tiller the bow. The fibers of the bow now know how to bend..

Make a full compas bow, glue on leather, or go with wooden dowels...

[toomanyknots]

Ain't nothing a sweet drawing d bow. When I do glued on handles, alot of the time I will wrap a tight cord wrap around the handle until it is reasonably tillered to make sure it is not bending or wanting to bend in the middle and pop the handle off. Haven't had a handle pop off since.

[mullet]

Also, if you want to cut down on the hand shock get rid of some of that 2" of extra wood past the nocks. The extra weight doesn't contribute anything to the performance.

[lesken2011]

It looks like a shorty, bendy with a built up leather handle. I'll let you know how it turns out!!