Hickory Backed Massaranduba Build Along and help

[Will Carothers]

Decided to finally take the leap into warbow making. For my first, i chose to do a hickory backed massaranduba (forgive the spelling) for i hear that massa is very similar to ipe, and some say it is better. (i also could get it much cheaper, it also has a prettier color in my opinion) The "masa" i found is very straight grained, but is only 45 inches long, so i plan to do a splice, which is where i need help, ive seen z splices and such on lighter bows but for a heavy bow (~80#-90#) im not sure what to use.
I also want to do a center lam of walnut or cherry, that would actually be mopre like an extended powerlam as the only lams of these woods are 72" long, and the bow i hope to end up being about 75-76" ntn. so do you believe it is doable if the lam is tapered? im also thinking of a short (and thin) powerlam between the core lam and belly to add some contrast and help with tillering as i like a handle that is just a little bulkier, and that bends just a little bit.


Here is the wood im working with. Anybody have ideas on dimensions, for the weight, and/or tips on how to accomplish the tapering of lams?

Thanks, the help is greatly appreciated!

[Ian.]

Well done Will you will learn a lot just getting stuck in.

For the splice although I have never done it, I have seen plenty of heavy bows with a z splice belly, it's all about getting well mated surfaces and using the correct glue. I would recommend if you can get it Resorcional which is good for oily woods like Massa and will hold the joint strong.

I don't bother with powerlams and for a first bow it will be more of a burden than its worth.

What sort of power tools do you have and how long is that Hickory board.

[Badger]

  A w splice may be easier for you in this case and slightly stronger than a z spalice. Just draw out a "W" on a pice of paper, cut it oput with a razor blade and glue it to your wood, then cut it out right on the lines without damaging the paper and you will have a perfect joint. You will still need to squeeze it togetr wioth clamps.

[Ian.]

In fact there is a video of the very thing, we can't post links so go on youtube and search for Bickerstaffe bows video 3 and it shows how he does joints.

[Will Carothers]

Im sorry, what i meant to say was its my first really heavy bow, ive made bows for a few years now, my heaviest being a 65# osage flatbow i just finished. And ive sone power lams on a few bows and they look great.

For this build im using weldwood plastic resin glue which is technically a urea formaldehyde glue very similar to urac 185. but much cheaper.

I have referred to pip bickerstaffe's build along many times on previous bows, but those were only 50#, so i thought a different type of splice would be more suitable

Im only 15, so im hoping my muscles can adapt to higher and higher bow weights pretty fast, my goal is to shoot about 120-150# by new years

[}|{opukc]

This will be something good to read. Will work for what you need 80-100#

http://paleoplanet69529.yuku.com/topic/5405/Tri-lam-elb-buildalong-with-lots-of-pics?page=1

George

[Will Carothers]

And the hickory board is 7 ft, so i have more than enough, i know a woodworker who has been really helpful, and lets me use his many tools (bandsaw, tablesaw, electric hand plane, beltsander, drum/spindle sander, and surface planer)

[mikekeswick]

Just make sure your splice is perfect and it will be fine. Like Badger said the w splice is the strongest. Although hornbows use v splices,collogen glue and no clamps...If your splice isn't perfect before gluing - steam it for 20 mins and then clamp together until cool.
Your hickory boards grain doesn't look the best for heavy bows. Maybe cut it so the rings aren't feathering so much if you can.
Some of the longbows I make for people have powerlams and can work really well (look nice), but make them thin. 2mm thick in the center is all thats needed or else the taper will be too steep to blend it well.

[Will Carothers]

thanks for the input, its hard to tell but on the sides, the grain is really straight and has only 1 runoff the whole length of the board. I'm also going to try a lighter 50# flatbow, with the center portion with the feathering, but with how thick the board is, and how straight the side grain is, i should be able to chase a ring.
My idea for tapering is to do it almost like some hand plane arrow shaft tapers. I think i'll mark the center of the core and every 12 inches away i will make a mark, then use a electric hand plane to take down the first mark, then the 2nd, then the third, on each side to give me an even taper, and repeat the process until the end feathers out.

[blackhawk]

I personally wouldnt use that piece of hickory in a heavy bow. Grain run off is way more important on the back than the sides. Hickory is tough,but im not sure its that tough for a heavy bow,and since i wood not have 100% faith in it,i then wouldnt use it.

If it can be returned and or exchanged for a better board,i then wood advise in doing so. Just my personal opinion and what i wood do.

[Will Carothers]

i understand what your saying, but i looked at the board and i can cut it to were there are no grain runouts at all, so i think it will work, if i cut it to where it follows the grain

[Badger]

  The hickory board you have appears flat sawn, all the V's that are formed by the grain are places it can break. Is the board thick enough to chase a ring on?

[Will Carothers]

The board is flat sawn, and i probably could chase a ring, but on both sides of the v's
the grain is very straight, so i was planning on using that as the backing

[blackhawk]

But the board was cut on a pretty far off angle from the lateral grain....thats why you see the heartwood at the bottom and not the top. Meaning it wasnt cut up straight along with the way the trunk grew up. Might work ok for lower weight bows,but i would not fully trust it and have faith in it for a heavy bow.

[Will Carothers]

All right i see what your saying, what do you think is the heaviest safe bow i could get out of this? im not sure, but i would hope i could get maybe 80# if the bow is longer than i planned, let me know what you think. I got this from the closest lumberyard which was about 3 hours away, and im only fifteen, so the times i can go is pretty limited, so i was hoping this board would work, but oh well, haha