Joining Backing strips

[Marc St Louis]

Am I seeing an extra layer in there Marc. I see the two backing strips and then a continuous layer and then the billets. Is the middle one an overlay to strengthen the splice? Do you steam the ends of the backing strips?

It is a power lam and I always use them on spliced bows.  I use dry-heat on Bamboo and localized steam for Maple.

[Aaron H]

Marc, is your power lam spliced also, or is it one piece?

[Aaron H]

Put a 45degree angle on your but joints and glue together with super glue. The angle can be achieved by a 1x2cut on 45 then put your laminate next to the 1x2 and grind your angle on a belt sander.   Arvin

Wouldn't this be considered a scarf joint?

I guess so but no matter the name would it not work. After all it's just to hold it together during lay up of the bow correct? Or maybe I misunderstood the?.   Arvin

Yea, absolutely it would work.  Just wanted to make sure we were all on the same page. 

[Marc St Louis]

Splicing the power lam would defeat its purpose

[Springbuck]

  DC, Here is one way that worked for me when I just needed a bit more length.

 I either mill a handle block to a deflexed angle or glue up several 1/4" or 3/8" lams of the same wood into a deflexed curve.  ))), like that.  Add  your core, or do your butt-splicing like Marc showed.  Power-lam if you plan on it. 

The backing can then be glued on with a gap of up to several inches (@ 4" was my biggest), between them depending on how deflexed the whole thing is.  You grind the front flat which tapers down the backings just at the tips.  Then slap a couple of front overlays on to round out the handle.

If the backing has it's full thickness well inboard of where the fade-outs end, you'll be fine.  It's held by several well glued down inches AND sandwiched by the overlays, and supported by the powerlam.

 It's worked for about 6 bows for me, so far.

[Springbuck]

backing ends at the yellow arrow.  Fade on the belly ends at the blue arrow.  Power-lam ends at the red arrow.