Hello all,
I just finished my first trilam and made it way to thick. I'ts Hickory(1/8) backed Ipe(>3/8) with a hickory accent(1/8) stripe and ipe belly lam(1/8). I've also taken the limb width down some but I'n not sure how narrow I can go with this thing. I'ts pulling 60 pounds at 17" with a long string.
Any advice or help would be greatly appreciated.
PS. Next one I will taper the belly lam(3/8 taper at fades to 1/4) and make a thinner accent stripe(1/16).
http://i1289.photobucket.com/albums/b510/mccarlson/trilam_image2-reduced_zps1b22d24e.jpg
http://i1289.photobucket.com/albums/b510/mccarlson/trilam_image1-reduced_zpsffd32a6c.jpg
Forgot the pictures
Start tillering just like you would any wood bow. It will reduce the amount of belly wood but that might be your only option. How wide is the bow now? You could probably reduce the width to
1 3/8" to 1 1/4".
When building multi-lam bows you have to engineer the stack before glue up and the style of bow you are building, the back profile and the side profile. This is something that usually comes with trial and error unless someone gives you the correct recipe.
As Pat said with laminated bows, you need to know the stack recipe thickness, length and shape pretty much beforehand to reach certain weights.
Keeping a log book of the various bows you have produced with all of the dimensions is what will get you your own secret recipes. Be sure to track species, stack order, glue used in addition to the lam thicknesses. You will quickly learn what works and what doesn't and it's all part of the fun and challenge!
What Pat suggested may allow you to save what you have here already, but it will obviously change the appearance of what you had originally planned. Once tillered and shooting, be sure to log all of the details.