Last week I started my second board bow.  Everything was going great and I was getting excited.  Well I am a total rookie at all this and made a big mistake.  I got a bit too aggressive during tillering.  So my goal 45# bow all of the sudden turned into a 25# bow.  I had thoughts of making a kids bow out of it, but I decided I wanted to try and fix it.  After a few conversations with bjansen, I decided to add a lam of 1/8" hedge on the belly.  So again, Brad steps up and after some trading, I have a couple great hedge lams from his shop.  Thanks again Brad.  I will get you a couple calls done up soon.

Well I got the lams, but I have a couple problems.  Need a way to clamp them on.  So I built a form.  I wanted to heat the glue.  So I built an oven.  Oh ya, I needed glue.  So I had to order some Smooth-on.  But the bow needed some changes first.

The transition to the riser was a bit steep for that 1/8" hedge, so I figured I would fill it in a bit.  I found some scrap laying around and added it in there to increase the radius so the lam wouldn't have to bend so much.

 
 

Now that is filled in and the hedge makes the bend no problem.  Well, whats next?  I think I will make an oven.

Not wanted to spend a lot of money on plywood and such, I took the cheap route.  Picked up one sheet of 1" foil backed foam and built a partial box.  Its 16" x 16" x 80" with one whole side open.  It is glued, screwed and taped with foil tape.  Its pretty solid and sits over top the form and heat lamps on a table.  

 
 
 
 

With the addition of a flat form, I am ready to glue. Well after waiting patiently for a few days for the glue to arrive in the mail.  Got the lams rough cut to shape, glue mixed (rookie mixed up way to much glue) and lams are now laminated.





Turn on the oven, throw the box over it all and wait a few hours.  The box worked great.  I did have a problem with the light bulbs.  Don't put 200w bulbs in plastic fixtures.  I knew better.  But changed out the bulbs, gave it a little more time in the oven and pulled out my first ever attempt at laminating a bow.  Success



That is where it sits.  I checked the floor tiller and it looked great.  Will get it on the tree tomorrow and really see how that added hedge pays off.

Looks great.  Its a one-of-a-kind for sure.  I guess you didn't want to just buy another board.   :D

Looking good Matt.

Nice work on those fades Matt..that looks pretty slick.

There's a lot of different colors and woods happening right now, but I think I will dark stain the oak and try and keep the rest natural and it should all blend together better.  

I could have easily just started a new one but the challenge and need to know what will happen made me try to fix it.  This is technically my 3rd attempt at a bow which they have all been board bows.  This one graduated to a laminated board bow.  Each one is a lesson.

Started back on the bow this afternoon and got it tillered.  I made up a Gizmo and man that thing does the trick.  I did learn that it is real precise, maybe too much.  I tried to get it perfect and AGAIN took to much off.  But I got it to 45# and happy with it.  So I started finish shaping.

This bow tried to screw me again because I laid out the shelf and cut it out.  Held it up and quickly realized I just made a left hand bow.  Well I am right handing.  After a couple minutes staring at it, I decided to fix it.  I went back to the band saw and continued the shelf cut all the way threw the handle.  Grabbed a piece of hedge and cut and sanded it to fit for a right handed bow.  It actually made the bow look a lot better.  

Anyway, I still have a lot more sanding and some shaping to do on it, but its looking pretty good so far.

Looks good Matt!

not going to lie; I have no idea what you're doing with the different woods and colors, but I love it. Can't wait to see how it turns out! the progression this bow has taken gives it a good story.

John
I have no idea whats going on with all the different woods and colors either.  This bow started out with only going to be two woods and colors and this is just how it ended up.  Mostly when I needed to add something to it to fix a goof up, I just grabbed the closest piece of wood I had laying there at the time.  But I like how it turning out.

Very nice work so far, but do be careful with the Gorilla glue.  It expands as it cures and is not ideally suited for bowmaking.  Several fantastic explosions have been had as a result of "the strongest glue on earth."  TiteBond III (available locally, but requires a very tight void-free fit) or URAC (best wood-to-wood glue in my opinion and forgiving of slight imperfections) are better options.  Both cure at room temp (although URAC can be heated in a hotbox if desired to speed up the process.)  I hope all goes well for you in the end.  So far your work is very impressive!

4est.  I understand the concern.  If I know I have a total perfect fit, then I use TB.  The thing with Gorilla is that most failures happen from operator error.  There is a big difference with this glue if the surface isn't prepared correctly.  The surfaces MUST be cleaned (like everything else) and wetted down (unlike everything else)when assembled.  I have had failures with Gorilla in the past, but only on applications where I didn't prep the surface correctly.

From what I have been reading all over, URAC is the top of line wood to wood and I will be ordering some next chance I get.

Thanks

I think the different wood makes it look very cool.  I especially like the osage on the arrow shelf side of the handle.  I can't wait to see this one finished.  Nice job so far.  TRW

LOOKING GOOD! In my "not even a little clue as to how to do that" opinion,lol. I like it either way.

i thought it was going to be horrendous , but not nearly as much as i had thought. i would like a few more pics of the added handle , as it looks like you cut the lefty-shelf backwards on it...done that one too...


looks good , you can definately save em.

-hov

I cut the left handle on accident.  Ended up cutting the whole side of the handle out, flipped the bow over and glued in a new piece to make it a righty.

Well, It's done.  Besides a few extra coats of wax.  I put a dark stain on it and sanded on it after it dried for a while.  Brought out more of the color of the hedge and darkened up the grains some.  Pretty happy with everything else.  Haven't shot it yet or checked final weight.  It need to dry some more.

Very nice looking, congrats!!!

Thats a great lookin bow!

That is the best salvage effort I have ever seen, name that bow "survivor". Very nice.