Hey guys it's been a while. I know you get this question over and over again so I figured I would go ahead and ask.
I moved I just now got the time to move my tools in from storage. To my surprise I found a decent amount of Ipe and a couple pieces of bamboo. I want to try and tackle a try lam.
I figure ipe for the core, bamboo back, and maybe curly maple or an exotic belly wood. I would order the belly wood tapered.
What thickness belly wood should I use and what should I have it tapered down to?
What thickness should I cut the Ipe down to?
?
Lastly does anyone have a build for a basic R/D form made of 2 by 4?

Curly maple is not a good belly wood.

What weight bow you looking to make?

50-55@28"

I'd make the belly lam 1/4 to 5/16th thick parallel, core lam 3/16th thick at riser tapered to 1/16th at tips, boo 1/8th at riser, tapered to 1/16th at tips. Bow length 62-64 nock to nock.

Should I taper the belly lam going up the fades?

I don't do that..

THe only way I will use Curly maple in a limb would be a glass bow and >030 or less veneer---dont ask 

Yup, we tried curly maple one time on a bow as a backing and it blew apart.

Glad I asked. It would be pretty. What do you recommend that would be a good combo with Ipe and bamboo. I want to go for something other than Osage only because I have several Osage bows

Elm, black locust, hard maple or black walnut core lam..

Do you heat treat the belly lam at the fades to get a curve there?

I never heat treat anything.

The r/d all comes from the glue up in my form.

The glue joint is what retains the shape of the bow.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-bRYE1hPYy0

Out of form.

[attachment=1,msg2846553]

Roy that form is pretty neat for an ole guy. 

Thanks Mike.

Us old timers gotta work smarter:)

I found an bamboo backed Osage I started R/D that came out under weight. I think I'm going to get the limbs flat and add a thin piece of ipe for the belly and see what happens.

I'm trying to make one where the belly lam goes over the fades on the riser block.

Go for it.

How thin is your ipe? 
It will have to be really thin to bend around most riser fades.   

I can get it as thin as I like. I figured I would have to go pretty damn thin.
I've made several bows with three laminations that shoot good. In the past I started with an ipe or Osage board roughed out and glued thin parallel piece of Purple Heart or something between the board and a bamboo backing. I glued it up on a form I made from 2 by 4 based on a build along I found somewhere.
I glued the handle straight to the board and the fades would transition into the Ipe or Osage. Plenty of wood for tillering.
I'm trying to make a bow where the belly wood comes up and covers the fades.