2 heat strips on the back of the bow would leave room for the 1/4" pin

 I'm not sure what you meant but the keepers need to be tight up against the lams to keep them from slipping sideways...

keepers= fender washers

 

Shred, got you on the fender washers being up against the press.  Mad Max, I don't get what you're saying.  I think I'm  missing something about the whole index pin thing.  The way I understand it, it's a small dowel or pin that you can put in the press, through the stack, and into the riser to keep everything aligned.  I'm not sure how to get it through the heater and the pressure strip, but I think I could drill a hole through the stack and into the riser as long as the pin is recessed, whatever it looks like it would be covered by an overlay.  Like maybe I can't put it into the press, but I could use it to keep everything aligned with the riser.

If you put a 1/4" pin in the form.
2 short heat strips to bump up to the pin is what I was saying.
I use wood wax in the hole and all around the hole to keep it from sticking.
you need a self centering drill jig to do it
Kenny has a different way with the spring

The gap between the bottom form and the top is too large your hose is rolling It needs to be tight I make mine with a 5/8 inch space on the limb part.

This is way better than fender washers.

These little plastic blocks that I put a slot in or even better than steel. Epoxy doesn't stick to them it can be popped off. Used to get these in GM running boards 10 years ago or so. I collected enough cuz they looked interesting. And I found a great use for them. JF

   Sorry Stic, but that looks like a whole lotta over-kill to me... If you need something that strong to keep the lams in line something is terribly wrong with your form, air hose or gluing process...  All the pressure from your air hose is going up and down, directed toward the form... Unless you have your hose off center, the form surfaces not parallel to each other or the forms too close together, there should be very little sideward pressure from the lams...  I actually use little 1" wide strips of 1/4" plywood that have some spring to them and can bend a little so I can squeeze my lams between them when I put them in my form...

  I just thought of one other thing that could be wrong and making the lams go sideways...  The holes in your form for the bolts that hold the straps in place... If those holes are not drilled at an exact 90* the top and bottom forms will want to move and won't stay lined up when put under air pressure...

Shredd it ain't a matter of being strong it is how good they work and here to tell you they work wonderful.
I been building bows more than 20 years and I think my stuff is pretty good,
You might come and check it maybe learn a thing or two.

Whatever works for you is what you should use.

I use fender washers with a flat so I can rotate it for different stack, works for me
The hole to the left is for a zip tie

Quote from: Crooked Stic on October 15, 2021, 04:39:38 PM
Shredd it ain't a matter of being strong it is how good they work and here to tell you they work wonderful.
I been building bows more than 20 years and I think my stuff is pretty good,
You might come and check it maybe learn a thing or two.

   10-4...  I might just take you up on that...    

   Like Maxie said...  Whatever works for you...  I rotate mine also to get the correct height...

Mad Max,

Sorry for the delayed response.  I got what you're saying about the 2 heat strips and the index pin.  I think the problem was a piece of 1/16" rubber foam I put on the bottom of the press; I used carpet tape to fasten it and at some point it slid out to the side.  I missed it because I left the pressure strip and heater on after my dry run.  Cost me a whole bow; would have been a nice looking one, but it's a learning experience, and I definitely can refine my press a little.