Flip tips?

[jtbluefeather871]

I've read a lot of threads with "flipped tips"and I'm wondering what that is, what it does, and how it's done.  

Thanks

John

[Pat B]

Flipping the tips is adding reflex to the tips of a bow. It is done to add performance. Depending on the wood type you heat the wood, either with dry heat or steam or boiling the tips, put it in a form and bend the reflex into the tips. Once the wood cools the tips should hold that bend.

[jtbluefeather871]

Interesting... Can it be done with red oak?

[Stiks-n-Strings]

You can do it on a redoak, if it's a board bow you need to check out 4est trekkers build along in the how to's.

He flipped the tips on it by gluing on a long overlay and cutting in the curve. I don't know if redoak can be done with heat. But it would be easy enough to try.

You can bend just about any wood if you use the right technique.

[jtbluefeather871]

I suppose if the Amish can bend oak into chair backs, I should be able to flip some tips.  I'll give it a try. Thanks Pat and Stiks.

[PEARL DRUMS]

Leave the tips half again as thick as your finished thickness. Odds are the first bit on the belly will crack on you. That can be removed later.

[gringol]

I always had the impression that flipped tips only allowed longer draw by reducing stack, and otherwise did not affect performance.  Do I have that all wrong?

[PEARL DRUMS]

It adds a ton of early string tension which equals speed and power and allows a longer draw on a shorter bow by changing the string angle. You werent wrong, just half right!

[gringol]

cool!  Thanks for the info.  I'll have to try it soon.

[PEARL DRUMS]

Its like opening a sack of chips, good luck eating one! Every bow you build will be flipped.

[Pat B]

The Amish are very aware or the grain of the wood before they try to bend it. If you can get the tips with a growth ring on the back and one on the belly you will have a better chance of success. I wouldn't try to bend a board bow with heat unless it was flat grain and I had a clean ring on the back and the belly. A kerfed recurve like Pearlie was talking about is the only way I would try it.

[jtbluefeather871]

I've got an oak board that has good growth rings running the width of it. grain is straight fot=r the length, too - though I don't know if the rings line up tip to tip. Would it be worth steaming and bending it? Or just doing the kerf thing.   I'll have to find 4est trekkers build along again.

[PEARL DRUMS]

John your smack dab in the middle of bow wood central. You have made a few quality board bows now. I say its time to get after a stave bow and bend that sucker anyway you want to! Get some Hop Hornbeam or Hickory. I know Minnasoda is covered in it.

[jtbluefeather871]

Guess it's time to tromp through the woods and see what I can find then, huh!?!

[Roy from Pa]

[Pat B]

Who woulda thunk! Ole Roy made fools of us all!

[Roy from Pa]

Hey? What's this Ole Roy stuff? I'm just a young pup.. LOL

[Pat B]

I seen your picture! d;^)

[KeithG]

Roy, did you use heat or steam? I had good luck on my first one. I just did one with heat and it split bad.

[Roy from Pa]

I use heat.