1 1/4" wide Ipe with bamboo?

[Don Armstrong]

I am a little unsure how to lay out my BBI bow. The bamboo is 2" wide but my ipe is only 1 1/4" wide. I see most people lay out the bow shape on the bamboo and glue up. I am not sure how to lay the handle out or the shape of the bow. I will have a power lam and be gluing in reflex. It is 3/4" thick and I was going to taper the belly from the fades at 5/8" to 3/8" at the tips on a 66" bow but am not sure I can make a 50 @ 28" bow. I am going to taper the boo from 1/8" at the handle to 1/16" at the tips. Any help would be appricated, Don

[Pat B]

Don, leave the handle area blocky until later. You don't need a finished handle to tiller the bow and it gives you a good place to clamp it while you work on it.
 Sand the belly side of the boo flat. Draw out the shape of the bow and cut that out. Now thin the boo until it is 1/8" at the crown at the handle. Some folks taper the boo thickness from the 1/8" at te handle to 1/16" at the tips. I never did this but kept it 1/8" along the whole boo backing.

[Don Armstrong]

Thanks Pat, I'm going to work on it tomorrow. Don

[Steve B.]