re-back a bow?

oldnut

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evening, I have a rather tired old 45# bow with a fair bit of set. is it possible to give it back a bit of zip by re-backing it. I cant tell if the back has stretched or the belly crushed, but would a fairly thin veneer of bamboo or a couple of layers of silk give it a bit more without overpowering the belly and destroying it?
 
D

Deleted member 7654

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It's normally the belly that has taken the set. I've sawn the back off an old warbow and the back returned straight, the belly had a big set.
Depends on the construction to some extent. If it's a self bow, you could add some thickness the the back and remove some of the tired wood from the belly. Or heat treat it, pulling it back straight and re-tiller it. None of these suggestions is quick or easy.
Del
 

oldnut

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thanks del, it was my first longbow, a trilam of unknown woods. I really have nothing to loose trying to get a bit more zip from it. I think a gentle steaming to try and straighten it and then see what it wants .if it falls apart during steaming I can then reassemble it without the set....so ...we will see...
 
D

Deleted member 7654

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thanks del, it was my first longbow, a trilam of unknown woods. I really have nothing to loose trying to get a bit more zip from it. I think a gentle steaming to try and straighten it and then see what it wants .if it falls apart during steaming I can then reassemble it without the set....so ...we will see...
The problem with laminates is that you can't heat treat. Steam bending won't achieve anything, the set will return. Heat treating is distinct from steaming.
Steaming is at 100C heat treating at about 220C which allows the wood to be bent back ('cos it's over 100C) but it also hardens the resins within the wood.
Planing/rasping off the belly and gluing on a new one (with a hint of reflex/back set) would be the better idea.
Del
Or plane off the back, replacing it, then plane off the belly and replace that ;) :ROFLMAO:
 

oldnut

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The problem with laminates is that you can't heat treat. Steam bending won't achieve anything, the set will return. Heat treating is distinct from steaming.
Steaming is at 100C heat treating at about 220C which allows the wood to be bent back ('cos it's over 100C) but it also hardens the resins within the wood.
Planing/rasping off the belly and gluing on a new one (with a hint of reflex/back set) would be the better idea.
Del
Or plane off the back, replacing it, then plane off the belly and replace that ;) :ROFLMAO:
very interesting, gives me something to ponder upon....
 

English Bowman

Well-known member
Or plane off the back, replacing it, then plane off the belly and replace that ;) :ROFLMAO:
I've got a longbow like that, about a year after buying it a lift developed in the back, so the bowyer replaced the back free of charge, and gave me a new warranty, about a year later the belly chrysalled and the bowyer replaced the belly free of charge, there is a small layer of original bow in there. The bow is now 20 years old and still shooting well. (Osage backed with hickory)
 
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