Photos first,so I don't stuff them up.
Today I cut some 2.5mm strips to start the bow laminations.The timber is variously known as Tasmanian oak, Victorian mountain ash, or Australian oak. It is neither oak nor ash. It is a clear grained Eucalypt hardwood, with no knots, gum veins or other flaws to affect the bending/laminating process.
I bent one strip dry to try it out first and it shook a little as I pulled it around the bend, but I thought it would be OK. I glued up two strips and stacked them, holding them together with a couple of rubber bands.
I started by clamping the bundle in the centre of the former, and worked outwards to the corners. The pistol type clamps were used to start the bends, followed by a G clamp to hold it. Then the pistol clamp was refitted further round the bend, followed by another G clamp. Working alternately at each end, and working progressively around each bend, it all worked remarkably well. One can never have too many clamps. The proof will come tomorrow when I take the clamps off to add more strips to the stack. All up I will need eight strips to make the bow a match to the broken one.
I have my fingers crossed!
Allan from down under.
