Laminating crossbow limbs

by Hermit Sat Sep 21, 2013 11:09 pm

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Post n°1

Laminating crossbow limbs

by Hermit Sat Sep 21, 2013 11:09 pm

There are 2 types of resins available for use in fibreglass moulding.One is polyester.This resin is readily available,and fairly cheap.I think it is commonly used in crossbow prods and limbs,and seems to work well in solid form.The other is marine epoxy,the best known being West system epoxy.The reason that marine epoxy is different,is because polyester resin tends to 'float' on top of wood,and not soak in a fibreglass sheathed wooden hull can 'deglove',and the fibreglass come away from the hull.Marine epoxy soaks into the wood and bonds to it much better.With regard to laminated wood and fibreglass crossbow limbs,it seems to me that marine epoxy would do a better job.Marine epoxy does have one fault that polyester resin does'nt,it needs to be painted or varnished,as the U.V. rays in sunlight will cause it to break down.Marine epoxy is more expensive than polyester.

by kenh Sun Sep 22, 2013 9:29 am

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Post n°2

Re: Laminating crossbow limbs

by kenh Sun Sep 22, 2013 9:29 am

Good analysis of epoxies there, Hermit. Since I live on a boat at a marina, access to marine epoxy is relatively easy and inexpensive for me -- my friends wouldn't mind me 'borrowing' a brushload or two while they're deeply involved in 'glassing a deck with a gallon of epoxy.

Strangely enough, I'd say the vast majority of crossbow builders don't make wood-glass laminates although it should be an easy setup to make a simple slightly recurved molds for a couple different sizes out of a piece of 2x4.

by actionbow Sat Oct 12, 2013 1:21 pm

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Post n°3

Re: Laminating crossbow limbs

by actionbow Sat Oct 12, 2013 1:21 pm

Ea-40 smooth-on is the best bow glue I have found. I have used marine epoxy, standard fiberglass epoxy and a few others.

by fester Mon Oct 28, 2019 2:15 pm

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Post n°4

Re: Laminating crossbow limbs

by fester Mon Oct 28, 2019 2:15 pm

What about the type and thickness of the glass sheets used to laminate the core ? Ive seen some 1mm stuff on eBay would that be ok?
Also what about the core? Could an old bed lath be tillered down, deflexed and laminated to form a prod with a similar profile to a steel prod?

by banuvatt Mon Oct 28, 2019 4:33 pm

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Post n°5

Re: Laminating crossbow limbs

by banuvatt Mon Oct 28, 2019 4:33 pm

G flex epoxy I heard was good, it's waterproof I have seen a guy on Youtube make laminated bows out of them. But the backing on the bows I seen him make the laminates out of typically fiberglass cloth or bamboo. Also the guy says he travels alot so he used it to make his bows. It can handle changes in moisture if that's what you are worried about also.

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