DURAL ALLOY PROD BLANK--RECURVE DESIGN

Hi ---maybe futile ---but ------
If anyone can post the design /shaping plan configuration

for a 30 inch long 2 inch wide dural prod blank ?

Have made several back in the 70 /s --fed up with heavy steel spring
prods -----
so I imported a dural blank recently

but have forgotten/lost original template- mostly how its shaped /cut down  RECURVED at ends --ie how much to bend each tip curve etc

would appreciate a sketch or foto of the shaping process or similar
dural is light --great for hunting in mountainous African bush

Spring steel prods are a nightmare to carry after several km
great power but WAY too heavy ---

dural has its fatigue drawbacks etc etc --but still love the old recurve
 any help would be wonderful
( retired pro -hunter /taxidermist )
WINCAR  -Zululand

Hello Wincar, welcome and good to hear from you. I'm not famliar with the dural you mention. There are several places you can buy  "fiber glass recurves for crossbows. A lot of the fellows hear make a loose laminate glass bow. They are super light ,non recurve, and max out around 200 pds. I have such an animal and cock it with a home made goats foot. I hunt deer with it also. Not true to any of the old type crossbows ,but deadly just the same. Keep checking here cause we have almost 2000 thousand members, maybe some will know exactly what you want.

Thankyou  C Sitas ----

Dural k or  Noral ----is a aircraft grade aluminium /steel alloy --
used in aeronautics --
was very popular for x bow recurves in the past --not used much as I find it extremely
hard to locate a supplier --but eventually found one --recently

I could probably hazard a guess at the recurve radius ----that's how I made many leaf spring
heavy steel prods ---all very powerful --20 yrs old some --hardly fatigued --but oh so heavy /the recoil /shock is very audible on 200 lb draw release ---frightens everything away ----not good for hunting --obviously -

Dural allow is super lightweight----silent --like glass prods --
as I have not the technology to laminate fibre /resin prods --its simpler to bend /shape /polish
aircraft alloy --
but will wait until someone has the template /bending dimensions for  -although its highly unlikely
these days ---compounds rule!

regards -----Wincar --

Hello Win, I think you might have misunderstood what I meant about a loose laminate bow. You don't glue anything. All the pieces just lay against each other. Very quiet setup. Very low tech. I really like your explaination. It instantly brought back some memories. Many years back I owned an aluminum bow . About a six footer. It was as I remember, fairly quiet. Only thing was you could feel it resonating in your hand ,after a shot. It never broke either.You sound like a rather accomplished metal person.

Hi Wincar, good to have you here!

I've been looking for Dural too, though most alli alloy suppliers don't know what this is.

Where did you locate your blank?

Thanks

Hey guys, Just looking around some,it seems some of the high end bikes use the tube for their frame work.As long as it's still made, someone should be able to locate something.

Hi Andy --- after a long long 7 year search

got hold of a friend of a friend ===of another friend -
 until finally ---Maryellen ----
gave me the email of
DARKWOOD ARMOURY !( no idea what part of planet earth they are on --

BUT  a super fella by the name of Scott ---
tells me he has all sizes /of aircraft DURAL  alloy blanks ---up to 29 inches
long --2 inches wide -----
he CUSTOM  builds alloy prods as well !
will build to your specs /desired size ---
(Google Darkwood ARMOURY or armory ---)
will try post his email
This has taken me 40 yrs since I recurved /shaped a 120 lb draw prod --
from a blank Aircraft alloy --
Yes --very hard to find this old school prod material --
but I hunted 12 yrs ------with this light as fibreglass prod ==rugged --reliable
but they do tend to fatigue ---some shatter --simply bind with thin leather or Mc Gyver tape -
or camo tape if u are hunting --can be recurved over & over when metal fatigue lowers draw weight -
or replace ----but cost nowadays can be a problem ---
Dural is tricky to bend /cut/recurve to specific angles----- but not rocket science---made many mistakes back in the 70 but careful measurement /graph paper or a template from DG QUICK  in Gloucestershire --
(Did the trick -although those templates are hens teeth nowadays )fine 32 teeth hacksaw --blade --do not grind or use angle grinder ---heat will affect the temper of the alloy ---use elbow grease & patience!!

good luck ---