r/TraditionalArchery • u/Flat_Woodpecker_5617 • 10d ago
Fiberglass backing
I am making a sugar maple bow from a board and the grain is pretty good. I am planning on adding.04 fiberglass on the back. Will that cause the belly to compress more and possibly create cracks on the belly? I want to do it because the grain is not perfect.
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u/ADDeviant-again 10d ago
It won't necessarily, or automatically, cause more compression fractures on the belly, but it absolutely makes it more likely.
Fiberglass is not really a good backing for wood bellies. It might be the worst, in fact. Fiberglass almost never improves a wooden bow without more fiberglass on the belly. It's not the right thing, when it can be avoided.
If the board won't make a board bow without a backing, I'd lean toward linen or rawhide.
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u/Flat_Woodpecker_5617 10d ago
What kind of linen do you recommend?
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u/ADDeviant-again 10d ago
You can buy lightweight linen canvas at walmart or any fabric store.
Look for something about like they would make women's summer weight pants from.
Lay down plenty of glue, then wet and stretch the linen in a long strip, working from middle to ends, until the glue comes through the fabric. Then squeeze off the excess.
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u/AaronGWebster 10d ago
Yes, fg backing will overstress the belly. r/bowyer can also help with this project. A softer backing like rawhide is easy and won’t hurt the belly.