walp...
just checking in before retiring for the second time tonight.
the core is soaked and strapped down on the bending form.
It will remain strapped for the rest of the week, while it dreies into the desired recurve (or a lot closer to it than I would have liked to deal with in the final lay-up if it were not pre-bent).
I will busy myself in the interim with cleaning up this mess and finishing the planing of the back and belly bamboo elements.
DAMN... do I ever need a proper workshop.
anyways...
Eight ratchet straps force the core into a very close approximation of the curve, but I am considering getting another 4-pack of straps for the final lay-up.
I timed the process - I was able to get it done in under an hour. I think I will use the slowest-setting epoxy readily available (1 hour)... I have learned that this wood glue is much stronger than I had believed, but I lack full confidence in it for the stresses of helping hold the recurve - I estimate that it took several thousand pounds of force to bend the core into the curve, even when wet.
However, I may rethink the epoxy when I see how well the core has adopted the recurve after this pre-bending session.
that's a problem for another day.
'nite all.
I'm glad it's coming along.
Good night, KP.
question my Liege... by using a pre-bent or a natural bent section, is that/does it make that, section stronger/weaker/neutral in that section as far as memory/spring action/poundage vs a homogeneous bend/strength??? i'm not very clear but you prolly get my drift.A glue you might want to take a look at is liquid nails. I used it years ago when I was framing houses. We would lay it down on the floor joists to keep the floor from squeaking. I often got some that would glue the hair on my legs to my shorts. Nothing worked to free it. The hair was coming out. Don't know if it would do for your application though.