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Main Boards => The Bowyer's Bench => Topic started by: Crooked Stic on April 13, 2024, 07:30:15 AM

Title: Limb sled
Post by: Crooked Stic on April 13, 2024, 07:30:15 AM
Mine warped. Screwed up a set of limbs.  :dunno:
Anyhow I am thinking spring clamp the but ends and run them thru with no sled.
I run one piece bows thru the drum sander with no sled with good results.
Title: Re: Limb sled
Post by: Tim Finley on April 13, 2024, 11:03:34 AM
I use Black Locust for mine it doesnt seem to warp
Title: Re: Limb sled
Post by: Mad Max on April 13, 2024, 06:31:07 PM
I made a sled for thickness sanding T/D limbs and it warped also.
Big Jim make's sleds with Jatoba because it's more stable, I would make it as small as possible. :dunno:
Title: Re: Limb sled
Post by: Crooked Stic on April 13, 2024, 07:07:21 PM
Mine is made of two layers of 3/4 plywood . I ran it thru the sander got it flat again. Gonna seal it and see if it will stay put.
Title: Re: Limb sled
Post by: Mad Max on April 13, 2024, 07:13:32 PM
Mine is made of two layers of 3/4 plywood . I ran it thru the sander got it flat again. Gonna seal it and see if it will stay put.

 :thumbsup:

I have a long piece of chip board (OSB) for 1 piece bows but I thickness sand it before I run the bow on it.
Title: Re: Limb sled
Post by: Kirkll on April 13, 2024, 08:04:34 PM
Mine warped. Screwed up a set of limbs.  :dunno:
Anyhow I am thinking spring clamp the but ends and run them thru with no sled.
I run one piece bows thru the drum sander with no sled with good results.

Are you talking about edge sanding the laid up limbs after knocking the boogers off?

I’ve been using a 3/4” thick piece of melamine shelving for that myself and had the damn thing for many many years without problems. Lucky perhaps?
Title: Re: Limb sled
Post by: derekdiruz on April 14, 2024, 05:41:49 PM
Big Jim sells G10 taper lam sleds for like 60-70. I forget. I've got 002 and 003 from him. Just glue some sandpaper down and a small stop block on the butt end and good to go.
Title: Re: Limb sled
Post by: derekdiruz on April 14, 2024, 05:48:22 PM
Hahaha, my mistake, talking about a sled for grinding the ends of the limbs?

I just run mine at 20% or so on the belt, and carefully hold them to the bed. I built a sled for the limbs but it's significantly less work doing it by hand and not using the sled lol. So I do that.

One consideration I have is to make a "base" of sorts, which essentially would be a sled. However smaller, just to aid in keeping the limb at 90 degrees. Just haven't gotten to it yet.
Title: Re: Limb sled
Post by: buckeyebowhunter on June 09, 2024, 02:14:50 PM
Mike,  did you ever try running them through without the sled? I've considered doing this before but have been to scared to try it.
Title: Re: Limb sled
Post by: Crooked Stic on June 09, 2024, 02:56:59 PM
That is what I do now. Spring clamp the butt end and hold the square on the feed belt. The presssure rollers take over the hold them as they come out the other si.de
Title: Re: Limb sled
Post by: Kirkll on June 10, 2024, 10:52:11 AM
Hahaha, my mistake, talking about a sled for grinding the ends of the limbs?

I just run mine at 20% or so on the belt, and carefully hold them to the bed. I built a sled for the limbs but it's significantly less work doing it by hand and not using the sled lol. So I do that.

One consideration I have is to make a "base" of sorts, which essentially would be a sled. However smaller, just to aid in keeping the limb at 90 degrees. Just haven't gotten to it yet.

Here is my sled and how I get a straight edge on one side before running them through the drum sander. The angles on the end of the sled are so I can turn  the direction on the limb as it feeds into the drum sander…… having two identical limbs before milling is nice.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/rznHJjPSTEYodnZ78