Need help, got to make new riser for my bow...

[halfseminole]

I love my bow.

I love my bow a lot.  But my riser is bubinga and osage, and I am very, very allergic to osage.  Like tongue swell throat close up allergic.  And with my acidic sweat it's meaning touching my bow is now causing scrambles for my last line of defense inhaler.  

It's not the bowyer's fault.  It's the static recurve that Mark Daniels built, and it shoots just like I want.  It's the right weight, it just clears the ground in my chair and it sends my block target skidding.  He even coated the riser extra for me.  He did an amazing job designing and building this bow.  And I don't want to give it up.

I bought a band saw a couple of months ago, a 9" model, and I'm getting confident enough with it that I made a solid amber thumb ring with it today.  With a band saw, a lot of files/raps, a proper template and the limb angles for my bow, could I make a riser to fit my bow?  I know Mark is busy building some more of these and I can make it with the shelf where it belongs (I'm shooting a left handed bow right handed to get the shelf on the right side) as well as to fit my oversized hands.  

Being the novice that I am, I know I'm missing stuff.  I know I'm not seeing all there is to see here.  But I love this bow, and I can't shoot it as it is.  It's my "the one" bow.  Would it be better to sell it on or attempt to make a new riser?

[Sam Harper]

I would think the only difficulty you might run into is fitting your limbs to the riser.  Unless you have the specific jig Mark Daniels used to drill the holes in your riser, it seems like that would be difficult.

But why not just have your riser refinished with an epoxy finish?  I would think an epoxy finish would seal it enough that the Osage wouldn't bother you.

[Bowjunkie]

That's what I was thinking. What did he seal it with? Perhaps there's something that would create a better barrier?

Speaking of finish, could it be the finish you're allergic to? I know a guy who is.

Takedown limb alignment and fit is critical. If you truly love the bow, and haven't done it before, I would recommend sending it back to him.

[snapper1d]

As bowjunkie say it might be the sealer.Being sealed good you shouldnt get anything from the osage.

[halfseminole]

There's still the handle fit issues, but I can fix those.

If you guys think an epoxy finish would do it, then I can handle that myself.  I don't want to change how it shoots, so you guys are probably right.

See, there was something I didn't think of.

[LittleBen]

My thoughts are this ...

If you are allergic to Osage so badly that skin contact causes anaphalaxis, then the last thing you want to do is saw it and start making dust, it may quite literally kill you.

If you're allergic to the finish ... same thing goes.

I'd try to see if it's the finish by touching another portion of the bow with a swaety hand (like on the lims or somethign) and see if theres any reaction. Then at elast you can be sure what the allergen is.

Personally, I would just put some type of handle wrap over the handle and call it a win. I'd probably use something other than leather like rubber, or tennis wracket grip tape because leather can soak up sweat and may let some of the allergin soak through to your hands over time.

[halfseminole]

The finish isn't the issue, it's Osage.  I found that after cutting an Osage thumb ring and being found passed out by my wife.  But altering the grip in places with epoxy putty isn't grinding the riser, and if I need to I can do it outdoors, wearing long sleeves, gloves, my dust/vapor respirator and a face mask.  I just want to make this fit my hand as well as it fits my style.

I am gonna bury it under layers of epoxy finish when I'm done, though.  Even my acidic sweat won't hurt that.  I am not taking any chances though, leather will be going over that.  It's a lot of work, but the bow is worth it to me.  Nothing else has been as good for me as that bow, not by far.