Smooth form

[wmcclendon]

I'm starting into my second bow build and I'm working on the form right now.  I bought one of the Rigid oscillating sanders and its real nice, but I can't get a smooth finsih on my form.

So far I've only worked on the top section so that I could get the hang of it.  Any tips on how to keep the high and low spots out?  I'm sure a nice steady feed would take care of most of it, but some places need more wood taken than others so the feed needs to vary I guess.

Should I just break down and get the router bit like Kenny shows in his form build?

Thanks,
William

[kennym]

Hey William,
That is the best move I ever made in form building!

Everything comes out super square if you go slow and keep your router firmly on hte side of the form.

 You can take the lumps out of a 1/4" pc or plywood or plexiglass much easier than a 1.5" form!!

Then lite sanding with a block,or like the last form I built-a reverse taper glued to the form so I can make the riser pattern right off the form template.

[recurvericky]

I have a Rigid oscilating sander and that is what I use on my forms. If you move the form across the sander a good pace forward and backward you can smooth out the high areas. Once the high areas are smoothed out you should not have a problem with the being able to get a really smooth surface.

[Robertfishes]

last year I tried to make a form using a drum sander, I could not get it square or straight..I went to Kennys site and saw how he uses a template and router to cut forms, I have built 2 perfect forms with that method, didn't take long either.

[eman614]

if you get one of the router bits you'll kick yourself for wasting the time trying to do it with the sander. don't ask me how i know.  

[Teagus]

I made forms before I learned about Kenny's technique which I will use on future forms. After I got the form as close to smooth by sanding, I went to Home Depot and got a piece of sheet formica from the countertop department. I cut full length six foot strips. I used contact cement to glue to my r/d form. As I was still worried about perfection, I went to the hardware store and found a reddish/orange sheet rubber with a fairly hard durometer. I believe this is refered to as a "float". I glued this to the formica. The formica is cheap and I have enough for many more forms.

Mike W.

[kennym]

Guys, just FYI ,the technique is not really mine. I read about it in a TBM years back and finally started using it!  I may be wrong,but think I Roy Marlow wrote the article........

[T Folts]

I picked up a bit the other day just waitng for my plans.
Should be done by the weekend if time permits.

[wmcclendon]

Sounds like the bit is the way to go.  I'll check on one of those today.  Any best material for the pattern?

I hope I can find some other uses for the sander as this was my main reason for buying it.  I'm sure it will come in handy for other things like riser shaping and maybe fade sanding.

Thanks guys!

[kennym]

That sander will be your best buddy later!!

[wmcclendon]

Stopped by Home Depot and got a 1"x1/2" top bearing trim bit.  It was about $22.  I also got a piece of 1/4" MDF for my pattern.  I'll try to get it cut out this week and see what my router can do.

[kennym]

Helpful hint- take a good strait metal yardstick or pc of stiff bow glass and bend around the curves in template,will show any flat spots.  

[wmcclendon]

Thanks Kenny...will do!

[bamboo]

BONDO!!!

[wmcclendon]

Got the form done today and the pattern bit and router is definitely the way to go.  Quick and correct!  My router is a bit outdated as are my routing skills, so my form turned out to not be quite square, but its real close and should be fine for this bow.

Thanks again everyone!

[mike hall]

William just drop your template and eighth and square her up ...... hate to see a twist show up after the glue up. Might even get away with a sixteenth.  

[wmcclendon]

I'm not sure how it ended up not being square.  I didn't like how far I had to pull the bit out of the collet to make the 2" cut, but I figured it would do okay.

I'll have to check my router and see if its not square or something.  I hate to do it, but might have to go rent a better router to make the square cut.

[Robertfishes]

I bought two 2" bits with bearing on bottom from mlcswoodworking.com catalog# 7807 for $13 each, I use a router table and can cut a 1 1/2 " or 1 3/4" form with one pass. they have a 2"bit with 3 cutting flutes for $16, cat number 10807