Started a New One---Finally Finished

[Aeronut]

I had some very scarce free time last weekend and cut and sanded some Hickory and Osage for my next project.

 

Going to use a core of .050" Hickory and .040" Osage lams and cover with .050" glass.  I just need to decide what wood(s) to use for a riser.

   

Dennis

[kennym]

NICE!!  Keep us posted!!      

[Apex Predator]

I'm thinking something dark and figured would look outstanding.  I love the look of cocobolo with osage.  Maybe kingwood as well.  Keep us posted!

[Dick in Seattle]

coco sounds good, though with osage and hickory, you have two native woods.   Walnut, or black walnut, would keep it all native wood and provide a real nice contrast

[Bear]

I second the all native.

[Aeronut]

I had to look up Kingwood, I'd never heard of it.

I've got a bunch of 2X4 & 6 Black Walnut and thought about using it with Pecan & Osage accent stripes.  Somewhere around the shed I have a small piece of Black Locust that I may have to look for.

I'll post as I go but it is going to be over a long period of time since I don't have a lot of free time.

Dennis

[va]

Aeronut -

Good to see you are still upright and taking nourishment!

You are an arrow craftsman so the bow will definitely be worth the wait.

va

[Aeronut]

Hi Vince, how did you fare with last Friday's storm?  We finally got the substations and relays sorted out and I got to bed at 2am Sat. morning.  Very long day.  Our linemen worked all through the weekend.

Now I have a yard full of trees and limbs to clean up.

Dennis

[va]

Hey Mr. Dennis -

We were pretty much unscathed.  Even my old fragile hackberry survived.

I'm still trying to finagle a trip to SE KS so I can buy some shafts.  I lost all the poplar before i broke them!

va

[Aeronut]

I decided to go with all native woods like everyone suggested and this is the riser.  I just sanded it out tonight and it is ready to go.

Took a piece of my Black Walnut and sandwiched a strip of Hickory and Osage into it.  the strips are around 1/4" thick.

I ordered some Smooth-On and 1-1/2"X.050 glass from Kenny and got them yesterday.  May be a couple of weeks or more before I get time to get everything glued.

 

 

Dennis

[kennym]

Lookin good Dennis!! You have a plan??  COOL!!  :D

[Aeronut]

I've had a couple of free evenings so I decided to spread some glue.  I put the pieces in the hotbox to warm up while I gathered everything up.  Gathering wasn't a big chore until I couldn't locate my hose.  After searhing for almost an hour I was about ready to cancel for the evening when I finally found the rascal.

The lams and riser are plenty warm so it's time to mix some Smooth-On.  Seem like every time I order this stuff it comes in a different type of can/container.
 

My daughter came down to the dungeon/basement so I had her snap a picture.
 

After getting everything taped, clamped, strapped, and aired up it was ready for the hot box.  Alcohol is great for removing Smooth-On from your hands, along with everything else in the shop that is stuck to them.  Notice the custom riser inserts.  I used this form on another bow with a different riser shape.  I need to cut an insert to fit it.
 

Took everything apart this evening to see what I had and sanded off all the glue boogers/blobs.  Didn't get a fresh-off-the-form shot.      

When we pulled a little bit of the tape off we saw a pale white streak along one edge about 1/8" wide.  It took me a while to realize that one of the Osage lams had moved sideways.  It will not affect the finished bow any because that part will be trimmed off when I taper the limbs and glue on the riseer overlays.

Riser & Belly
 
 

Hopefully I can do a little more work on it tomorrow.

Dennis

[Aeronut]

I got finished with my fix-it project today so i got some more done on the bow.  I re-taped the glass and checked everything with a long string.  Looked good, even, and no twist in the limbs.

I decided to go with a 64"NTN bow so I measured everything for that.  I marked center on the bow and laid out the line with my laser level.  I stick it to my heat duct right above my head. Remember, I'm in the basement.
 
 
 

Next I marked out the limbs and went to the machine shed where my bandsaw and sanders are.  I saved a dull blade for my bandsaw because it would work for cutting the fiberglass.  After cutting out the limbs I sanded them down to the line.
 
 

Earlier I cut some thin Black Walnut laminations ot overlay on the front and back of the riser.  I glued them in place and everything is now back in the hotbox.
 


To be ontinued......

Dennis

[Dano]

Nice progress Dennis.    

[Wind D Ranch]

I tell ya, it's just not fair!  You have the talent to create such nice bows and I can barely fletch an arrow!      
How are you ever going to choose which bow to use on our hog hunt this winter?  

[Wind D Ranch]

By the way, why is your regulator on your scuba tank?  Fumes getting a little thick?

[Aeronut]

Naah, no fumes.  I bought a tire inflator to hook onto my BC hose and that is what I air up the hose with.  I'm probably the only bowyer that uses a 3000psi air tank to build stuff.  I wondered if anyone would notice that.

Dennis

[Aeronut]

I decided to use Black Walnut and Deer antler for the tip overlays.  I have a big shed that I found with my bushhog a few years back and decided to incorporate it into some of my projects.

 

I used some of the leftover Walnut from the riser overlay and put the antler on top of it.  I really hate the smell of cutting and sanding antler but I like the finished product.

 
 

Back into the hotbox again........

Dennis

[va]

Aero -

You are a CRAFTSMAN.

i still plan on getting some shafts from you soon.  I'll e-mail when I get a "business" trip worked out.

va

[Aeronut]

Now I start cutting string grooves and shaping the tips.  This is where I really slow down and take my time.  I don't want to screw it up at this point.

Another reason to slow down for me is I ran a toothpick sized splinter through the first joint of my second finger working on my Curly Hickory bow.     It came off the string groove.  Wernt fun at all!

 
 

Dennis