Laminated recurve build along

[OH Longbow]

This will probably be the last post for the night.  I will now be doing the overlays for the limb tips.  I will also add some accent pieces and extra thickness to the belly of the riser.  First, I measure the areas that are going to have additional material and remove the tape.

 

 

Next, I rough up all the glue sides on the bow and each individual piece.  This is for the limb tip overlays, the accents strips and the belly pieces.

 

 

Here is everything laid out.  For the limb tip overlays, I'm using phenolic (white, black, red, black).  For the belly of the riser, I cut a couple of 3/8" stips from the waste section of riser block.  The order will be original riser, white phenolic, 3/8" strip of dymondwood, white phenolic, and another 3/8" strip of dymondwood.  All of the phenolic is 1/16".  It is much easier to bend to conform to the shape of the limb tips.

 

Here is the riser after the pieces were added.  I saved you the boredom of watching me mix the epoxy.  I was able to use my handy block of wood one more time.  This time as a clamp block.  It mirrored up to the riser perfectly for this job.  It gave me two flat surfaces to clamp against.

 

Here is one of the limb tip overlays.  The other looks just the same.

 

Here it is curing.  I put the lights over it to supply just a little heat and to hopefully lower the humidity a little.  It started raining today, after a long time without any.  I don't want to add too much heat because one time I had a near disaster.  While putting the limb tip overlays on one of my longbows, I used a piece of hard, black rubber between the overlay and the clamp.  I was trying to protect the overlay from the clamp's hard surface.  I used a 300W halogen lamp for a heat source and surrounded everything with aluminum foil.  While we were working on my buddies bow, we looked over and saw smoke rolling out of the foil.  I rushed over and the rubber was melting.  Also, my limb tip delaminated.  I put more epoxy in it and re-clamped with much less heat.  It worked, but you can still see it in the fiberglass.  Luckily, it is in an area mostly covered with the string.

 

Also, I supported the limb tips with shims and the c-clamps are also supported with shims.  This minimizes the amount of torsion felt by the limbs.

L8R,

John

[dutchwarbow]

this is very interesting OH. Looking forward to updates!

Nick

[razorsharptokill]

Very nice. Some pics are red x's though.

[OH Longbow]

Jim, I don't know why you're getting the red x's.  All of the pics loaded for me.  Sometimes, you can click with the right mouse button and choose "show picture" and they'll come up.

Here is just a small upload.  I haven't done much this week.  Work has been hectic.

After unwrapping the riser and the limb tips, I hit the sander again.  This tool is one of the best $100.00 tools I have ever bought.

   

This is what it looked like after some initial cleaning.

   

Here are the tips.  I'm just starting to shape them.

   

Now, here is where I need some opinions.  I'm thinking about cutting the curved portion off the front (really the "back", in bow speak) of the riser.  I marked a line where I want to cut.  It's the one that is perpendicular to the centerline.

   

I would then put on a piece of white phenolic, black phenolic, and then a piece of walnut.  I was also thinking about putting a piece of Elk Antler on it instead of the walnut.  What do you all think?  BTW, I know this will have the net effect of raising my draw length by about an inch because my handle will now be set back that much more.

[Dmaxshawn]

Looking more and more like a finished bow for some very lucky person.  More pics please.

Shawn

[OH Longbow]

Thanks Dmax, I'm making this for me.  I plan on making it my bowfishing rig.

Here is more on the build.  I was first messing around with shaping the tips a little.  I used a combination of the table top belt sander, the disc sander and a file.  This was just an initial rough shape.

   

Then, I rough cut fades in the pieces I added to the belly of the riser.

   

I used the template to mark the riser however, I didn't photograph it.  I then took the bow back to the bandsaw and started cutting the rough shape.  Now, I need to let you know that although I used the word "cutting", I don't know if that accurately describes the process.  It was kinda' of a burning, moaning, bending, prying process.  There are a lot of things the bandsaw blade was doing but, cutting was not one of them.  Needless to say, this blade is just about done.  I'm going to try to cut the limbs on my buddies bow before trashing it but, I'm not hopeful I'll be successful.

   

I laid the template on the riser and lined it up with my cut.  This shows how I off-set it so the grip wouldn't be marked quite as deep.

   

The next series of images show the continuation of the rough shaping.  I continued to use the bandsaw.  I had my basement/garage filled with the aroma of burning/melting Dymond Wood.

   

   

After cutting the rough shape, I started using the sanders.  I have a 1" and a 3" drum sander for my drill press.  I also use my tabletop belt sander.

   

Stay tuned.

John

[OH Longbow]

Now, its time for the rotary tool.  I chucked a square cutting burr.  This one was already used on a couple of bows and showed the wear.

 

By the time I was done, it was in much worse shape.  It won't hardly even cut now.  I am re-thinking my choice of Dymondwood.  This stuff is brutal on tools and difficult to work.  I only used this tool to cut the riser shelf.

 

Starting to shape up a little.

 

I can't wait to put a string on it so, I'm going to go ahead and file string grooves.

 

Here it is with the tape removed, a string installed and a tillering stick.  You're looking at the bottom limb.  It needs a little shaved from the right side but, I'm going to wait for now.  I'm pretty sure I'm going to re-mark my limbs and check them for proper width.  BTW, I strung it and put it on the scale.  It is 60# @ 29".  Wow! That's way off.  I planned it for 45#.  I think the limbs are a little wide.

 

Here's the other limb.  It was good.

 

Here are a couple of the strung profile and the riser area.

 

 

[OH Longbow]

Here are a couple of more.

     

     

     

I couldn't just let it sit there with a string on it.  Its kinda' like letting a pretty lady just sit in the corner.  I put a couple (20+) arrows through it.  It shot nice.  No hand shock when compared to my longbows but, it did make a little more noise.  The initial brace height was 8 3/4".  I still have a lot more shaping to do on the riser and limb tips.  BTW, I cut the limbs down a little.  It is now 58# @ 29".

[Dmaxshawn]

 outstanding    Cant wait for more.  

Shawn

[Pennsyltuckey pete]

I like the rope trick.  Never saw that one before!  

pete

[recurvericky]

Nice build along and a good looking bow. I too like the use of the template and the router. If you are using spare urethane as a finish, I was given a great tip yesterday on getting a really smooth finish. The first coat should be the brush on spare urethane. After 10 minutes of drying, spray a coat of spare urethane. Per the person that gave me the tip the spray coat, re-activates the brushed on coat and results in the brushed on coat acting as a leveling agent and filling all the pin holes. He then sands starting with 400 grit and works his way up to 800 grits. I saw a bow that he had refinished with the same technique and was very impressed with the finish.

[OH Longbow]

Recurvericky, I will probably use Minn Wax spray on polyurethane, satin finish.  I have used that on my last 3 bows and I like the job it does.  I wonder if it would work the same.  I have a can of the brush-on.  I might give that technique a try.

John

[recurvericky]

I would think it would work the same. Maybe someone else will chime in on this.

[Eastern Hunter 14701]

Great looking bow, can't wait to see it finished  

[OH Longbow]

OK guys, this is just a small update.  I have had a cold kickin' my tail for the last week.  My daughter passed it to my wife who, so graciously, passed it along to me.  Today, I finally got to do some more work.  I just did a little final shaping.  The work had already been done prior to taking the pictures.  I'm just showing you some of the tools I used.

Here is one of the many "shaped" sanders I use.  Its just a piece of PVC pipe with sand paper wrapped around it.  I have assorted sizes of the pipe.  It works very well for the contours.

   

Here, I'm using one of my favorites.  Its a piece of oak that is about 3/4" square and about 6" in length.  It had sharp edges so, I wrapped it in painters tape.  The sand paper last longer this way.  I am using 60 grit here.  I will move on to 100 then 600.  In the background, you can see my other shaping tools, including files and a rasp.

   

Here, I'm working on the fades of the pieces I put on the belly side of the riser.

   

Here's a good shot of the arrow shelf.  I just about drove myself crazy trying to work this down.  The Dymondwood dulled the burr in my rotary tool.  I tried the rasp but, it was worthless.  The square oak with sandpaper (my favorite) would plug with the dust and become unusable.  The file kept plugging with the dust.  I used a brush to clean it but there was do much material to remove.  

   

The way I finally got it done was to use a coping saw to cut a series of cuts along the radius.  I then turned the blade 90 degrees and cut down, along the plane of the site window to free the pieces.  Then, I used the file (frequently cleaning with a wire brush) to round it over and finished it off with the square piece of oak, wrapped in sandpaper.  Here are some pictures after the fact.

   

   

Today was really a day for Keith to continue working on his bow.  We busted butt and was able to get his into the oven.  Here he is sanding some small imperfections on his riser.

   

Hopefully I will be posting the finished pics soon.

John

[Shakes.602]

Awsome Build Along!! That will be One Beautiful Bow My Friend!!      

[OH Longbow]

Originally posted by Shakes.602:
Awsome Build Along!! That will be One Beautiful Bow My Friend!!            

Glad you like the bow.  I just feel bad that it is taking so long.

Yeah, I really like my bandsaw.  It was almost like Christmas when I brought it home.  It's my favorite tool to use but, probably not the most important.  If I had to pick one tool, I think I would go with the tabletop belt/disc sander.  That is so handy.  If you keep a good supply of belts, you can do almost anything.  It really would be a close fight with the bandsaw though.  I have built bows without the bandsaw but, never without the sander.

[ron w]

Looks great,,,can't wait to see her all done!!!!

[TimZeigler]

Outstanding buildalong!  Great looking bow.  

[AkDan]

does rubbing chalk on files work as well for woodworking as it does for metal working?  Keeps the gullets from getting clogged in the files with metal bits.  I would assume  it would work on wood?!?!