Kotaro's 60" recurve-FINISHED pics

[bjansen]

I'd like to introduce Kotaro, who has moved over to the US in August for a 2 year secondment with our company.  I helped Kotaro get acclimated to the US and also introduced him to Americas favorite pastime, traditional archery. So far we built him a Purpleheart/hickory longbow which shot great for the first 49 arrows...then snap..(it was a questionable piece of hickory on the back, but lesson learned).   We also built a nice ash selfbow (45#) which he still has.  

Kotaro liked the glass recurves I had and wanted to build one, so I told him it would be good to do a build along so his family and friends back home can see how its done.  I took some initial photos and I will turn it over to him to finish the build along with the remaining pics we will take of it.  We have it ready to tiller and finish, but probably wont get to it until the first week in Jan.  

Here we start, we are using the Bingham 60" recurve from.  Brown .040 glass and hickory and a maple S/A lam.  The riser we used started with a block of walnut and we cut an arc for a piece of desert camo S/A that I had laying around.  Between the S/A and the walnut is a maple strip.  

Here Kotaro is gluing up the lams.

 

Ready for some heat

 

[bjansen]

Drawing the center line...notice the laser on top of the table saw

 

[bjansen]

cleaning the excess glue off (just prior to marking the center)

Then we took it to the bandsaw to rough cut the limbs and then back to the sander to final shape them.  

 

[bjansen]

now for some tip overlays..some desert camo S/A and more brown glass

 

[bjansen]

 

Made for a lefty

[bjansen]

Notice we also took the limb cut offs and used them for overlays on the back of the riser.  That desert camo really comes to life when you sand it.  This is where th ebow stands as of now.  A few more hours and it will be ready for finish.

[Apex Predator]

Looking great buddy!

[Tulku]

Great job, looks like a nice shop too

Keep them pics coming!


-Joshua-

[White Oak]

Like that Desert Camo. Waitin for more!!

[Igor]

Great that you are passing on what you know to another

Thanks for sharing and looking forward to the finished product!


><>

Glenn

[Teagus]

I understand how a laser is used for the centerline. When laying out the limbs, is the laser also used? Or do I use a flexible straight edge, like perhaps a strip of bow glass? I started using a bingham limb pattern glued to poster board.

[bjansen]

No, I do not use a laser for the limb layout only the centerline. I glued binghams limb template to a piece of plexiglass.  I take two small clamps, allign the center of the plexiglass template to the center of the bow, clamp the template to the limb and trace it out.

[bjansen]

Well, the build along didnt work out so well as Kotaro forgot his camera in the remaining building stages...But...I have some finished pics.  

Kotaro did all the finish work..Out of the form this bow was about 53#...I used a lam stack for a 45# bow, so Im not sure how it came out so heavy...so we thinned and thinned the limbs and he rounded the back and heavily rounded the belly (basically trapped the entire belly).  

It worked well, and I think it looks great.  I put 2 coats of high solids sealer, sanded, 3 light coats of TB epoxy (gloss) then hit it lightly with Helmanns  Varnish (satin)...It was a little bit of an experimental finish, but I really like the end result..A bit of gloss in the background and even specs of satin on top. Final weight is 45# @ 28".

This was the last bow on this form, the from is in the hands of another tradganger now.  

 

 

 

 

Nice long fades...a 22" riser

 

[bjansen]

 

[kennym]

Hey, I didn't think I liked the desert camo,but I'm changin my mind!! Great lookin project Brad and Kotaro      

[4est trekker]

Fantastic!  Beautiful bow!  How's it shoot?

[bjansen]

It shoots quite well from what I can tell.  The Bingham recurves all shoot pretty well from my experience.  But its a lefty...so it was a little difficult for me to tiller...but when you get in the range of 1/4 to even I think its a pretty safe bet.  

Kenny, I like the desert camo..after you get some finish on that stuff it doesnt look so orange/pink.

[scottm]

Very nice!

[Apex Predator]

Fantastic job on a beautiful bow!

[Dmaxshawn]

Looks great Brad.  I like the looks of that riser.

Shawn