Is there a tool for e.l.b. tips....?

[Mike Mecredy]

I bought some horn tips for an english style longbow and was wondering if there is a tool to taper the tips of the bow for glueing on the horn nocks.
(I should already know this, but I don't)

[bigcountry]

Yep, a good sharp pocketknife and a scaper, and some sandpaper.  Not being smart, I just don't know of any other way.

[Mike Mecredy]

Well here's how I did it; I initially used my 11 degree arrow taper jig on my disc grinder to get the general shape, then I sanded the tapered part round, then I used a dry erase marker to color the inside of the taper and placed it on the tips. I sanded off the part that the color transfered to.  Eventually the dry erase ink transfered to the entire tapered area and it was ready to apply.  The tips would stay on with no glue, when pressed on the tips with a little force; sort of like how well tapered arrow tips and nocks do.

So, I got some what of an inovative mind when it comes to bowyering,  but....

All I'm thinking is there must be a quicker way to do this. The above way took me at least an hour.

[Pat B]

I used a 5/8" spade bit and ground body of it to match the pilot taper and used that to drill out the horn. I also used the ground bit as a template for the bow's limb tips.

[Flinttim]

The old bowyers were known to drill a hole in the horn tip to let the air out when gluing on the tips. Either way, remember that most glues expand some while curing so you need to come up with a way of clamping the tips while the glue dries, or they may want to push off some. Like Mike I start the taper on my bench sander and finish with files and sandpaper. You want a snug fit for sure.

[Sam Harper]

Somebody needs to invent a pencil sharpener type doohickie for the tips.

[Adam Keiper]

I pencil triangles on each side of the square tip, reduce to the line with a disk sander, and round them over with Nicholson files.  To test the fit, I twist the horn a few times on the wood and file off the shiny spots.  Once they're snug, I glue them on with epoxy.  (Mask off the limbs to minimize glue cleanup.)  I hold them on by stretching several layers of electrical tape around the horn and wrapping to the limb.

 

[Pat B]

An important consideration(for aesthetic and stringing purposes)is to have the bottom end of the horn nock as thin and the shape as smooth as possible. You want as smooth of a transition between the horn nock and bow limb tip as possible and on your first few they seem scary thin but with a good fit and good glue it can be done.  Also, be sure the string groove is below the tip of the(wood)limb. If it is above the limb tip the leverage from the string will pull the horn nock off.
  A lot of work goes into making, shaping and fitting horn nocks.

[Shore08]

Originally posted by Sam Harper:
Somebody needs to invent a pencil sharpener type doohickie for the tips.

Remember the old pencil sharpeners in your school classroom that had the rotating piece that let you choose different sized pencils to be sharpened? I wonder how big that thing is if you remove the guards?

[bigcountry]

Originally posted by Mike Mecredy:
Well here's how I did it; I initially used my 11 degree arrow taper jig on my disc grinder to get the general shape, then I sanded the tapered part round, then I used a dry erase marker to color the inside of the taper and placed it on the tips. I sanded off the part that the color transfered to.  Eventually the dry erase ink transfered to the entire tapered area and it was ready to apply.  The tips would stay on with no glue, when pressed on the tips with a little force; sort of like how well tapered arrow tips and nocks do.

So, I got some what of an inovative mind when it comes to bowyering,  but....

All I'm thinking is there must be a quicker way to do this. The above way took me at least an hour.

Wow, an hour is pretty quick IMO.

[Mike Mecredy]

I guess I'll invent something...  I'll let you know and show pics.