Templates for risers

[SEMO_HUNTER]

I'm going to build a take down Osage/Walnut laminated riser bow with Osage limbs and I'm trying to find some templates for risers. I haven't decided yet whether it will be a long bow or try my hand at wood bending and make it a recurve? I'm leaning toward a recurve.

I've tried to find some templates for the riser designs that show the angle of the limb pockets and so forth.
Can anybody help?

Thanks,
SEMO

[Living_waters]

My next bow for my self is a planned 2 piece take down. I have done a couple of recurves, but I am still partial to the long bow. So I am looking at a trilam similar to this one by Sam Harper:  http://www.oocities.com/salampsio/ipe1.htm

But I plan on using the take down kit from three rivers or building one of my own  
 http://www.3riversarchery.com/Take-Down+Bow+Sleeves_c0_s0_p0_i4461X_product.html

starting block for for a three piece  bow riser should be 2x5x16 or 17. Here is a buildalong and I believe there was a discussion on here about limb angle for deflex.  http://tradgang.com/noncgi/ultimatebb.php?ubb=get_topic;f=40;t=000054

Where at in SEMO are ya?

[SEMO_HUNTER]

Thanks for the info, I wish I was experienced enough to make one of those multi laminated risers like the guy on here at Trad gang did, that's awesome.

I'm in Park Hills, just north of Farmington a little bit.....You?

[Robertfishes]

Binghams might have what you are looking for..

[Living_waters]

Puxico

Have you bought any wood from the Cedar Creek Hardwoods in fredricktown?

I know a guy that is building some takedowns to sell. Met him at a shoot this summer I will see what he has for plans if I can get a hold of him.

[SEMO_HUNTER]

I haven't bought any wood from there myself, but my dad has. He's a woodworker and makes gun cabinets and stuff. He got some rosewood from there one time and I make predator calls from the scrap.
I basically just need a template for the basic shape of the riser for longbow and one for recurve so I don't have to just wing it. I'd rather have exact angles and not just guess if I'm doing it right. I will copy my Bear Grizzly if I have to, but it would be difficult.

[Living_waters]

If ya got a good eye you might be able to pick up something    Here   But I want to warn ya I have seen these risers break if they are not laminated correctly. One of them was a solid walnut, snapped at the shelf.

I was just wondering if they would let you hand pick your wood there. The hard wood place in Poplar bluff became quite offended when I asked to hand pick a few boards. I couldn't get them to realize that a piece of wood for a coffee table was different than wood for a bow. They thought I was insinuating their wood was crap.

[SEMO_HUNTER]

Thanks Jeff, I saved that pic of the bow riser dimensions and printed it out. That will help as a referrence, but I'm basically copying the design of my Bear Grizzly recurve. Not exactly but just the general shape. I've got my riser laminates glued up already and they have been curing for 3 days now, I might start work on it toady?
Where bouts are you located in SE Mo.??
I'm in Park Hills.

[Living_waters]

Puxico, I am right on the border of the mingo national wildlife refuge (stoddard county). My brother in law lives here and is one of the transportation people at the school in Park hills. (drives it everyday)

The riser in the template is the same riser the guy I know is using for his custom bows. The deflex angle of the grizzly should be about perfect in my book. Did you notice the riser in the picture was 19"? I believe that is the design flaw, if it was 16 or even 17 that would relieve a little stress on the long window area and make the limbs absorb a little more of the load.

Found an archived primitive archer mag build along last night that was making a 2 piece breakdown out of a grizzly. I thought I book marked it but guess not. Any way it was really simple. They took an 1/8" of the surface of the handle off dissected the handle diagonally top to bottom, applied a release agent to one half of the handle stuck it back together and wrapped the handle with saturated 1" strips of fiberglass cloth and resin until the handle was built back up. Let it dry and separated the lower half, sanded the handle and glued on a leather wrap. Simple! much simpler than the metal sleeves, I believe that is tomorrow nights project. I have a 55# Pyramid bow that is the perfect candidate.

[SEMO_HUNTER]

My dad and I have been talking about going down to Mingo and doing some bowhunting. I've never been there, but he hunted there when he was a young fella. He said he shot at one of the largest bucks he's ever seen down there with a recurve at less than 20 yards and shot right over it's back. He said that memory still haunts him today.

Thanks for all the info, my riser is quite a bit shorter than those you described, but the intent of this bow will be a shorter version of the Bear Grizzly and may end up looking nothing like it, but just the same general shape.

[Living_waters]

I too have missed some really big deer over my life time on the refuge.   :(  
Lots of acorns this year, as soon as the crops are out of the fields it should fill up, usually the second week of Oct. Begins the first rut or prerut or what ever you want to call it. Hunting starts getting good then.

[SEMO_HUNTER]

I'm sure we will make a trip down there and soon I hope? If we decide to head down there in a couple three weeks, I'll send you a PM for contact info and maybe we can meet up somewhere down there at the refuge? Maybe do some hunting or stump shooting for a bit? Double team some armadillos or something?  

[Living_waters]

You or your dad didn't sneak down my way this morning did ya? Guy that signed in right in front of me was from Park Hills. Send me a PM if you head this way.

[SEMO_HUNTER]

No not us. We have been talking about it, but we have some new property in Montgomery City to scout out and will probably head up there this weekend. There's a ton of deer up there and some really big bucks. I killed my 2 biggest bucks in Montgomery County....a 145" 12pt. and a 155" 10pt. both with a rifle, but I've also taken some really nice ones with a bow just not wall hangers.

I'll send you a pm if we get to head down your direction, but it probably won't be till later on.

[Living_waters]

Good choice, Skeeters really liked the warm up yesterday Bug suit didn't discourage them much.

[SEMO_HUNTER]

They have been a little bit annoying around here too. I hunt near the river that runs around our place and anytime I get near the water, the skeeters ain't too far away. I usually carry my Thermocell, but the refills are so dang expensive that I haven't carried it with me this year. If they get too bad I just put up with it or leave.

Deer sightings around here have went down to almost zero. I think the bumper acorn crop this year has them concentrated in certain areas and devoid in other areas. It's hard to find that magic tree that they are working on and with so many to choose from it's like finding a quarter in a haystack. I just keep plugging away at it and hope for the best.
I did get a shot at a coyote the other evening and the arrow zipped right over it's back. I shot it for 25 yards and it was more like 18 yards.....Dang it! That would have been my first Trad kill with my recurve....oh well live and learn young grasshopper.

[Living_waters]

No patterning deer here either, too much food. I zipped an arrow over the back of a young doe last week, shot placement was dead on, she just ducted the arrow. 36 yrds may be a bit far, she heard the arrow and the direction it came from.

Hows the bow coming? I am having withdraws I don't have any going at the moment except perfecting a take down collar.

[SEMO_HUNTER]

I've put my bow build on hold to cut some more Osage. The guys here have just about bought up all I have, so I'm trying to get some more on the ground and start splitting it up into staves. That way I'll have some ready to sell this winter. It won't be near dry enough to start building on, but with a hot box it wouldn't take long to dry it out enough to beging working on it late winter/early spring.
At the moment I'm having chainsaw difficulties and I've got to run to town to get a part. I just started wacking on a big old hedge this morning and my saw quit on me. It needs a new priming bulb.
If you have ever cut on hedge before you might know how it fights you every step of the way. The limbs have thorns on them and they go every which way. I'm constantly getting my chainsaw pinched and have even had to use a wedge -n- sledge to get my bar out of a bind. It's lots of fun.

[snag]

Thorns? Better stick with the osage...I'll be buying some more, I'm sure. Just hope I do your stave justice. Thanks, David

[SEMO_HUNTER]

Hey David, I just mailed your stave about an hour ago! I'm getting ready to email you when I saw the post. Yes, believe it or not...Hedge (Osage) has some thorns on it. Not like locust type thorns which are long and needle like, but hedge is more thick, short, and claw like and man when I saw claw like.....I ain't lying! If you get in the way of a trunk coming down and get whipped by one of those small limbs on it's way down......that's gonna leave a mark!
I've got scratches all over my arms and legs from cutting that stuff.

Good luck with the stave, and be sure to post some pics....better yet send me some too!