I'm looking for advice... 1st timer question!

[Hit-or-Miss]

I've been tossing around the idea of building a fiberglass laminated recurve or longbow for a year or so now. Today I have sent away for the Bingham catalog.  Now, while I am waiting for the catalog... I have some questions.

1: To build a simple fiberglass laminated one piece recurve (55-65#), in a kit form, do I need to also build an "oven" to cure the bow, and or a air hose / form? Or can I get buy with C-clamps?

2; What tools will I require? Does everything needed come in the recurve kit?

3; If additional tools, supplies are required, how much extra cost am I looking at, from start to finish?

4; Please give me a rough time estimate for the recurve kit... how many total hours are needed? Will this project lead to a divorce, as I'll be in the garage for days and months on end?

5; Do the Bingham recurve kits shoot OK? Are they decent quality? Do they send the arrows at decent speeds (160-170 FPS)? I'm not a speed freak, but I don't want a "dog" for a shooter either...LOL!!!

   Thanks in advance!!!!!

[Bradford]

If you want the smooth on to bond correctley,  you will need to build an oven.  But I built my oven for under 25.00.

You will need a form, but can use string/cable or bands to hold everything down if you wish.. just a lot easier to use the air hose and you get a more even pressure throughout.

I use a bandsaw, files, bench belt sander, and dremel tool to build my bows.

I did not use the full binghams kit.  I ordered the plans and the hardware.  I built the rest from scratch.  I spent about $120.00 on parts for my first one.  Maybe spend another 60 or 70 bucks on wood for forms and such.

I did mine in a months time.. just an hour here and a couple of hours there.  Not to bad.

Mine shoots great. I changed the handle design, but kept the limb design for the most part.  

I build take down recurves.  I like working in smaller pieces.  

Have fun and hope this helps.  Feel free to pm me if you have any questions

[Hit-or-Miss]

Thank you Bradford!

[kiltedcelt]

I'm working on a couple Bingham take down bows right now - a "pronounced" long bow and a take down recurve. Contrary to what some people will say, if you use Smooth-On EA40 epoxy, it WILL cure at room temperature if left alone for 24 hours. Curing in an oven at 150F increases some of the properties of the epoxy, but as I understand it curing in an oven is not entirely necessary. However, I use an oven for mine simply because I prefer to get the curing over with more quickly, especially if you're building a take down, that's over two days for two limbs whereas if you start early enough in the day you can theoretically glue up and cure two limbs in a day - a long day albeit but a day nonetheless. I've always done my epoxy builds using the inner tube method for clamping. These take down bows were the first time using the air hose. My first thoughts are I don't really like the air hose. I realize it gives a much more even clamping pressure but knowing what I know now I personally think inner tubes are quicker and less hassle. As for time, you'll spend a few hours here and there building your form and such but mostly you could build one of these bows over the course of a couple weekends if that's all you did most of the weekend. Keeping in mind that while you have limbs or the whole bow in the oven that's idle time for surfing the bow building forums or watching TV. Add maybe a few nights here and there for applying your finish and you've got maybe a couple weeks invested in building a bow. I'd say the "must have" tools for an easier build would be a router (for the form), a bench top belt sander (for shaping riser and limbs), jigsaw or band saw (for riser and form), and maybe a drill press for getting bolt holes exact if you're making take down bows. Other tools that I've used are a circular saw for cutting up lumber for the form and heat box/oven and various rasps and files for shaping the riser and nocks.

[Hit-or-Miss]

Thanks KiltedCelt! So the airhose...this needs to be hooked up to an air comperssor?

[Trux Turning]

The air hose has plugs in both ends with a valve to inflate it- it acts as a press between the form and the bow and isn't hooked up to a compressor. If you go with the rubber band method- you don't have to have a top for your form. By the way- if you build one you will probably get the sickness and build more.
 

[Hit-or-Miss]

Trux, Thanks for the description and photo. I get it now. That is quite a set up!

[Bradford]

You could use a bike pump if you want.. might not hit the 60lbs mark.. but close to it.  I have a small hobby compressor I use.  

I found the whole experience on my first one very rewarding.  Lot's of learning curve, but by number 3, was building very nice bows and moving along quickly.

Kiltedcelt is right about the smooth on.. but the can actually recommends it being cured at 170F.. so, why mess with it.  For about 20bucks.. it works.  I used the 4x8 foam insulation board at Home Depot that cost 8bucks.. Alum. tape to hold the box together.. then 2 - 100watt light bulbs attached to the top.  I temp the box out at 195F.. so I have to crack it a bit to get it at 170.  Works great, and cheap.

[Hit-or-Miss]

Well this certainly looks like I'm going to have to give it a try. Thanks for all the info guys!

[Dick in Seattle]

I used the air hose for the first time a couple of weeks ago.  The Bingham dvd doesn't tell you...   Definitely use side washers to lock the laminatiions and riser in place, don't just depend on the tape, as they show.   I use side bracing automatically on all the bows I made on my clamp form, but for some stupid reason didn't think it was necessary on the airhose setup.   It is!  Or at least, it's darn wise.    Bicycle pump worked fine to 60 pounds.    I was using heat strips rather than my oven.  We got the layup back in line with big C clamps on the side and side boards, then disassembled the bow press and moved the layup to my regular form and the bow came out fine.   (see at:    

 http://dickwightman.com/archeryactivity/bowbuilding/gallery/orion/orion.html

I'm modifying the press tomorrow with the addition of side washers along the limbs and finger braces along the riser.  These have to be adjustable as they can't exceed the height of the laminations/riser because the hose sticks out.  I'll make another run at using this setup this weekend.

[kennym]

Hi Chris,

Building the form is easier for me with the router method. Here is a bit to read about it if you like.

 http://kennyscustomarchery.com/Bow_forms.html

Good luck and most importantly-have  fun!  

[Tyler Langston]

I would make a form and use the fire hose method which is better than using rubber bands or c clamps. -But the fire hose method will run you up there pretty good.
-I would make a heat box to cure the glue in.Dont cure the glue without heat because they are not as strong as bows curred with heat.Also dont get the heat strips because they are expensive and can deal you troubles.
- the binghams catalog should give you a list of all the supplies you need so jus follow what they say.
Good luck

[JamesV]

There is probably someone in your area that is already set-up and building bows that would help you. The guys on here are the greatest and always willing to help.

[K30bowfisher]

Chris,

I just finished my first bow using Bingham's plans (see my build thread). It turned out better than I was expecting for my first one, thanks to help from the guys here on the board. I built a heat box mostly from Bingham's plans with a few changes. I'm using their thermostat and 4 200 watt bulbs. I used Kenny's router method to make my form and it turned out good. I highly recommend that approach. I also used an airhose (thanks again Greg). My tool selection is minimal. I borrowed a bandsaw, used a belt sander from work, along with miscellaneous files and sandpaper. I'm going to invest a few dollars in tools soon to make the process easier for the next bow. Bingham's instructions were pretty good, there are guys here on the board willing to answer any question and they know what they are about. This is an awesome place for an aspiring bowyer to spend some time.

Good luck with your project.

[DCM]

I reckon folks are gonna advocate what they've had success with, given options.

My "hot box" was a big cardboard box, an old poly tarp, and a ceramic space heater, all already at hand in the shop.  I was able to maintain 120 degrees.  One bow has been used quite a bit, the other not as much.  No problems with either one.  The info wrt the working properties of epoxy when cured at lower temp is available on the net.  At least it was years ago when I did my projects.  My conclusion at the time was the hot box was not needed, other than for convenience of shorter cure time.

I did dozens of bamboo backed projects with rubber bands before glass bows.  Having done the two glass projects with an air hose form, well techinically 3, given one one piece and one takedown so I had to do 2 limb glue ups, I'd go with the rubber band method every time.  If you go air hose, be dang sure you maintain pressure over the whole cure period.  Seems like fussin' to get your form all put together, and all the while trying ride herd on all the lams and riser and stuff sliding around, awash in that snot-like glue, was... well traumatic evidently, for me.

Within reason given proven design and if well crafted all glass bows shoot within 5% of each other, so a Binghams design would be fine.  And you have the enormous adantage of not having to guess at the right stack hieght for your desired draw weight.  I just asked for lams and glass to make a 50# bow, and that's purty much what it made.  You can wiggle a little on width, and even face sand the glass, to adjust draw weight a little.

You'll supply tools.  I've seen 'em built with all hand tools, a hack saw, a wood rasp, sandpaper and a chainsaw file bare minimum.  And to be honest other than the time savings, I can't honestly say there's any advantage to having power tools, a bandsaw being most common.  And if one were at hand, a power sander is real handy tool for sure.  I used bandsaw and sander, mostly sander.  

In terms of time involved, if you want a shooter bow outa the deal go buy you a bow... second hand if you want a good value.  If you want to have fun making a bow, then if you think about it time is not really your enemy here.  I probably had 40 man hours in mine projects, each, and already had a very strong foundation in bowyering from selfbow projects.  That said, a glass bow can be made in 8 hours or less I'd imagine.

[Hit-or-Miss]

I appreciate everyone giving me feedback and the details of their individual projects! The whole process doesn't seem quite so overwhelming now. Now I'll just wait for my catalog!

   Thanks again guys!

[gudspelr]

I didn't have the money for the hose method and a friend had a bunch of good sized c-clamps he let me borrow.  I think there might be room for error with the clamps (making sure they're all tight enough, but not too tight...), but it worked out just fine for me and it cost me $0.  I know another guy that made his first one with rubber bands he made from inner tubes.  Had its challenges, but worked for him, too.  The guys on this site are great and whatever you decide, just ask when you run into problems or questions-they'll point you straight.      

Good luck and post pics      


Jeremy

[BigJim]

I can say that after several hundred bows, I don't believe I would use anything other than the air hose method. Once you get it set, it is extremely easy and consistent. Not that the other methods don't work (I don't know) but I find the air hose to work nicely. I spent a huge amount of time in the beginning building a form with steel side plates and a kajillion holes for special brackets and clamps and was not happy. Scrapped thoe whole deal. Now I can build a form in an evening and be gluing up on it the next day.
BigJIm