Well I'll share my experiances while we wait for the video. I have been discussing this system for about a year with Big Jim and John Sturtevant. I have had plans to start experimenting for some time but just haven't gotten around to it between filling orders and such. I decided that this was the time. I ordered the kit from Big Jim and thought I'd do one up while waiting for the video
so when I saw the video I would understand better.
I am still not sure of how far to shape the grip before making the tenon. It seemed easier to just square up the whole blank then set the table saw 3/8" depth and make a series of cuts on both sides, rasping it smooth. I did the back and belly with a sander and by hand. I cut the bow in half by clamping it to the table saw and cranking the blade up through the bow.
I used the epoxy resin BG provided. It is the consistancy of, well a little thicker then milk, but not much. It was messy to work with but went fast. It took several hours to cure. The next day I shaped the grip some and tried and tried to get it apart. I didn't want to make a one piece bow out of it because it was a learning exiperiance. I clamped it in the vice and put a C clamp on the bottem portion and pounded away. Wasn't going to happen. I kept grinding the sleeve off and trying it until finally I just ground it all off and started over.
On the second try I used smooth on for the epoxy to see if I liked it better. It went on well. I let it dry for 24 hours and same thing I couldn't get it apart. I ground everything away that overlaped and even took the hacksaw around the trasition and cut in 1/8". No go. John suggested warming up the sleeve with a heat gun to see if it would let loose. Finally with some reefing and pounding it gave. There is no epoxy stuck to the male tenon so the release agent worked. I think what happened is; although the sides are parallel and the top (long part) is straight, the 1/2" side of the tenon is not quite parallel with the top. It is slightly and I mean slightly wider on the outboard side, so to speak. The fit is so tight that maybe it was enough to hold it up. I'm not sure though because the bow goes back togather nicely now. I think next time I'll shoot for a slight taper on the tenon.
I took some pictures of this battle scarred bow so you can see what my tenon looks like.
Sorry about my hairy belly hanging out and my zipper down. LOL I ran out quick to take the pictures before jumping in the shower. (I'm not as sexy as I use to be I guess)
Topic: carbon/fiberglass TD sleave Kits..new message (Read 866 times)
