3 piece build along

[DJP]

This is a bow I built for my brother in Oregon. I started by making some rough sketches of how I wanted it using some cut outs from previous builds.
 
 
 
I had a full panel of grey action wood, I made some cuts for my riser and wedge set, I then ground my wedges on my sled first into tapers and then made them into parallel wedges.
 
 
 
 
 
[IMG]

[DJP]

 

[DJP]

I then took some action boo flooring and ripped off the tongue and groove and them ripped them down to 1 ¾” wide on the table saw.
 
 
Next I resawed some a-boo and action wood rough parallels on my band saw.

 
 
 

[DJP]

The next step was to come up with a laminated veneer to go on the belly and back of the limb. I started with action wood split with a-boo and maple.
 
 
 
 
 
 

[DJP]

After the glue was cured I ran it through my drum sander and resawed it in to 5 lams, I ran one practice down to see how thin I could make them, I brought them down to .015”
 
 
 
 

[DJP]

I then received some materials to start the I beam of the riser.
 
I started with a 2”x2”x20” block and cut it in half length wise and ran I through my drum sander. I also ran my phenolic through the drum sander.
 
 
 
 

[DJP]

I cleaned all the parts with compressed air and glued them together. When cured I re ran it through the sander.
 
 
 
 

[DJP]

The next step was to make the I beam into a double radius curve.
I ran a test piece of boo to set the radius on my band saw swing jig.
 
 
 
 

[DJP]

Once cut I sand with a 40 grit block by hand. I then glued red phenolic and I think 4 parallels of .125” action wood and black phenolic to the back of the riser and glued it.
 
 
 
When it was cured it cleaned it up on the drum sander and added another 5 .125” parallels to the back and glued it up, when it cured I ran it again through the drum sander.
 
 
 
 

[DJP]

I then was ready to cut the second radius on the belly side of the riser.
 
 
After cutting it on the swing jig I hand sanded again and added one more strip of red phenolic and another stack of .100” parallels, the .125” would not make the tighter radius.
 
 
 
 
 

[T Folts]

Looking good.

[DJP]

I did not get any pictures of grinding the lams but I used the same drum sander with my dedicated 60 grit lamination sand paper. The stack up from belly to back goes. Clear glass, veneer, .002” per inch a-boo taper, action wood wedge, action wood parallel, veneer and clear glass. I used compressed air only to clean the lams.
 
 
 
Now I am a bit spoiled to have a friend with a Bridgeport mill for my drilling tapping and riser limb pad machining.
 
 
 

[DJP]

The next step was to cut and grind some thin wood and phenolic to laminate together for the limb tips.
 
I glued them all together with plastic rap on the limb surface to get the correct limb radius. Once they are cured I taper them on the spindle sander.
 
 
 
I then measure where the string groove is and prepare the limb glass before I smooth on the tip material for a cold cure.
 
 

[DJP]

Next I lay out the limb shape and scribe it with a carbide scriber and cut it to shape on the band saw, I put on an old glass only blade for this. I cut very close to the scribed line.
 
 
I then sand to the line on the 6”X89” Jet.
 
 

[DJP]

I made a simple guide for my string grooves to use with a chainsaw file, I was very happy with the results.
 
 
 
I then relieve the file cut with a die grinder and 1” sanding drum.
 
 

[DJP]

Now it is time to shape the riser, I cut out the sight window with the band saw leaving the shelf high and staying away from the area where I would blend into the top limb.
 
I used a ½” router bit in the drill press to flatten out the riser and bring the shelf down, this riser is cut to center.
 
I then used a 1/2” ball nose carbide burr to put a ¼” radius on the inside of the shelf/sight window.
 
 
I then used a 40 grit 2” diameter sleeve on the spindle sander to shape the top of the sight window.
 

[SEMO_HUNTER]

I would give my left cahoney for a shop full of equipment like that! Man, I'm so envious of you.......I know it's a sin to covet another man's possessions, but I just can't help it.   :D  

I like those limb veneers, they look pretty cool.

[DJP]

I used a wood jig with the spindle sander with a 3” drum to hold a consistent angle on the limbs.
 
 
 
I mounted the limbs on the riser and scribed the phenolic, and started to shape the riser using the spindle sander and rasps.
 
 
 
 

[DJP]

My wife snapped a picture of me tillering the limbs and took another picture of me pulling the bow on the tiller tree.
 
 
Here it is in the paint booth.
 

[DJP]

The finished bow specifications are. 62” 50# @ 30.5”