Howdy y'all!
Well, I finally stopped sanding and got some finishing done on my first bow build. Here are some pictures of the final product.
I know it isn't perfect, and I can do better on the next one, based on what I learned this time. I will put some of my conclusions at the bottom.
Stats: 60" long recurve, 50# @ 28" draw (my draw is 30")
I am calling this bow "The Moab", because the riser pattern is called Desert Camo and I tried to shape it to resemble the wind-swept formations of Southern Utah.
A few conclusions and opinions about this kit and build process: - 1st time builders should order a lighter weight kit. I am 6'4", 250 lbs, and have a 30" draw, so I am not afraid of a heavy pull. So, I ordered a 50# kit, thinking that if I had to sand more than normal, etc. and if it reduced the pull to the 40# range, I would still be good. Instead, the bow came out of the press at well over 70# and I spent way too much time figuring out how to reduce it to the 50# range. The Bingham instructions state specifically NOT to remove wood from sides of the limbs to reduce weight, but after hours of sanding on the glass (carefully counting, etc), the draw weight just would not drop enough. Eventually, fearing that I would remove too much glass and ruin the bow, I finally had to resort to sliming the limbs just to get the limbs down to a manageable weight. If I did it again, I would order a 35#-40# kit for my first build.
- Maybe go with the thinner limb profile. I like the looks of the wide-limbs bows, so I ordered a 2" kit. With wider limbs, any mistake is amplified as limb twist or other tiller issues. I think that going with the thinner limb would make the build go easier for the first try.
- Might want to stick with the basic riser shape. I like the looks of what Bingham calls the 'alternate' riser design. So I ordered both design patterns with my kit and intended to build the alternate design. I did build it and I still like the way it looks, but I think that the basic design, where the glass goes tip-to-tip across the back of the bow, is simpler and requires less time to complete. Luckily, you can use the same press for both shapes, which is very convenient. I think I will build the regular shaped bow next.
- Tools. The oscillating spindle sander that I bought for this project was money well spent. I used it a lot and it was invaluable in some steps. It made shaping and precision sanding much easier than if I had to do it some other way, especially when working with thin sections like the fade-outs. Still, there is no getting around the need for good old-fashioned hand tools like rasps, files, and sand paper. The bandsaw was also used a lot for cutting out parts for the bow vise, patterns, and riser shapes.
- Finish. I know that some people who work with wood just love the super shiny high-gloss type finish. I see it on fancy wood gun stocks and other nice wood items. To try out a couple products, I used Minwax Wipe-On Poly finish on a bow I am refinishing (Bear Bearcat) and I used Birchwood Casey Tru-Oil on this project. Both produced a very glossy finish, as the pictures show. However, I think that I like more of a satin finish when I compare this with some other bows and gun stocks that I have. The high-gloss shows every single finger print that has touched the bow and reflects light right into my eyes at certain angles. I need to try another bow with some other finishes, but I don't think I will do high-gloss again. If I were to hunt with this bow, I would certainly switch to something less shiny. The high-gloss is nice for a wall-hanger, show-off bow perhaps.
- Precision. I need to be more precise next time. Things like perfect center marks on the limbs and perfect alignment of the string notches on the tips are far more important than I realized. All those little things add up to prevent issues like limb twist, which takes time to deal with. Also, the upper surface of the lower bow form is critical, and has to be done right. If it is not flat and square, the bow will come out with issues, especially with the wider limbs.
- Bow Oven. I think I will re-do the EZ-Bake bow oven's design. Having the bulbs in the lid is a weakness because when the lid is moved at all there is always worry that bumping it too hard will break the filament in these pricey 200 watt bulbs. I think I will move the bulbs to a bottom-mount, on boards. This will let the heat rise naturally, creating more even heating, and I can open the lid without being so slow and careful. I also had to throw a couple blankets over the oven to get the heat high enough. I see people have made ovens out of foam that I think would also hold heat better.
From here, I think I will for sure try another bow, to improve my skills. Also, I wonder what it would take to build a longer recurve bow, say 64"? Would I just extend the riser by 2" top and bottom, or do I extend the limb length, or both? If anyone has a pattern for a longer bow, I would like to look at it.
I put a lot more pictures on a blog here:
Recurve build #1 -Wookie
Topic: Bingham Projects, Inc. any opinions? (w/ project pictures) (Read 1956 times)
