Tryin' A Build Along...DONE!

[chackworth3]

This is my 56" hybrid with desert camo a-wood riser, parallels and .003 taper edge grain a-wood...
   

I use green frog tape on the glass, it seems like it pulls off better...
   

Next I mark center and the limb length and riser length...    
   

Then I mark the tip and fade thickness and draw a center line and the limb profiles, I do this pre glue up because it works for me, a lot of folks do it post glue up though... I keep it 1 1/8" at the fades and 1/2" at the tips...
   
   
   

[chackworth3]

Now on to the riser.  Cut it down to 16" and mark center and use the form to trace the riser...
 

Then I mark 1" and 2" from the ends and mark 1/8" thick at 1 and 1/4" at 2 and 4 1/4" at the grip of the riser and use a rigid/flexible tape to mark the belly ramps...
 

[kennym]

[chackworth3]

Before I cut the riser, I bevel the tapers and back veneers (sorry no pics of doing it) and use CA glue and clamp them together to dry while I start cutting and sanding the riser...
 

While the veneers are drying I cut and sand the riser...
 
 

...make sure the riser is flush with the form...
 

...cut out and sand down the belly ramps with a belt sander and get the fades paper thin...
 
 

[chackworth3]

Let everything warm up in the oven for about 15 minutes and lay it out ready to glue up...
 

I skipped a few pics and steps right here because my camera died and there was epoxy everywhere but long story short I put plastic wrap on the form, glued up the bow and clamped it down and taped it using packing tape, cheaper than filament tape and works very well, and put more plastic wrap over the bow and then pressure strips and the hose... aired up to about 65 psi... here it is ready for the oven...more to come tomorrow...
 

[jsweka]

This is great.  I love seeing how others do it.

I also lay out my center line and limb profile pre-glue up.

[Dan Bonner]

Nice work. I will be following this one.

Bonner

[takefive]

Looking good.  I'll be following, too.

[bowhntineverythingnh03743]

I like it! Can't wait to see how a pro does the rest. I had one hell of a time gluing and clamping up a bow today on my own. Usually I have someone around to give me a hand but today it was all me. I got to come up with a better system to keep everything in place while I wrap the blank up with tape and plastic wrap.

[Buemaker]

Very good. Never heard of frog tape, what is that? Bue--.

[chackworth3]

Originally posted by bowhntineverythingnh03743:
I like it! Can't wait to see how a pro does the rest. I had one hell of a time gluing and clamping up a bow today on my own. Usually I have someone around to give me a hand but today it was all me. I got to come up with a better system to keep everything in place while I wrap the blank up with tape and plastic wrap.

I use a clamp to clamp down the riser and all of the back of the bow on the center of the form. Then I put on the belly lams and tape everything down tight. This way everything stays put while you tape it down.

[chackworth3]

Originally posted by Buemaker:
Very good. Never heard of frog tape, what is that? Bue--.

It's pretty much just green paint tape. It works great!

[chackworth3]

Round 2. Here we go...out of the oven
 

Make sure everything still lines up...
 

Use the bandsaw to cut out the limb profiles...
 

...and clean them up on the belt sander...
 

[chackworth3]

Now the tips... use a 45 square and mark the nocks...
 

Use a chainsaw file to cut them out and TAKE YOUR TIME!
 
Now let's string it up and check the profile and tiller... I use an 18" piece of plywood...
 
 

Now I find the stiff limb measured at the fade of the riser and like it about 1/8" positive tiller, this one turned out perfect so there wasn't any adjusting needed...
 

[chackworth3]

...and back to the tips. Rough them up with some 80-100 grit and get the ready for the overlays....
 
I use a piece of glass and some leftover riser material and pre taper where the overlays meet the glass and use CA glue and clamp them down...
 
I get the riser ready for overlays at the same time and go ahead and rough sketch the shelf and grip...
 
I do the same thing with the riser overlays...
...and let it dry overnight since I used epoxy for the riser overlay...

[bigbob2]

Bowhunting everything, One trick I learned from the posts on here to hold everything down during glue up is to drill four holes in the bottom form just below the surface and use cable ties to cinch down the lams etc, and one extra at the riser. When it all laid up, inflate to no more than 20PSI, check all alignment and snip and extract ties.Works great.Great build along too Chackworth3 .

[kennym]

Nice job Chris, its easy to miss the pics when gluing up!!

I do a LOT of the same stuff the same way as you!!

[Horn Chaser]

Good job so far Chris. Should have hollered when you done the glue up and I could have come over and took the pictures for you while you played with that slick bow snot!!!

[chackworth3]

Thanks guys!  Now back to it...

After the overlays are on I start with the  belly of the tips.  I trap down about 12" or so on the belly of the tips just to lighten them up a little...
 
 

I use 80 grit 1" sanding belt to shape and smooth out the tips then 120 grit ( just cut paper into strips this time) to smooth out the 80 grit.
 
 
 Now to the riser...I cut out the shelf at 1 1/4" above center (comes out to about 1 1/8 finished) and cut to 1/8" past center with a hacksaw.  Then cut the sight window out with a bandsaw...
 
 I make the sight window about 2 3/4" above the shelf...
 

Then shape out the shelf and the sight window with a rasp.  Go from glass to wood or you will splinter the glass...
 
 

[takefive]

Glad that you're doing this build along.  My one glue up with a fiberglass bow went so bad that it's still painful to think about.  It came out very straight but the lams for the back slid a good inch off center.  Guess I was so preoccupied trying to keep the belly lams and glass from sliding down the fades that I didn't notice it.  My form is for a hybrid and the difference in the reflex from one limb to the other made it impossible to tiller.  Might just try the cable ties on my next attempt.  
The one bright side was buying the lams and glass from Kenny, who is a great guy to deal with and took the time to answer all of my questions.  Just have to get those lams locked down tight on my next one.     :rolleyes: