Author Topic: Make your own limb taper gauge.... on the cheap  (Read 716 times)

Offline Bowjunkie

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Make your own limb taper gauge.... on the cheap
« on: March 09, 2014, 07:17:00 PM »
A while back I was using a dial thickness gauge for something totally unrelated to bowmaking, and facilitating its use brought to mind when I used a plastic dial caliper, sliding it down my bow's limbs, watching the movement of the needle in the dial to reveal limb taper.

When I dragged the tool from dips to tips, as long as the needle kept sweeping counterclockwise, regardless, or in spite of, the actual number per/thousanths, I knew the limb was reducing in thickness in that direction. If the needle ever stopped, or went clockwise, I looked to the design, cause, and made adjustments as needed. As I grew more accustomed, I just kind of watched the dial in my periferal vision as I dragged it down the limb. Abrupt jumps in needle position are picked up in periferal and could be simply due to a knot's raising on the bow's back or some-such, but beyond that... I could simply 'watch' for a deviant from the consistant counterclockwise 'swipe' of the needle which revealed my taper. It's a dynamic sort of gauging, ya know what I mean?

On most bows, we can actually use this to be quite precise in thickness determination/judgements... Don't worry cuz they're just 'wood bows'? guess again. Even in wood... some things can be surprisingly consistant/dependable... thank goodness...  :)

Many years ago I found my plastic dial calper to slide much more easily down the limb than my metal one. So I began kickin some things around.... the thickness gauge seemed like something I could use... IF...

So I searched and ultimately found thickness gauges for sale, but, for $50-$500? Eh... no. I don't think so... additionally there was always an issue with them when it came to applying them to wooden bows... cost, bottom anvil material or shape, sharp 'catchy' edges, etc. I wanted to use my taper gauge throughout the tillering process, up to, and including final tillering. So it had to be 'gentle' to the wood.

Working to avoid my propensity to make things more complicated, all that was ultimately needed was an idicator gauge ($19.99) and a small piece of scrap hardwood. The bottom 'anvil' was simply an integral part of the wood 'frame', and radiused with files and sandpaper so that it glided down the bow's belly unobstructed. No bearings, rollers, felt or mole skin required :^)

My Harbor Freight gauge had a stem dia. of 3/8", so that's the size of the hole I drilled in the top of the red oak piece. It fit snugly no matter how many times I removed and reinstalled it.

 

 

Offline Bowjunkie

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Re: Make your own limb taper gauge.... on the cheap
« Reply #1 on: March 09, 2014, 07:27:00 PM »
Stuff the dial indicator into the oak 'C' frame's 3/8" hole and away ya go......

 

Offline Echatham

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Re: Make your own limb taper gauge.... on the cheap
« Reply #2 on: March 09, 2014, 07:38:00 PM »
very cool.

Offline Bowjunkie

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Re: Make your own limb taper gauge.... on the cheap
« Reply #3 on: March 09, 2014, 08:06:00 PM »
Slide it down the limb... watch the needle..

Offline Zradix

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Re: Make your own limb taper gauge.... on the cheap
« Reply #4 on: March 09, 2014, 08:36:00 PM »
cool idea.

They do make roller inserts and more rounded tips for the pins as well.

I like it!
If some animals are good at hunting and others are suitable for hunting, then the Gods must clearly smile on hunting.~Aristotle

..there's more fun in hunting with the handicap of the bow than there is in hunting with the sureness of the gun.~ F.Bear

Offline Bowjunkie

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Re: Make your own limb taper gauge.... on the cheap
« Reply #5 on: March 09, 2014, 10:18:00 PM »
Slide it down the limb..... up or down... works either way...

 

Offline takefive

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Re: Make your own limb taper gauge.... on the cheap
« Reply #6 on: March 10, 2014, 04:14:00 AM »
Great idea!  Thanks for sharing it.
It's hard to make a wooden bow which isn't beautiful, even if it's ugly.
-Tim Baker

Online Roy from Pa

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Re: Make your own limb taper gauge.... on the cheap
« Reply #7 on: March 10, 2014, 05:37:00 AM »
Pretty slick, Jeffro..

Offline Bowjunkie

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Re: Make your own limb taper gauge.... on the cheap
« Reply #8 on: March 10, 2014, 05:57:00 AM »
Yeah, I thought about the roller tip. It worked good on this bow without it, but it was already fairly smooth. It rolled fine over the scratches the #50 left behind. The bigger roller might come in handy when the bow is rough with coarse rasp marks.

I also thought about putting a roller on the bottom of the tool, but it worked well by just radiusing the part that rides against the bow.

Offline Buemaker

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Re: Make your own limb taper gauge.... on the cheap
« Reply #9 on: March 10, 2014, 06:33:00 AM »
I like it.    :)

Offline mwosborn

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Re: Make your own limb taper gauge.... on the cheap
« Reply #10 on: March 10, 2014, 11:27:00 PM »
Clever idea.
Enjoy the hunt!  - Mitch

Offline Bowjunkie

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Re: Make your own limb taper gauge.... on the cheap
« Reply #11 on: March 11, 2014, 05:50:00 AM »
They also make a flattened mushroom head shaped tip that looks promising.

Offline Bowjunkie

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Re: Make your own limb taper gauge.... on the cheap
« Reply #12 on: March 11, 2014, 09:15:00 AM »
I got one this morning from a machinist pal 'o mine    :thumbsup:

   

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