Short Recurve Build

[bowhntineverythingnh03743]

Figured with Canopyboy happy with his trade bow I would start on a new form that Trux was very willing to share with me. I am in aw of his snub nose recurves he makes so I asked if he had a plan he would share. Well after shooting him my email I received a PDF file.

So to start I went to a local print shop and got some large prints made up. Came home and cut them out. I did not document that part because it was boring.

First thing was to make a template so I used a backer board for that.
   

Well the entire template was hard to manipulate so I cut it down to be only a half template which I would turn over and copy for the other side.

   

Next I traced the template on my LVL micro lam beam that will be the base of my form. I had issues with plywood screwed together with the winter so I figured this stuff should be more stable and stay straight. You want to cut close to your line to have a little less than 1/8 of an inch overhang. Continue until you have the form cut in half

   

Next I screwed and counter sunk screws into the template to the LVL. Make sure everything is flat for your router

   

You want to get a bit with a bearing at the top of it to ride against the template. Mine is not long enough so I go slow and drop the bit done about 1/4 an inch at a time. Go slow cuz this is where it can go to hell in a hand basket real quick.

   
A little sanding and you will end up with a square and smooth form.

   

Tomorrow I will continue on with this build!

[timbermoose]

   

[rmorris]

Very nice! Looking forward to seeing your first bow off this form

[beachbowhunter]

Did you sand to the line by hand on your template? That is the hard part for me. There are always imperfections. Are you doing a two piece form?

[Will Cocke 2]

Great post!!!

Has anybody ever used a table mounted router with flush trim bit to follow the template of your form?  Seems like it would be a super accurate way to go. With your bit being perfectly square to the table.

[bigbob2]

Yep did that with Kennym's template for d/f works great.Only it wasn't table mounted but manual router.

[kennym]

Nice job Justin!          

Norb, the only place needing sanding at all is where the 2 halves meet. If you run the shape on the template past center a bit, you can line the template up after flipping with the cut surface on the first half when screwing it down....

The only prob I ever had was operator error, letting the router tip any at all makes your form not square to side. Usually I just get a dip about 1/2" long, easy fix with bondo and a block tho.

A table mounted router would be really good as long as it is mounted securely with plenty of table to hold the long forms. Don't want it tipping and trying to catch stuff with the router running!!

I clamp my forms to the bench with the edge to be routed  off the edge to keep the bit out of it....

[AkDan]

good stuff!

Did you make a full template with that half template by flipping it?   Or are you routing with a half template than flipping?

[Troy D. Breeding]

Looking good my friend!

[Robertfishes]

Nice job, thanks for sharing the pics! I use a router table with a 2" bearing on end pattern bit. I can make a single pass on a 1 3/4" form. I can still get a little dip if I'm not carefull, if I find one I mix up a teaspoon of bondo and fill it in

[bowhntineverythingnh03743]

So guys not as much work done on the form as I'd like. My dad asked for me to come over hang strapping and new Sheetrock ceiling. Took up my whole day. Anyhow got the bottom aluminum casing for the form all secured. It's 1/4 inch thick walls and exactly 1 3/4 inside so it was a snug fit. I need to go to my brothers shop this week and use his drill press to make some more progress so stay tuned!

 

[Roy from Pa]

Looks nice, Justin.

[Trux Turning]

Looks good Justin!

[beachbowhunter]

Kenny I meant making the template perfect before the router. I drew mine on the computer and had them laser cut out of plexiglas

[bjansen]

Looking good.  Those are fun little bows.

[bowhntineverythingnh03743]

Little more work today... As many of you do I spread some bondo all over the face of the form. I let it cure completely and then sand the entire form smooth and square checking the entire form with a square. Looks good!

   

I'm don't have the steadiest hands out there so the router isn't my go to power tool.

Next I smoothed out the side support for the top of the form and mounted them. This is what they look like...

   

And this is what it will look like once the holes are drilled out this week.

   

Just waiting for the top piece of aluminum to get some channels cut. I forgot to add in the 1 1/4 inch that would need to be cut from the top half to allow room for the air hose. Most of the time I can slide the top form away from the top but not with this little recurve. So no I will wait till tomorrow when I get the piece back and then we can move on.

[Mad Max]

Get those lam's out,  
 let's go
let's go
let's go
   :p    :D

[bowhntineverythingnh03743]

Guys I guess I didn't see your questions. I only use a half template but make sure that I extend the template by an inch past center. This way when I flipped it it matched up to the other side and didn't cause any imperfection. Well until I wasn't square with the manual router and dug in a little which I took care of the face with some bondo as seen above.

[Kopper1013]

How did you do the template? Did you just sand it down to your pencil marks or did you do something special to keep you template perfect for the router?

[bowhntineverythingnh03743]

I just used my rigid sander to get to the lines and then hand sanded it until it was nice and smooth. It took about a half hour but came out really fluid.
Sanding is just a game of patience.