I had no intention of doing a build log but it occurred to me that as I am finding out how not to do things it might be useful to another. After all the folks that have taken the time to help me here has brought me to this point so I'll try to pay it forward.
So this is a continuation from this thread:
http://tradgang.com/noncgi/ultimatebb.php?ubb=get_topic;f=125;t=012248;p=1 I started by making a template for the form and gluing up the plywood. I made the template from hardboard tempered panel. I wont do this again but more on that later. I attempted to glue the full length printed pattern on the board. I had paper stuck to me, to the board and bubbles and wrinkles everywhere. I made up a few dirty words in the process. I ended up making the template a little more than 1/2 the total length and flipping it over based on Kenny's build along.
Kenny\\'s 62" build along 
I bought birch from home depot as the actual dimension is .75" and my form needs to be 1.5". As most know usually .75" in plywood is not actually .75".
The birch seems brittle and the outer laminations want to peel off or break off if you look at them wrong.
I screwed the template to the form and broke out my fancy new pattern bit thinking "I'm you know what in tall cotton now". I checked, rechecked and tinkered until I thought I had it down, ok flip the switch lets go! All of a sudden something is terribly wrong the router shaking like a dog crapping peach pits and I smell burning wood WTH? I had checked the collar on the patten bit but somehow it worked loose and the hardboard was riding on the shaft of the bit instead of the bearing and I was cutting 1/8" too deep. Wordy dirds! You can see the aftermath.
To add injury to insult the bit spit out the set screw (think tiny black thing). I worked the contents of the shop vac and the ground with a magnet and no luck. Dumped the vac and sucked up all the remaining stuff on the floor searched it.. no luck. Down on my hands and knees last ditch there it is in one of the concrete joints.
So as I am evaluating the aftermath of making half of the cut it dawns on my that I can fix the problem by cutting the whole thing wrong. Reset the router bit so it will ride on the shaft instead of the bearing and continue on. Take the template off and reset the router bit to run correctly (this time with loc-tite) and finish the form.
As I am standing there looking at my mess palm firmly on forhead I realize the hardboard is only like 5/16" and deforms very easily. Never again, thicker MDF or plywood only.
Also learned to cut the form as close as possible to the line before screwing on the template and cutting. The smaller the amount of waste for the pattern bit to cut off the better the surface and ease of control of the router.
Topic: Recurve Build Log (Read 1930 times)
