First bow explosion! Am i a bowyer now?

[John Malone]

I done this first so as not to tiller a bow then ruin it shaping a handle and riser. This is a 12 inch riser. I tapered the belly side of riser from end of handle to limb. Then cut out handle and fade area, marked 5/8 down side of limb on into handle area, remarked the lines from handle down riser into belly side of limbs. Then proceeded to remove the wood in between. Seems to look right.
   
   
   


   
   

[Pat B]

Never done that with a chisel but it looks about right. You could bring the side tapers out to where the belly taper ends but it's not necessary, it's not gonna bend there anyway.

Where is Richmond county anyway?

[John Malone]

5 minutes all four sides with a chisel hand tools make me happy, power tools make me money. Richmond county is on the SC border about the middle of the state. Think I'm 2 hours or so east of you. 18 miles from Rockingham

[John Malone]

Your talking about the fade taper right?

[John Malone]

Remove the pencil area right. I like that better sight window is more open.
 

[John Malone]

Thanks Pat, I like this. Sight window is wide open and its even more graceful.
 
 
 

[Roy from Pa]

Not bad.

[John Malone]

any more tweaks needed?

[Pat B]

Yeah, get tillering.      :D

[John Malone]

Got one limb scraped down to 5/8.

[Pat B]

How's it bending?

[John Malone]

The one I scraped will bend a little, I didn't cut the limb profile yet. I decided to do it this way as it seems to be easier as far as getting the limb scraped perfectly flat length and width wise. The limb taper are easy so when they are done I'm already at 5/8ths thick not much more tillering left.

[John Malone]

Ok guys got both limbs scraped down to a workable thickness 11/16 at the fades 5/8ths at the tips. Going to cut the side tapers now then see how she bends should be pretty stiff I'm shooting for #45-#50 range. The good thing about using the same wood species and style of bow I'm finding is its starting to be more predictable.
 New question since I'm experimenting might as well go for broke right so I'm thinking tip overlays and heat treatment. Ive been following and reading Mr. St louis on the heat treating. When do you guys add tip overlays? And how do you get them feathered in without sanding into the back of bow? Ive read a lil here and there, finish them first were it meets the back then glue them on? Nothing fancy just oak to try my hand at it.

[Pat B]

I leave the tips wide(3/4" - 1") until after first brace to see how the string tracks. If everything is OK I will shape the tips and add overlays. If not, a little wood can be removed from one side or the other to help line the string down the bow. The bow has to be under tension(braced) before you can tell how the string tracks. I do the same with the handle area. This can eliminate heat bending or straightening sometimes.
 For heat treating, anytime after first brace. If, while tillering you notice she's taking some set, you can heat treat again. Sometimes I'll do this as the last step before shooting in and adding the finish.

[Roy from Pa]

Make your tip overlays already feathered to a thin edge on the end pointing towards the riser, before gluing them on the bow.

 

[John Malone]

Gotcha Roy.

[John Malone]

Nice and stream lined I like it. Went parallel for 8 instead of 6 inches.
 

[Roy from Pa]

I guess it's ok...    

[John Malone]

Yea it aint as sexy as a drunk cowgirl at closing time but it will do.

[John Malone]

As far as bending goes cant take pics of that. Its stiff as starched under shorts still but it bends even or were it should. It doesn't bend all in one spot say at the fade or only in the middle the last 3rd don't bend much but I figured that. Hope that makes sense.