Metal riser.

[Cherry Tree]

Has anyone ever had a metal riser manufactured? Been thinking about it lately but am clueless in that department of how to go about having one cast. Id think you would have to have a digital design first then find a manufacturer willing to do it? I'm sure the cost is high but still.

[Nicholi]

I think you would be better off having it machined than cast.

[mmattockx]

With all the commercially available aluminum risers why would you want to go to the expense of making a one off yourself?

As for casting, you can provide scale drawings or a CAD model or even just carve what you want out of wood and provide that as a pattern. It all depends on the foundry and what they like to work with. I have to agree with Nicholi, for a single it would likely be best to have it machined from solid. Either way will be expensive and time consuming to set up and get done.


Mark

[B-JS]

CAD Design is about the Price of 5-10 Risers If you can't do it yourself.
CNC Produktion scales pretty bad in small Numbers.
I checked several manufacturers, when i designed my ILF Hardware.
At about 100 pieces, the price Starts getting acceptable.

That will be a very expensive Riser, If you are Not planning to make hundreds or thousands of them.

[Cherry Tree]

Guess if I had to order 100 I'd have a good excuse to make myself alot of bows! 

[Buggs]

If you were to have one cast, as Mark pointed out you will need to make a pattern. It would need to be VERY special to justify all the time and expense. The smart route would be to find a local FabLab or similar and mill it yourself.
Might learn some new skills at the same time!

[Kirkll]

I think you would be better off having it machined than cast.

I second this statement for two reasons. Cost, and strength. A machined riser will be much stronger…. But…. Like the other guys have pointed out, unless you machine your own riser, it’s not going to be cost effective.

I’ve known several guys that built risers from solid Aluminum stock and shaped them by hand with grinders….. but they were all butt ugly risers.

Kirk

[Nicholi]

For a one off, or a 10 off for that matter, you would be better off $$ wise to build a CNC mill and design it yourself. You will probably have 100 hours into the project before any chips fly. If its for a hobby, you are really adding a few hobbies in past bow building.

[Kirkll]

I’ve played with milling aluminum on my vertical mill a few times. It’s a whole different ball game than woodworking or milling solid composites. It’s a bloody mess is what it is…

Machinist work is a whole different trade than milling wood or composite materials.
And I just don’t have the desire to go down that rabbit hole.

It’s bad enough that bowyers need to learn advanced wood working, and clear coating trades, as well as comprehend a certain amount of physics building these hand held rocket launchers…..

 As I was learning the carpentry trade at a very young age, I’d hear the terms, “Hey! This ain’t rocket science here.” Or “ Hey! we aren’t building a frigging piano or a violin.”…..  Well those old expressions go right out the window building bows…. It IS rocket science, and having luthier skills as a bowyer isn’t a bad feather in your cap…..   

My hat is off to experienced machinists. I’ve learned a lot about setting up my mill and DRO , and the value of a high grade machinist vise from them.


Kirk

[kennym]

The one I heard most when I was learning to bend nails was " We ain't taking it to the fair" 

[Mad Max]

   

My hat is off to experienced machinists. I’ve learned a lot about setting up my mill and DRO , and the value of a high grade machinist vise from them.


Kirk

Back when I was doing machine work and Tool and die work the best vice at that time was a KIRK Vice
 NO BS the Kurt vice's were very nice, I don't know what it good now days

[Kirkll]

I actually use an old Kurt vise in my mill…. I’ve tried hard to get rid of all my “Kirk vices” over the years so I’d live longer.

I have zero experience working in a machine shop, but have watched the mill rights use a metal lathe and the big Bridgeport multi directional mills on occasion. But these were older machines without all the computerized DRO and integrated cad systems.  The modern shops would require some serious high tech computer skill to run them, and probably left a lot of old time machinists without jobs, or just pulling maintenance on the machines themselves.

These plasma cutters and laser cutters are pretty amazing too. They even have high pressure water cutters used to cut steel…. Of course all these machines are automated and need cad programs to run them now. The days of hand made products are getting rare anymore.     Kirk

[onetone]

The one I heard most when I was learning to bend nails was " We ain't taking it to the fair" 

One of my favorites from my days of general construction was “hammered to fit and painted to match”.

[Kirkll]

Sending the new apprentice to go get a box of toe nails was always fun to watch too.

My grand dad used to say, “You can’t worry those two pieces of wood together, it’s called joinery….”    Kirk