2023 Bow Swap Progress Thread - Complete

[EvilDogBeast]

Kenny, I think someone explained how they did it in the 2020 or 2019 bow swap thread.  I will look when I get home from work if you haven't found it.

Edit: Found something.  Some instruction and some pictures on how Dave did one.

https://www.tradgang.com/tgsmf/index.php?topic=175319.0

[kennym]

Thank you Sir!!

[4 point]

Kenny, one thing I learned when I made them is to position them so the seams aren’t in the deepest part of the bend. Mine weren’t and they would break. I didn’t have enough length to get the long section into the deep part of the bend so i couldn’t use them.

[kennym]

Thanks Travis!!

[kennym]

A little progress started ...

[kennym]

I pirated Brushwolf's accent except I went with char awood in the black part.  I think the phenolic would be blacker but I don't really like to put non wood materials in risers anymore. They seem to not shrink/expand like wood. Even if wood is dry when you build it...

[kennym]

[Roy from Pa]

Looking good ole timer.
What's char awood?

[kennym]

Its the blackish gray laminated wood.  If you were in the swap, I'd use different char wood... 

[kennym]

Sorry that weren't nice ... 

We love ya bro.

[Roy from Pa]

Took ah smarty pants pill didn't cha?

    

[OldRawhide42]

Kenny when you cut the curves on the riser block what blade are you using ??  I like it so far.

[kennym]

The blade I always use, a 1/2" x .025"  3-4 tpi

It's about as tight as I can do with it.

Which is ok cause without sanding jigs its a PITA to fit pieces.  Much worse than a slow arc...

[kennym]

Second glue up on riser, third if you count making accent strips
I had to take them to .040 so they didn’t break on the tight radius

[4 point]

That’s gonna be a nice one Kenny!
I’m working on a bow for my states bowhunters convention and one for a friend. I’ll get started on my swap bow as soon as I get these finished.

[Appalachian Hillbilly]

I got all my woods. Really thinking about doing the accent stripes like that . Going to start working on doing some stripe/mosaic layups this weekend and some sanding forms.

I will be using Wenge for the black as I don't like the feel of the black phenolic in riser stripes.  They always seem to develop a small catch edge.

Ken

[kennym]

"I will be using Wenge for the black as I don't like the feel of the black phenolic in riser stripes.  They always seem to develop a small catch edge."


That's what I've found also, never had one fail but hate to feel the joint!

Seems less on a riser I-beam for some reason?

[Jon Lipovac]

Alright!
My last deer season ended, I’ve started the process of checking some honey-do items off the list and getting ready to dig into my victims bow next week hopefully.

I pulled out some of my current wood stock and interested in your opinions of combinations.

All ‘stabilizable’ species will be stabilized and in turn will darken somewhat. The more oily and dense woods will not. I tried to stabilize some Bocote once at it turned the leftover juice into root beer.😁

What do you think?

[kennym]

First or third pic, love that walnut if that's what it is. 

I like riser darker than limbs too, but that's just me..

[Jon Lipovac]

I agree with you Kenny on lighter colored limbs on a dark riser unless both are light or dark.

You are correct, 1,3,& 4 are stabilized walnut.
I hesitated putting that sample in 1&3 because I'm pretty fond of them myself.
They came from a small 10" branch that had a wicked 'z' looking bend in it. I ended up with (3) 7/8" small slabs out of it after truing them up.