Laser alignment

[Birdbow76]

I'm always looking for ways to be more accurate in my bowmaking. I've seen a few guys on instagram using lasers to check their limb alignment, before heading to the sander. Anyone here using one and have a model that works good to throw a line from tip to tip on a longbow?

[kennym]

I did it a few times , you need to level the bow so the tips line up with center if you have recurve or d/r I think

I went back to the old string method

[Kirkll]

I played with that a bit for awhile and purchased a couple different set ups. But it was short lived because you can easily get a false readings on recurve limbs if the laser isn't set up exactly on the same plane as your riser side, or i should say actually exactly 90 degrees from the back of the limbs.... It can be done, but the time spent getting everything set up perfectly isn't worth it.  i went back to using a 6' level for a straight edge after the limbs are mounted, and measure to center at the tips.  Then just use a string line and eyeball to check it before profiling them.

[Crooked Stic]

You can mark a line with the laser on a one piece and work off that line to lay your pattern on. To be accurate your pattern needs to be bow length.

[Birdbow76]

Sounds like it’s not worth pursuing. Right now I do what Kirk’s doing.

[Kirkll]

Sounds like it’s not worth pursuing. Right now I do what Kirk’s doing.

Hey!  I had a blast playing with the lasers. I've still got several of them too. I bought one i can mount on a camera tripod that i used for all kinds of remodeling projects and even pole buildings.
This one is the best set up for the bucks you spend, and has a magnetic mount or clip mounts you can use besides the tripod. You can even change the laser direction from vertical to horizontal too.

I even tried setting up a laser sight on my bow one time for hog hunting and raccoon hunting at night....That was short lived...     Damn thing bounces all over the place.

[Crooked Stic]

I think if you are trying to line your limbs with a laser you might be doing it wrong. The only thing I get from it is using it to make a straight line to work off of. Still that line may not be dynamic center. And that's where deepening string grooves come in.

[Birdbow76]

No problems here Stic, like I said... just seeing if there's a more accurate way than eyeballing a string and deepening grooves.

[Kirkll]

9 times out of 10 if you get those limb profiles the same width and shape top and bottom, and they are straight. Dynamic center is the same….. but it’s always wise to keep those tips wide so you have room for adjustment. Chit happens…

[Crooked Stic]

Personslly I dont use a laser. And most times things work out ok. But have had a few that ended in the trash to.

[dbeaver]

Ive used a laser, mounted over my bench, it was clamped so i could twist the laser back and forth as one adjustment(for centering the crosshairs on bow center), and the clamp it was attached to i clamped to a joist overhead that allowed for a vertical alignment.  I have a long 6 ft aluminum straight edge i would lay across the bench and adjust the laser until it was in line with a square i held to the straight edge.  From there the laser was set and i could place the bow on the straight edge and trace all of the corresponding points i needed.
If you dont do this you get lines that trace the curves of your form rather than straight.


String is way better.  I use the string