Can anyone recommend a takedown retrofit system for my Hill Halfbreed?

[HunterLawyer]

I am interested in turning my 66# Halfbreed into a takedown. I do have woodworking experience---I've built a canoe, a boat, and a house, so I am not afraid to dive in.
What do you think? In looking at various systems--sleeve, connexion hinge, bevel-loc-- the sleeve seems to be out because of the locator grip on my Halfbreed; the connexion hinge might be easiest to put in, but it has a lump between your fingers (maybe not a big deal); the bevel-loc seems to be critical of bow weight (maybe). Then there is the Black Widow type of fiberglass sleeve with an angle cut at the grip.

Your recommendations? Of course, I have my Robertson as a great second heavy (for me) longbow
if I screw this up.

Could be a fun winter project. Your thoughts?

Thanks,
Bill

[fireball31]

I applaud your courage... I on the other hand, do not have the intestinal fortitude to take a blade to a perfectly good bow. I failed cutting and pasting in kindergarten for what its worth.

[LKH]

Jack Harrison had one available.  I've watched him put them together and the skill is beyond me, but they are great.  Only metal is a small stainless oval ring for safety.

[Bjorn]

If you love the bow don't cut it. Talk to a bowyer; 2 piece bows have reinforced risers they are not just 1 pc bows cut in half. Ask the person who built your bow before you do anything. JMHO

[Ground Hunter]

Order a take down.

[Orion]

I like sleeves.  The bow doesn't fall apart when you unstring it like it does with a few other systems.  A sleeve may work for your Hill if the index isn't too great.  The biggest danger in retrofitting with a sleeve is the possibility of misaligning the limbs.  I also like Jack Harrison's angled fiberglass sleeve.  He has a video out that shows how to do it.  Less likely to misalign the limbs with it.

All that being said, I agree with Bjorn.  If you really like the bow as is, probably better to leave it alone.  I wouldn't be worried about strength, but cutting it in half does change the feel, weight  and dynamics of the bow.  Good luck.

[HunterLawyer]

C'mon, Ground! Where's the fun in just buying one? :-)
Big Jim has a good build along video on his site--- looks like it answers the riser strength concern.

[David Yukon]

What about a bow bolt??

[David Yukon]

oupss double post...

[Raging Water]

Nate Steele at bamabows could do it.

[Rob DiStefano]

can't retro-fit a sleeve t/d to any bow.  needs to be a bow bolt, or connexion hinge, or perhaps a latch slide.  personally, i wouldn't do it.  go git yerself another bow, one with a glass/carbon sleeve.  

[Raging Water]

Jack Harrison did a retro graphite TD to a HH Black Bear I had. Pretty cool.

So, it can be done but Jack is retired. Nate at bamabows uses a similar system.

Don't know if he is in the retrofit business

Matt

[HunterLawyer]

I like the bamabow/BigJim/Black Widow graphite and fiberglass method.

When I ordered my HH Wesley takedown from Craig Ekin I had wanted a locator grip, but it was not an option with the sleeve type system they use. I really like the dual shelf, as I am a lefty and everyone else in the family is righthanded. Sometimes they like to use my bows.

Understood that I might wreck the bow, and that 'someone could lose an eye' is a possibility.

Pro: dual shelf takedown HH Halfbreed; interesting DIY project; lower cost
Con: ruin bow; potential for injury

Graphite/glass sleeve it is. I'll let you know the results---even if disastrous!

[TommyBoy]

Sure you can retrofit the sleeve system on an existing one piece! I've done it on several bows myself - including a Roberston that had an indexed grip. It's really not that bad - just pay attention to what you are doing.

[SCATTERSHOT]

You could use a sleeve and build up any style of grip you like with fiberglass. I wouldn't cut one in half myself, but then I don't have your talent. If it were me, I would order a T/D bow from Craig, and then build up the grip to suit.

Good luck!

[Jeff Strubberg]

Don't think I've ever talked to someone who added a takedown system to a bow and was happy with the result.  

You'll not only have to install the takedown system, you will likely have to retiller the bow afterwards.  If you like the way the bow shoots now, I wouldn't do it.

[TommyBoy]

That depends on the bow Jeff.  The first one that I ever did was a Robertson that was always extremely finicky - finicky about arrow spine, release, and canting angle. That's why I decided to take a chance on it and saw it in half    

The result was a bow that was much more forgiving than it was previously.  However I do agree, it will change the feel of the bow. If you really like the way it shoots now - don't mess with it.  If it is a marginally shooting bow now, go for it.  What do you have to lose?

Another thing that I've realized throughout the years - I never really take down my bows enough to really justify a takedown - although I think they are cool.  And remember no takedown bow, regardless of the system, will be as bulletproof as the same bow in a one-piece.  There is just less to go wrong with a one-piece.

[Bel007]

Big Jim has a YouTube series on how he makes his two-piece system.  Sells the materials on his website.  I think the link is there too.

Here is a link to the first in the series.

   

I am NOT CERTAIN you can do this to a finished bow as it may require re-tillering etc.  But it seems like it could work.

*****NEVERMIND ****  see Big Jim's comments below.

[Greg Skinner]

Some good and valid comments here; I especially have to agree with TommyBoy's comments.  I have installed connexion hinges on 2 different Hill bows and they both turned out just fine.  However, I did them both from blanks rather than an already-finished bow, so it was a retro-fit in the sense that is was already tillered (by Craig) and finished (by me. I had Craig leave the back of the handle square so that I would have plenty of width to fit the hinge. The problem with one that is already finished is that the back of the bow in the handle area has probably been rounded enough in the finish shaping that there is insufficient width for the width of the hinge to seat on properly.  

It is a relatively simple project that doesn't change the tiller of the bow - at least from anything I could measure, and the shooting characteristics of my latest Redman 2 piece are great.  The hinge does add a little bit of extra depth to the handle, but you can take a little bit off the belly side to compensate.  I don't find the additional bump to be a problem at all.

After looking at Big Jim's "how to" on the fiberglass sleeve I have seriously considered trying that on my next one, although I am fine with a straight grip, so the metal sleeve works for me, too.  However,if I went the fiberglass sleeve route, rather than cut into the glass backing I believe you would want to leave the glass intact and use overlays to get enough depth for the fiberglass sleeve.  That would still tend to increase the overall depth of your handle in the same way that the connexion does, though.

If you really think you would like a take-down, though, you might consider getting the blank and doing the connexion hinge on it.  That way you can shape the finished handle to suit yourself.

I have a HH Tembo one-piece that I finished from a blank and I have the Redman TD.  I like the TD feature, but, frankly, I have yet to use it in a way that I can't use the one-piece.

If you decide to try the fiberglass I would certainly like to see your results posted.  Good luck.

[ron w]

I think Dick from Seattle did a post about doing a refit with a connection hinge.....do a search! Or it might have been on his Hill site!