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Main Boards => The Bowyer's Bench => Topic started by: snag on June 23, 2009, 05:42:00 PM

Title: Shaping the grip!
Post by: snag on June 23, 2009, 05:42:00 PM
Yesterday I was able to get back into the shop and start working on the recurve again. I missed working on it! Anyway, I contoured the grip to fit my hand the way I wanted it. Also got most of the riser contoured. Tonight I'll start to shape the tips and file the string grooves.

 (http://i164.photobucket.com/albums/u31/snag23/bow5002.jpg)

 (http://i164.photobucket.com/albums/u31/snag23/bow5001.jpg)
Title: Re: Shaping the grip!
Post by: flint kemper on June 23, 2009, 07:05:00 PM
Snag, that is sweet for sure. Send it to me when you get it finished and I will break it in for ya. That's just the kind of guy I am. HA HA Thanks for the pictures. Flint
Title: Re: Shaping the grip!
Post by: snag on June 23, 2009, 07:27:00 PM
Thanks Flint. It has taken so long once I get finished with it I think it will be hard to stay away from shooting it! The other bows will just have to wait....lol
Title: Re: Shaping the grip!
Post by: wihill on June 23, 2009, 09:15:00 PM
Boy that's a great looking piece of wood in the riser.  Which combination is that?  That handle looks sculpted to a "T"!
Title: Re: Shaping the grip!
Post by: Don Batten on June 23, 2009, 09:35:00 PM
David, thats very nice. What type of tools are you using to profile your risers? thanks Don
Title: Re: Shaping the grip!
Post by: bjansen on June 23, 2009, 09:42:00 PM
Wow, what a beauty..Nice Job..Love that bubinga!
Title: Re: Shaping the grip!
Post by: Dmaxshawn on June 24, 2009, 10:19:00 AM
Sure nuff.  Thats looking real good.

Shawn
Title: Re: Shaping the grip!
Post by: snag on June 24, 2009, 10:24:00 AM
I'm down to using files for the shaping of the tips. Steve has some great woodworking equipment. There is a couple of sanders that really makes contouring easy. One is just a drill press with a dowel sanding fitting. The other is table sander with an oscillating post sander.
The wood is bubinga, stripe is myrtlewood and bol. rosewood.
Title: Re: Shaping the grip!
Post by: snag on June 24, 2009, 10:33:00 AM
(http://i164.photobucket.com/albums/u31/snag23/tips002.jpg)

Here's a pic of one of the tips I did last night. Still have a bunch of wood to take off to make it more domed and rounded. But this will be the general shape. It is gaboon ebony, bol.rosewood, and white glass.
Title: Re: Shaping the grip!
Post by: snag on June 30, 2009, 09:58:00 AM
Well, I strung it up yesterday and it came in at 63#. That's a little heavy for me. I'll be doing some sanding to bring it down 3#-5#. The encouraging thing was the string and limb travel are right on the money! I'm pumped. Now I can't wait to see it with a finish on it.
Title: Re: Shaping the grip!
Post by: Jesse Peltan on June 30, 2009, 02:43:00 PM
I suggest trapping the belly to reduce weight.
Title: Re: Shaping the grip!
Post by: snag on June 30, 2009, 03:02:00 PM
"trapping the belly"...I'm a greenhorn in this bow building world. Please explain. Thanks
Title: Re: Shaping the grip!
Post by: canid song on June 30, 2009, 05:07:00 PM
nothing useful to add but i must say those are some elegant lines.
Title: Re: Shaping the grip!
Post by: Jesse Peltan on June 30, 2009, 05:25:00 PM
Ok trapping the belly is when you cut the belly at an angle so that the cross section looks like a trapezoid. I suggest doing a search on it. It should reduce the weight by a few pounds. I think Apex Predator does this sometimes. You could search one of his build a longs.
Title: Re: Shaping the grip!
Post by: snag on June 30, 2009, 05:59:00 PM
Ok, I know what you mean now...just didn't know the terminology.
Title: Re: Shaping the grip!
Post by: snag on June 30, 2009, 06:02:00 PM
Thanks Canid Song. The basic design is off an old Wing Hunter recurve. The man who is teaching me has taken that design and changed it a bit. The lines and the grip are what made me what to make one.
Title: Re: Shaping the grip!
Post by: wisconsin wood butcher on July 01, 2009, 10:12:00 PM
i have to say that is very nice work .  :campfire:those lines.. sweet. what have i missed ? are the cores bamboo?
Title: Re: Shaping the grip!
Post by: snag on July 02, 2009, 01:08:00 AM
The man who is teaching me retired from being a flooring rep. The cores are some of the finest bamboo anywhere!
Title: Re: Shaping the grip!
Post by: ozy clint on July 02, 2009, 07:36:00 PM
nice work snag.

how close is the shelf to your hand?
Title: Re: Shaping the grip!
Post by: snag on July 02, 2009, 07:55:00 PM
I should post a picture of the shelf while holding the bow I guess. It is about an 1/8" from the shelf. The edge of the shelf lip is rounded over to match up with your hand.
Title: Re: Shaping the grip!
Post by: LC on July 02, 2009, 10:00:00 PM
Man that is one good looking bow. I'd say the teacher and the student are doing dang good!
Title: Re: Shaping the grip!
Post by: Keefer on July 05, 2009, 07:51:00 AM
Snag,   Great looking bow you are making there...Can't wait to see the end results...God Bless and Thanks for sharing the pic's,  Keefer's <")))><
Title: Re: Shaping the grip!
Post by: snag on July 05, 2009, 11:00:00 PM
Thanks guys. I'm heading to the shop tomorrow morning! Should be able to finish it this week. I'll post how it goes.
Title: Re: Shaping the grip!
Post by: snag on July 07, 2009, 09:24:00 AM
Well I got it sanded down to 220 grit last night. Smooooth as a babies bottom.  I weighed it again and it came down to 63#. Went out and strung it and shot some 2216s out of it. 3" group with the first 6 arrows at yds. It really hammered the target. I was shooting for 58#. But I think as a hunting bow this will work! Since I won't be shooting it 60-70 times at a 3D shoot it will be fine. I'll post pictures when I get some finish on it.