Glueed up the riser block on my 2nd attempt at building a bow. I've got to fix a flat spot on my form before I can go much farther. I'm also waiting on some more Smooth-On from Kenny. I'm going to avoid the mistakes I made on the first attempt. Tommorrow I'll cut out my riser and make my fades. Here's the riser block.
(http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a178/bayman1975/06-26-10_1943.jpg)
Looks nice.
Excellent looking riser...so are you putting the swoop flowing with the bow or against it.
Ok, I'm into my 2nd attempt at bow building, and I've got my fades cut and sanded. I did make one mistake whne I cut the fades. I didn't pay attention to which way the walnut was turned, and the result was a shorter walnut accent in the riser. Anyway, I made a better attempt at having long, slow fades this time. Here's some pics. What do you guys think. Will I have better luck this time?
(http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a178/bayman1975/ICAM0006-1.jpg)
(http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a178/bayman1975/ICAM0007-1.jpg)
(http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a178/bayman1975/ICAM0008-1.jpg)
Those fades look much better than on the first one! Bet you will have a better outcome this time- glue her up and lets see it.
Put it in the heat box this afternoon. Cooked it for 6 hours at 175 degrees. It's cooling down right now. It'll be tomorrow after work before I can take it out of form. I'll take pictures for everybody to see.
Looks good so far!
Looking much better! I think this will be the one! Looking forward to more.
Everything looks good on this one. The fades look real good, and there was no problem from the washers on the form. I think this may workout. Here's some pictures.
Right out of the heat box.
(http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a178/bayman1975/ICAM0017.jpg)
(http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a178/bayman1975/ICAM0018.jpg)
After a few times across the belt sander.
(http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a178/bayman1975/ICAM0020.jpg)
(http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a178/bayman1975/ICAM0023.jpg)
(http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a178/bayman1975/ICAM0025.jpg)
(http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a178/bayman1975/ICAM0026.jpg)
(http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a178/bayman1975/ICAM0024.jpg)
Oh, and I have an inspector like Kenny. He's not as big as some on here, but he's a hard-nosed little guy.
(http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a178/bayman1975/ICAM0015.jpg)
Here are a couple pics of my fades. They look pretty good to me. What do you think? Sorry for the fuzzy pictures. I'll try to take some better ones tomorrow.
(http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a178/bayman1975/ICAM0021.jpg)
(http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a178/bayman1975/ICAM0022.jpg)
Can't wait to get off work, so I can work on my bow. Once I start something, I have a hard time stopping until it's finished.
Looking good. Can't wait to see it finished
This bow is Osage Orange with Walnut and White Maple accent in the riser. I'm going to add some Bald Cypress, Walnut and Osage Orange to to the limb tips, back and belly of the bow. I'm hoping it finishes out at 66" with a 45 to 50# pull @ 28". Oh, the limbs are Red Elm behind clear glass.
D.A. Davis
I saw your post on the Arkansas hunting website.
I hope this one works out for you. Sure looking good so far. I just got through building my laminating press for a take-down longbow the other evening. keep the pics coming. I love watching these build alongs. By the way my initials are D. Davis also
Looks like a winner for sure. Nice going.
I didn't get much done tonight, NCIS was coming on. What can I say. I did get the limbs shaped and the limbs cut to length. I took some pictures of the limbs. And, I got some better pictures of the fades for you guys to look at.
(http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a178/bayman1975/ICAM0001-1.jpg)
(http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a178/bayman1975/ICAM0004-1.jpg)
(http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a178/bayman1975/ICAM0005.jpg)
Here are the fades.
(http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a178/bayman1975/ICAM0008-2.jpg)
(http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a178/bayman1975/ICAM0007-2.jpg)
(http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a178/bayman1975/ICAM0006-2.jpg)
(http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a178/bayman1975/ICAM0009.jpg)
Yea- you have a winner there!
Lookin good DA! Walnut and osage really look good together!!
I've got a question guys. If I cut the riser where the center of the bow is in the grip where it contacts my hand at the correct spot, my lower hand will cover the heel of the lower limb where it contacts the riser. Does it hurt to remove part of the limb material at the riser to make room for my hand, or do I need to move my hand upon the riser?
I like to stay with 1.75" back to belly and 1" side to side on the grip.
I add a grip cap on the glass on the lower limb and a little overlay on the sight window.
Like this......
(http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d34/kennym/002-11.jpg)
So, it's more important to make sure and have the center of the bow in the right place, and do whatever you have to do to keep the limb butt intact.
Thanks for the help Kenny.
I'm working on this bow,and am already planning on the next one.
Ok, here's some pics of my bow on the tiller stand. It looks to me that the left limb is a little stiffer than the right. Do I sand the sides of the limbs over the full length, or just in certain places?
(http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a178/bayman1975/ICAM0015-1.jpg)
(http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a178/bayman1975/ICAM0016-1.jpg)
(http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a178/bayman1975/ICAM0012-1.jpg)
(http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a178/bayman1975/ICAM0018-1.jpg)
(http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a178/bayman1975/ICAM0019-1.jpg)
I've got another question about tillering. When you get past the long string, and go to the short string, do you put an actual bow string on it, or do you make a string to length from cord, like my long string?
With these glass bows you just need to string it with the normal length string. You are dealing with a whole other animal here. Set is measured in fractions of an inch instead of several inches. If it were me, I would narrow the outer third of the limbs to get all but the last 4-5" bending more.
You won't find many glass bows with the aroow pass being right at the center of the bow. Mine are typically 1 1/4" above the bows center. Decide where you want the shelf and tie in a nocking point on the string. Use that nocking point to determine where to pull from when checking tiller. It can make quite a difference.
Thanks Apex. Do you put your nock at zero, or do you set it above zero,1/8" - 1/2", like a bow is when it's set up to shoot?
I start my tillering/timing with the nock 3/8" above square for a split finger tiller, and 5/8" above for three under tiller. I draw the string where a shooter's middle finger will be. If building a straight, dished, or mild locater type of grip, I will leave the riser block square while tillering. If wanting a deeper grip, then you need to shape it first and make some sort of holder on your tiller tree to simulate a higher wrist grip.
QuoteOriginally posted by Apex Predator:
I start my tillering/timing with the nock 3/8" above square for a split finger tiller, and 5/8" above for three under tiller. I draw the string where a shooter's middle finger will be. If building a straight, dished, or mild locater type of grip, I will leave the riser block square while tillering. If wanting a deeper grip, then you need to shape it first and make some sort of holder on your tiller tree to simulate a higher wrist grip.
Apex I have also found leaving the riser square while tillering to be the best route as well. Of course the bow usually ends up back on the tree after shaping the riser cause I like looking at curves, and for that I have found a 1" dowel glued to a scrap 2by gives me the fulcrum I need to balance a bow. I then placed (2) 1/2" dowels about 1/4" lower than the 1" dowel to keep the bow for over spinning one way or another if not centered. Mind you i'm not referring to the center of the dowels, but the top height that would be in contact with the bow.
Like this:
(http://i872.photobucket.com/albums/ab283/jonnoocha/Bowyer%20Stuff/D.jpg)
The fulcrum point becomes your hand's web point if doing locator grips. Otherwise center the bow, use a level once it's been slightly strung up on the tree to get it balanced, step back and think sexy time.
By the way D.A. that bow is coming along beautifully!! I have been following your threads and i'm glad to see you're progress. It's impressive and makes me want to make one right now! Cant wait to see her being shot.
You have plenty of room to make any style grip you want on that riser. Its ok to take some of the glass off where the heel of your hand touches.
By the way the pictures look, the scale you have printed and stuck on the wall, the right side print is out further than the left side by at least an inch. This would make the left limb look stronger because it is not to the same red line as the right. Even though, you still want one limb a little stronger even if the print scale spacing is right. First thing I do after roughing in the string nocks and taking the sharp edges off the glass is string the bow with the correct length string and check for brace tiller at the fades. Then I'll take it to the tree and see how the limbs bend. No need for long string on a glass bow like Apex said. If things are close at that point I pick a top limb and make the shelf and shoot it a few dozen times and put it back on the tree. Don't get to happy about perfecting the tiller too fast, sometimes things will change on you after shooting a little and you can't put material back that you already took off. I had a bow once that decided to change which limb would be on the top after rough shooting which forced me to reduce the top limb I had already designated to get it back to possitive tiller. I lost quite a bit of weight getting it back. So now I made it a practice to excersize the limbs before I cut the shelf, giving the bow a chance to settle in and make its mind up.
Thanks for all the shared knowledge Jason. That's what I like about this Board. People are always ready to take someone under their wing and share the knowledge they've accumulated over the years.
I'm trying to be real patient with this one. It's hard. Impulse makes me want to hurry and get it done so I can shoot it, but common sense tells me to take my time, and get this one right.
Oh, I think I'm going to go with what Kenny said and put a grip cap on it. I fitted one last night for the bow out of scrap walnut, and I really like the looks of it. Thanks again for all the help.
D.A.
Ok guys, I need some opinions. After taking Apex's advice and narrowing the outer third of my limbs, I braced my bow with a 63" string (66" bow)and took measurements at the fades to check the tiller. First, I measured and marked the fades on both ends, so to insure that I would be measuring the tiller at the same location on both fades. Now, I had already determined that I had one limb a little stiffer than the other. My tiller measurements were 6 5/8" & 6 7/8".
Here's some pics after the limbs were narrowed, and with the bow braced with the 63" string. You can see that the right limb is slightly stiffer. Now, this was done with the bow drawn from the center position on the bow/string.
(http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a178/bayman1975/ICAM0002-1.jpg)
(http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a178/bayman1975/ICAM0005-1.jpg)
(http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a178/bayman1975/ICAM0006-3.jpg)
(http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a178/bayman1975/ICAM0003-1.jpg)
Ok, now again, I took Apex's advice and measured and located where my shelf will be (1 1/4" above center), and I put a arrow nock point on the string at 1/2" above the arrow rest. Apex recommended 5/8" above, but in all my years of shooting, both traditional and compound, I've never seen a bow nock set above 1/2". Anyway, then I located where on the string my middle finger would be with the nock point where I had it set, and drew the bow from that point. First, I did this with the stiffer limb to the bottom of the bow, but it was way off. So, I remeasured everything and put the stiffer limb to the top, and this is how it came out.
(http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a178/bayman1975/ICAM0016-2.jpg)
(http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a178/bayman1975/ICAM0017-1.jpg)
(http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a178/bayman1975/ICAM0018-2.jpg)
(http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a178/bayman1975/ICAM0021-2.jpg)
Now, my question is, am I close enough to go ahead and shape my riser?
Looks really good-it's bending nicely--if I'm that close on the fade measurements I just figure out which is the stiff limb- put that at the bottom and cut out my shelf and shape the riser- once I have that done I work on the tiller to get it right where I want it-as you can see your tiller will change depending on where you pivot the bow from and pull the string.This one is already close from the looks of it.
I'd say go for it!
In the picture up above I've got the stiffer limb on the top. When I changed it this morning to the bottom position, the tiller wasn't as good. But, my tiller measurements are close, so I'm going to go ahead and shape my grip and shelf. Also, I drew the bow just to get a feel for the poundage, and I think I'm going to shorten the bow from 66" to 64". This will give me a little more poundage. Well, since I was planning on putting a grip cap on the bow, I went a head and put it on the bow along with an accent along the back of the bow. It's under heat lamps now.
Looking good to me. I'd say if your not to far from your target draw weight, choose the top limb and start with shaping the riser.
----------
Andy
Well, I've got the tiller worked out and determined which limb is to be the lower limb, and put the riser accents on it. I put a grip cap on, and started getting the riser shaped up. It's a long way from being finished, but here's where I am as of today.
(http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a178/bayman1975/ICAM0025-1.jpg)
(http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a178/bayman1975/ICAM0024-1.jpg)
(http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a178/bayman1975/ICAM0023-1.jpg)
(http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a178/bayman1975/ICAM0022-1.jpg)
Keep us posted! Arkansas is not that far away from Blanchard, OK. I could come pick it up in person when finished. Oh, but my inititals are KCK, darn it. The devil is always in the details!
I don't think I'm going to have the poundage I'm looking for at 66". How much added weight can I expect if I shorten the bow to 64", or even 62", if possible?
My d/r looks similar,maybe not quite the reflex. I gain 6# from 64 down to 62. You got her lookin good!
Took the day off from the bow project today. Went and shot in the local bowhunter bow shoot, came in second. My shooting is getting better. The clicker really helped with the target panic.
Going to hit the shop early in the morning and get back on the bow. I'm off on Monday's for Summer hours. I work four 10-hour days. Maybe I'll get to shoot a few arrows thru it tomorrow.
Yep, I'd get 6# if cutting off two total inches.
Ok, I'm down to the final sanding, and putting the limb tips on. I've got a little problem with the tiller. The stiffer limb has switched on me. I started out with the stiffer limb on the bottom, but it's now on the top. There's 1/4" difference in the measurement from the string to the riser on the top and bottom limb. The bow is currently 64" and 47# @ 28". I figure that I'll lose about 2 to 3 pounds by the time I get the tiller straightened out. But, you know, on the tiller board and pulling from the center, the upper limb did not pull as far as the lower due to it being stiffer, but when I pulled from where it would be when I shoot 3-fingers under, the limbs bent equally. And, I did shoot it this morning, and it shoots where I look. Here's a pic of my group at 15 yards.
(http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a178/bayman1975/07-19-10_1154.jpg)
Do you think it will improve when I get the tiller right?
Here's some pics of the bow strung, but the brace height is only at 6 1/4". When I get my string made and on the bow, I'll probably brace it a little closer to 7".
(http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a178/bayman1975/07-19-10_1159.jpg)
(http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a178/bayman1975/07-19-10_1157.jpg)
(http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a178/bayman1975/07-19-10_1201.jpg)
(http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a178/bayman1975/07-19-10_1202.jpg)
(http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a178/bayman1975/07-19-10_1203.jpg)
(http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a178/bayman1975/07-19-10_1204.jpg)
(http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a178/bayman1975/07-19-10_1206.jpg)
Is it just me, but does my riser look a little boxy, and maybe fat? I'm kind of afraid to make it too thin, as I'm not experienced enough to know when thin is too thin, and the bow be at risk of breaking. Any way, like I said, I've still got to put a finished sanding on it, and put the limb tips on, and shaped up before I can get the Tung Oil out,
I think your riser looks great. I can't wait to see that with a finish on it, it's gorgeous already. I wish I could put that kind of handle on my self bows.
I've got a question. How do I shape the limb edges? I've seen them rounded, and heard talk on here about pyramid limbs. What the heck are those? Do you guys just use a sander to shape them, or a file followed by sandpaper. Any help would be appreciated.
I have only used a hard rubber sanding block to round the edges
Do you guys think it's a little thick from the shelf up to the upper lmb?
Well, I've got my limb tips semi-done. I've still got some clean-up to do on them. I'm still trying to get the tiller right. When I started shaping the riser, I had the stiffer limb on bottom. Now, the stiffer limb is on the top. I've worked and worked to try and get the tiller to change and get the stiffer limb back to the bottom. I've sanded the sides, back and belly of the upper limb trying to change it. I've sanded until I'm beginning to think I notice that the upper limb is beginning to appear narrower than the bottom. Also, I've lost 5# in the process. I started with the upper limb being 3/8" closer than the bottom limb. The best I've been able to do is lower that to 3/16". So, now I've got an upper limb that is 3/16" closer, a bow that is 5# lighter, and a bow that shoots great. I shoot 3-fingers under, so I think I'm going to leave it as it is.
What do you guys think?
Put my first coat of Tung Oil on my bow this morning after spending most of the morning sanding and sandind. You know how you work and work to get all the file and course sanding marks out of it before to put your finish on, and think you got everything. Well, upon putting the Tung oil on it, I discovered some sand marks that I missed. And, I worked hard to make sure that didn't happen. Oh well, we'll call those "character marks". Works for me.
D.A.
I had a few tool marks on my first bow..I bought two pairs of 1.25 reading glasses for my shop and it really made a difference, I can see the sanding and tool marks alot better now.
Nice stuff
Got the second coat on this morning. First, I wet sanded it with 1000 grit sandpaper. Then after a good cleaning and time to dry, I slowly worked in the second coat.
I've got a couple of questions, which coat should I put my writing (#, length, etc.)? I was thinking I should put it on after coat 5. I was going to use India Ink, and put my last 3 coats over that. Also, is there anything I should do after the 8th, and last coat? Should I wet sand it and then use some sort of polish on it, or just polish it after the last coat drys?
I know what you mean by sanding and sanding to get all the "tool" marks out. I do most of my stuff by hand, like rounding over the limbs a bit I use a rat tail file, and I have spent as many as 8 hours taking rasp marks out of the shelf area by hand, using 150,180,220,300,400 grit sanding papers. The satisfaction is worth the effort. Congratulations on "Getting her done"
I've decided to use the India Ink after my last coat of Tung Oil, and to follow that up with a couple of coats clear Polyurethane. Hopefully, by next weekend I'll be shooting my new bow.
Looking good.. hopefully i will have mine done by the august shoot
update: never mind just snapped mine on the tree @ 20" Guess it had a crack i didnt see.. Oh well.. 3rd times a charm
Keep trying midd. You'll get it figured out. I'll see you at the club shoot on the 15th.