Trad Gang
Main Boards => The Bowyer's Bench => Topic started by: Brandon Cruz on June 10, 2015, 06:53:00 PM
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How's it going guys,
New to the forum and to bow making. I'm looking for some opinions and advice on what tools I need to begin acquiring for bow making. I currently have a 9" Ryobi bandsaw, a three piece set of Stanley chisels and a 18 piece set of Kobolt files. I already feel like I have spent a good deal of money and want to make sure I spend my hard earned dollars properly. I have a budget of about $500 to get the other tools I need.
I plan on building primarily recurve laminated bows. I greatly appreciate any input and look forward to your advice.
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An oscillating spindle sander is one of my most used tools. I use it for fadeouts on risers and ripping off glue boogers and getting the bow's profile close to finished shape.
Here's the one I use. Good price; I've used it for many bows without issue; and my Dad has used it for countless other woodworking projects.
http://www.grizzly.com/products/1-3-HP-Oscillating-Spindle-Sander/G0538
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I bought most of my big tools used off of craigslist. For %200 you can buy a new Rigid combo spindle/edge sander,
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there is a 6x80 Grizzly edge sander on Craigslist Clarksville right now for $400..you might be able to get it for $300??
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Some tools I use include.. Band saw, edge sander, spindle sander, Mouse sander, sanding blocks, 5/32" chain saw file(string grooves), harbor freight 1"x30" belt Sander(shaping tips), harbor freight 6" chop saw(for cutting glass to length)...I have a small mini drum sander for sanding phenolic and tapering powerlams. I don't have a thickness Sander for grinding lams, thinking about buying a "baby drum" from Grizzly..I have been buying tapers from tradgang sponsors.
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Fiberglss, composite or wood bows? Jawge
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Jawge is right -- the tools you'll use/need depend on the kind(s) of bows you want to build.
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I will likely be making a fiberglass bow to begin with. However as I gain experience I'd like to progress to the more difficult materials.
I'm I incorrect in thinking fiberglass bows are easier (least complicated) to construct?
I appreciate all the dialogue.
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Well...... a board or stave self bow (one piece of wood or perhaps and added handle is technically easier I suppose. But each type has its own challenges.
You can build a board bow (see poorfolkbows.com) with not much more than a 4 sided rasp, sandpaper and sanding blocks, and some sort of saw. I build "long' (not recurved) bamboo self bows and flax-back bamboo bows that way as well, from bamboo fence slats.
Hill type longbows and wood-glass composite recurve bows require making some kind of 'form' on which you assemble the materials and glue them together, The form can be as simple as a length of 2x10 with the shape of the bow band-sawed into it; or as complex as the multipiece air-pressure forms that many builders use.
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When you break down the list of tools to "must have" and "nice to have", the "must have" list is actually pretty short.
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Given that you want to make glass bows, you'll spend more on tools and other things needed. But my suggestion is that a either a spindle sander or a big belt sander of some for is definitely on your "must have" tool list.
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A decent belt sander is gonna get a lot of use making any bows be especially glass. I imagine a spindle sander is nice to have, and a bandsaw verges on just have too. Although you can probably get away with a smaller one for most glass bow tasks.
Other than that, the usual rasp, file, sandpaper.