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Main Boards => The Bowyer's Bench => Topic started by: mangonboat on September 22, 2015, 08:22:00 AM
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I recently acquired a 1961 Herter birdseye maple 62" recurve that was in good shape overall but I discovered on first draw that the glued joint between the two halves of the riser was separating. There was an original leather wrap-style grip that had to come off to get at the joint to repair it, it didnt come off easy and I ended up stripping the bow down to bare wood and glass.
Now that I'm contemplating the new finish, I am looking at those tiny limb tips, the size of a small fingernail, with no overlays, and about 3/8ths of material , measured across the tip, holding the string, and I'm thinking that overlays of antler, bone, horn or phenolic would support those tips and I could use a newfangled string. But I have never worked with any of those materials except to saw and drill buttons and never shaped tips, much less overlays. The gluing I can handle but then I'd be in strange waters.
A) Am I making this project too complicated, i.e. should I leave those tips alone? and
B) Are tip overlays a poor choice for a beginner project?
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Tip overlays are a pretty simple undertaking as long as the mating surfaces are well matched. Being that this bow has survived since 1961 without overlays, I see no reason, other than cosmetic, to add overlays.
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I redid the overlays on an old York recurve with phenolic and it wasn't a big deal.
It's easier to do with 2 thin pieces than 1 thick piece. I used 2 1/16" black phenolic. I've since been shooting the bow with a FF string with no apparent ill effects.
I do agree with Pat though ... In general ... If it ain't broke don't fix it.
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thin phenolic is the way to go.
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go for it, not necessary, as Pat says, but a cool project to do- makes the bow "yours" and before you know it the virus will have taken a-hold, and youll be building bows :D
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Originally posted by fujimo:
go for it, not necessary, as Pat says, but a cool project to do- makes the bow "yours" and before you know it the virus will have taken a-hold, and youll be building bows :D
Lol you're not supposed to tell him he's going to be addicted after one try!
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hi, my names wayne ... and i am a bowaholic...
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That's the first step Wayne. Except in this case is not a problem ;)
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:D
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I ordered a phenolic tip overlay set from 3Rivers, so I guess I'm not going to leave well enough alone.