This is my first build and I'm hoping some of you guys will chime in with some pointers and words of wisdom. Will post a bunch of pictures. This is on another site but was hoping for more feedback from guys who have experience. Thanks for looking.
Jed in Michigan
Slow progress learning to like the rasp.
Trying to create a hydraulic press for the overlay using dense foam and a 2x4 contoured close to the bows shape. Please chime in on this as I plan to try this soon.
Overlay glue up
Looks like a plan, let us know how it works! :thumbsup:
What have you got going for limbs? I usually mount the limbs on the riser block and get them balanced prior to shaping a riser. It Makes the limb hardware easier to get machined and installed and get your limb alignment dialed in.... Looking forward to see how you pull this off....... Kirk
Drill guide for center alignment. Also have access to a granite table with height gauge. I wanted to Make some different limb configurations for this same riser. Not possible to put the horse before the cart? Appreciate the feedback first time and have a lot to learn.
Overlay turned out, jig is ready for the next step. Limbs are next but haven't been happy with the limb wedges I made yet.
Nice.
Looks like that went well! :thumbsup:
Quote from: kennym on June 06, 2025, 04:18:15 PMLooks like that went well! :thumbsup:
Yes sir it did. I talked to a friend who is a very accomplished bowyer and he said the overlay contraption might be overkill :help: but it worked so all is well. Should have bought my limb wedges from you as well Kenny. I've taken a few stabs at it but I'm using a oscillating edge sander against a fence and haven't hit my numbers yet.
If your title hadn't said "first bow build " I would have thought this was an instructional "how to". Looking good.
Double threaded inserts installed today. Pins are fit very tight not epoxied.
Here's one more, got sick of tripping on my tools today.
In the future you may want to think about capping those limb pads with phenolic or even hardwood. It helps tie all those laminations together and makes the rise4 stronger. .02 cents worth....
Another suggestion is using 2 location pins and oversized the limb bolt hole on your limbs a fuzz. I go to 11/32 hole size on the limbs and they fit better without adjustment. What you'll find is the plus or minus tolerance on those threaded inserts are not as close as you think they would be. Also, you can get tap drift and get them off center easily. The 2 location pins eliminate the variance in that threaded insert, and keep the limbs straight.
Kirk
Quote from: Kirkll on June 06, 2025, 11:19:08 PMIn the future you may want to think about capping those limb pads with phenolic or even hardwood. It helps tie all those laminations together and makes the rise4 stronger. .02 cents worth....
Another suggestion is using 2 location pins and oversized the limb bolt hole on your limbs a fuzz. I go to 11/32 hole size on the limbs and they fit better without adjustment. What you'll find is the plus or minus tolerance on those threaded inserts are not as close as you think they would be. Also, you can get tap drift and get them off center easily. The 2 location pins eliminate the variance in that threaded insert, and keep the limbs straight.
Kirk
Kirk, I can see what you mean two pins makes a lot of sense. I actually was considering a lamination over the limb pads but decided to go with the Binghams book.
Thinking more about using two pins...... I could very easily add another hole to my jig and up size the 5/16" hole. How about using a bushing inside the limb bolt hole? I see some do and some don't, is it a good idea?
Quote from: Jegs.mich on June 07, 2025, 06:18:32 AMThinking more about using two pins...... I could very easily add another hole to my jig and up size the 5/16" hole. How about using a bushing inside the limb bolt hole? I see some do and some don't, is it a good idea?
Years ago when I was first getting geared up for TD bows, I used brass sleeves in my limbs and a single location pin, and constantly struggled with decent limb alignment. Then I came up with some lateral limb adjustment hardware I mortised into the outer limb pad. This worked well for the bowyer getting things perfectly aligned when building the bow..... But.... It left something for a customer to mess with and completely ruin the limbs getting things out of whack. I Did a few and used epoxy so they couldn't be adjusted after it went out the door to avoid issues.... I actually still have quite a few sets of those adjustable plates....
Then I bought my vertical milling machine and started using 2 location pins and oversized bolt holes in the limbs....., Problem solved. When milling the limbs I mill a slot for that outer pin and give myself .040 to play with. No more pins binding up and the limbs fit first time , every time mounting them.
Kirk
One more thought on limb alignment ...... Hands down the easiest way to get perfect alignment on your limbs is to just mount your limbs using the limb bolts only, straighten the limbs, then drill your location pins clear through the limbs into the riser, and use an overlay to cover the holes....
The down side to this approach is building extra limbs to fit the riser isn't an option. Kirk
Hey Kirk, is this a typo?
Seems like .040" would be quite a bit when you get out to end of limb? Just curious what I can get away with... :thumbsup:
Or is that the bolt hole with .040" extra?
""Then I bought my vertical milling machine and started using 2 location pins and oversized bolt holes in the limbs....., Problem solved. When milling the limbs I mill a slot for that outer pin and give myself .040 to play with. No more pins binding up and the limbs fit first time , every time mounting them.""
here is a DWG of my limb drilling pattern. The outer limb pin hole is elongated .040.
I could have just bought the stab bushing but made it anyway. Made the riser more center shot and eliminated the shelf for the stabilizer bushing. Kenny made me some limb wedges great service Kenny thankyou!
Finally getting around to turning this 2x4 into a bow.
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Question for you guys that have been there done that: Notice how the limbs lift at the tip. Should I find actual center based on the riser( which was milled flat in a drum sander)? Or do I need to deal with this in a different way?
Limb butts are parallel at the riser.
Time for a tillering string.
I'd check that table with a straightedge first thing to be sure.
:)
Then I mark where the nocks will be and square across limb with a marker. Helps you get nocks across from each other later.
Mark center of riser and both nocks. Stringline nock to nock and make sure they line up with center of riser. Move mark on nocks accordingly also looking at ends of riser and limb bolts.
Take your time and think about each step, don't ask !! :laughing:
How did you clean up the limbs? I use a jig and my drum sander to try to square them up as I get them to width. Then I draw the center line and proceed like Kenny said. Recurve limbs are more of a challenge.
After looking things over, I think I got a little crazy cleaning up the limbs with my edge sander. Calipers are showing some variation around.125 depending and narrow at the tips.
Quote from: beachbowhunter on June 25, 2025, 12:22:20 PMHow did you clean up the limbs? I use a jig and my drum sander to try to square them up as I get them to width. Then I draw the center line and proceed like Kenny said. Recurve limbs are more of a challenge.
I like the jig idea for the drum sander.
:pray: IMG_20250625_164446030.jpgIMG_20250625_164504896.jpgIMG_20250625_163151726.jpg
You happy with it? Hard to tell in the photos, but the rough tiller looks pretty close. Congrats!
Quote from: beachbowhunter on June 25, 2025, 07:27:46 PMYou happy with it? Hard to tell in the photos, but the rough tiller looks pretty close. Congrats!
Tiller is a 1/4" negative, I can't swap limbs because I had to compensate for a mistake. To bad would have been right on. So I'm standing the top limb front and back to achieve tiller. Once the tiller is done it will be time to balance the limbs. I'm learning a lot and it's a hoot. When this project is completed I want to build a set of 60" limbs for this same riser. But a bunch of Patagonia rosewood just showed up so maby a whole nother bow. Thanks for the input I appreciate it was stuck more than once. :pray:
Are you hook8ng that baby on a peg and watching the limbs as you draw it? If she is slightly twisting one way or the other, just deepen the string groove on the side it's twisting towards a bit. Judging by the photo it's pretty close right now, but not there yet.... Let's see your tip overlays when finished. Kirk
Tiller is neutral now, as Kirk mentioned both limbs are not perfectly straight ,they are favoring the same side on both so I will deepen the nock groove's as suggested. One thing im not crazy about is my pressure strip which was pretty well used put little marks in the limbs which will need to be sanded out.pic is a little wonky.IMG_20250626_091512735.jpgIMG_20250626_092329773.jpg
Bottom limb looks good, top limb looks stiff on the left side. String is tracking center. How to deal with that top limb on the left?
A better shot
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Thanks to the seasoned bowyers who offered their time and experience. These are the last pictures I will post until the final sand and finish. Target weight was 50 at 28. Kenny was spot on with the lams thanks for the excellent service! Thanks all for looking it was a fun project and made me realize what a bargain a professional bowyer is offering their customers. Also made me realize what a bargain a used bow is.
Pretty cool!
The flash makes it look glossy but it's matte.
Turned out nice, buddy!
:thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup:
Got to shoot it at the Michigan Bowhunters rendezvous!
Update: after doing some shooting some changes were needed. The distance from the throat of the grip to the finger overlay was to thick. The radius for the web of the hand was to small . Also cut a 1/4" off the belly side of the riser. Still thinking about removing more material from the area between the throat of the grip and the arrow shelf.
Like the way the lams show in grip, and agree the radius would need bigger for my paws.
That would bring arrow closer to hand which I like also...
Good work! :thumbsup: :thumbsup: