Do you guys I-beam footed risers?
I typically dont because the footing seems to add plenty of strength, but would like to hear other people's thoughts on this.
You are probably correct with a footing supplying enough strength to most risers, even if you are just using straight accent lines and laminating the riser. But... there are different shapes of risers that benefit using an I- beam over a footing. But in heavy draw weights can still flex the riser.
Type of wood use, and grain configuration can also mitigate the need. In some cases using a dense micarta or G-10 I beam can add unbelievable strength and also add mass weight which is desirable to many. For aesthetic reasons some prefer the looks of an I-beam, and others prefer the footing. I have used both in some cases and offset a thinner G-10 I-beam in a footed riser block to maintain a no flex riser, and still have the footing. See the photos below. Both of these have hidden I beams
https://photos.app.goo.gl/HNKRpPmPuJnVhxWw5
Those stripes look great but are way more trouble than I care to do.
Quote from: Crooked Stic on April 23, 2026, 05:34:15 PMThose stripes look great but are way more trouble than I care to do.
I haven't done any mosaic accent lines in years, and rarely get an order for them. You're right... they are a chore to lay up the blocks and rip them , then sand em. A lot of work in those damn things.
I charge $100 for them now, and don't have many takers.
Quote from: Kirkll on April 23, 2026, 11:12:53 PMQuote from: Crooked Stic on April 23, 2026, 05:34:15 PMThose stripes look great but are way more trouble than I care to do.
I haven't done any mosaic accent lines in years, and rarely get an order for them. You're right... they are a chore to lay up the blocks and rip them , then sand em. A lot of work in those damn things.
I charge $100 for them now, and don't have many takers.
I just spent the last few nights building these .... I said i wouldnt do it again the last time lol.I enjoy it ! 👍
Quote from: chefrvitale on April 23, 2026, 01:16:01 PMDo you guys I-beam footed risers?
I typically dont because the footing seems to add plenty of strength, but would like to hear other people's thoughts on this.
I think of this quite often when iam building a bow close to 50# and up.... Most of my bows are below fifty , iam building this one right now it will be 47# and i wonder if i should of added an ibeam I do add a lam of glass to the back of the riser with my wood laminations 🤷.
Looks great nice work!
Quote from: Bryan Adolphe on April 26, 2026, 01:09:12 AMQuote from: chefrvitale on April 23, 2026, 01:16:01 PMDo you guys I-beam footed risers?
I typically dont because the footing seems to add plenty of strength, but would like to hear other people's thoughts on this.
I think of this quite often when iam building a bow close to 50# and up.... Most of my bows are below fifty , iam building this one right now it will be 47# and i wonder if i should of added an ibeam I do add a lam of glass to the back of the riser with my wood laminations 🤷.
I often wrap that radius back riser design with linen phenolic that extends the full length and covers th3 limb pads. I dont much like having glass on the limb pads. The stuff has a tendency to split to easily. But I've used the Gordon's "core tough" woven glass before. I think they also called that stuff "UniWeft" I haven't bought any in years, but still hav3 some. Bingham's used to sell it for core stability. It Added too much weight to the limb for my liking.
That riser should be fine wrapped with overlays on the back like that.
When I designed my footing jig layout, I wanted the end of the footing lines coming into the limb pad, and always cap those with phenolic. That way I could shape the back of the riser to an S shape if I wanted without compromising the strength. You do NOT want any grain run out on the back of that riser exposed. That's a time bomb doing that. That S shape riser is what I call a "Flair" shape. The ones like yours are what I call a "Radius" back design.