Trad Gang

Main Boards => PowWow => Topic started by: sswv on August 31, 2008, 04:01:00 PM

Title: ?? reducing bow weight ??
Post by: sswv on August 31, 2008, 04:01:00 PM
I have a 58" one piece recurve that I really wish was a few pounds lighter. It is black glass back and belly. My question(s) to the experts are:

1. sand just the back ?
2. sand just the belly ?
3. sand both back and belly ?
4. sand the edges ?
5. sand everywhere ?

AND, sand from where to where?

thanks in advance
Title: Re: ?? reducing bow weight ??
Post by: JimB on August 31, 2008, 05:06:00 PM
And,how much weight can be taken off-realistically?
Title: Re: ?? reducing bow weight ??
Post by: sswv on August 31, 2008, 10:18:00 PM
WOW...I thought there would be at least one page of answers/advice by now.  come on gang...help a brother out.

 :confused:
Title: Re: ?? reducing bow weight ??
Post by: Hot Hap on September 01, 2008, 03:47:00 AM
ttt
Title: Re: ?? reducing bow weight ??
Post by: tg2nd on September 01, 2008, 03:52:00 AM
As far as I know you have to sand the edges of the belly from riser to tip and you'll loose around 3#.
BUT: be carefull you can destroy the bow!! Better go to a bowyer. Just my 2 cents.
Title: Re: ?? reducing bow weight ??
Post by: freeman on September 01, 2008, 09:51:00 AM
You DON"T want to sand the belly or back. That's all I know. Post this over in the bowyers forum and someone that knows what they're doing should be able to help you out.
Title: Re: ?? reducing bow weight ??
Post by: James Wrenn on September 01, 2008, 10:43:00 AM
Danny on a bow that short if you need to lose much weight at all you would be better selling it and getting a lighter one.It is easy to get the limbs all twisted on a short recurve and you can't get rid of much weight without a bigger risk.jmo
Title: Re: ?? reducing bow weight ??
Post by: sswv on September 01, 2008, 03:47:00 PM
but James!   I like this one soooo much. LOL  it can't be all that hard to get a few pounds off a glass bow now can it??
Title: Re: ?? reducing bow weight ??
Post by: James Wrenn on September 01, 2008, 04:14:00 PM
Trade it for one just like it a little lighter and you will like it sooo much more.  :D
Title: Re: ?? reducing bow weight ??
Post by: sswv on September 01, 2008, 05:55:00 PM
or just keep it and eat more Wheaties!    :biglaugh:
Title: Re: ?? reducing bow weight ??
Post by: Dave Worden on September 02, 2008, 03:28:00 PM
You can sand the belly and take weight off, but it takes a LOT of sanding to remove much weight.  I made a 39# bow that I wanted to be 35#.  I quit sanding at 37# 'cause I was just tired of sanding it.  You'll need to sand evenly, both limbs, from one end to the other.  You've got to watch the tiller as you go.  Too much off in one place and you'll get a hinge (i.e. you'll wreck the bow).  You can take a lot of weight off in a hurry by taking material off the edges of the limbs.  If you need a lot off, that's the way to go BUT it's even easier to wreck the bow.  In a nutshell, you can do what you want (take the weight off) but you have be very careful and constantly check the tiller, just like you'd do if you were making a bow from scratch.  Much EASIER to buy a new one or trade.  Much more SATISFYING to rework it yourself!
Title: Re: ?? reducing bow weight ??
Post by: Bjorn on September 02, 2008, 03:59:00 PM
If you like the bow have a bowyer do it! They do not charge nearly as much as they should-get it done right!
Title: Re: ?? reducing bow weight ??
Post by: sagebrush on September 02, 2008, 06:35:00 PM
Or you could shoot more. I shot a bow I thought was on the heavy side for me. I shot 3-4 times a week. After about 2 months the bow felt on the light side. Gary
Title: Re: ?? reducing bow weight ??
Post by: Ted on September 02, 2008, 09:16:00 PM
I agree, you aren't going to take much weight off by sanding and run the risk of just messing things up.  Further, Jack Harrison says in his book that sanding for weight reduction diminishes the integrity of the glass.  If I recall correctly he says that bows of the same style with the only difference being one was sanded a couple pounds into weight vs. the other without sanding to hit weight had very different performance characteristics.

I've sanded several "into weight" and haven't noticed much of a performance difference my self, but I'm just a novice hobbyist.
Title: Re: ?? reducing bow weight ??
Post by: whossbows on September 02, 2008, 09:44:00 PM
i took 5 lbs off from one of mine just the other day,sanded each side ,did not touch the back or belly,,still shoots fine,i used a straight edge and marked the width of a worn out sharpie,sanded the lines away,didnt hurt the tiller any either,,
Title: Re: ?? reducing bow weight ??
Post by: Mike Mecredy on September 02, 2008, 10:24:00 PM
I've reduced a few recurves.  It can be done with a bench sander and tapering the limb profiles evenly from the fades to the tips.  Additionally you can bevel the edged of the limbs along it's full length.  I've reduced recurves as much as 5# but could have gone further if I needed to.
Title: Re: ?? reducing bow weight ??
Post by: sswv on September 02, 2008, 10:35:00 PM
thanks for all the advice gang!  I just finished the bow today. set the tiller exactly how I wanted it while reducing the right amount of weight all by sanding the edges. simple as pie. I now know a dial caliper sure comes in handy for more that setting up racing clutches. LOL

thanks again
Title: Re: ?? reducing bow weight ??
Post by: JimB on September 02, 2008, 10:48:00 PM
So how much weight did you end up knocking off?
Title: Re: ?? reducing bow weight ??
Post by: sswv on September 02, 2008, 11:19:00 PM
2#s Jim! Setting the tiller even made for a much smoother split finger draw so the 2#s was just right. Getting a couple more #s would be really easy but I'm very satisfied like it is.
Title: Re: ?? reducing bow weight ??
Post by: GRINCH on September 02, 2008, 11:43:00 PM
If you truly like this bow send it to a bowyer to have the weight reduced,don't take a chance on ruining the bow by doing it yourself.
Title: Re: ?? reducing bow weight ??
Post by: hera on September 03, 2008, 05:37:00 AM
2#
IS OK.
Title: Re: ?? reducing bow weight ??
Post by: Ted on September 03, 2008, 07:49:00 AM
Yeah, 2# is easy - I assumed you were talkin' like 10 or more.  I don't think I could even tell a 2# difference practically - you're more precise than I am.  Glad you got it where you want it.