Just got back from Nixa about 4:30 PM. What a great trip.
First I want to say thanks to Scott Peterson, SWP here on TG for stopping by and doin a bit of "visiten" while we were there.
As I said in my "Trip to Nixa" thread, I had some ideas about what I wanted to order and wanted to talk with the guys about it and I wanted to put my hand on a "Toby" grip. I did all of that. I shot several bows.. adds to the confusion and certainly makes you start playing with different wood ideas.
I stayed true to my thoughts. I have ordered a PL II 64" 45# @ 28" with a LAG grip, a slightly larger shelf and black fiberglass things like the bamboo laser things. For those of you that I have PM'ed or emailed about grips, well, we were writing the order for a standard grip which I was going to do my own custom job on when Roger says, "Hey, let me run upstairs and get a LAG grip for you to look at." OK, I say. This may be the closest grip to what I am looking for I have found. It will likely still take a bit of "Custom by Bruce" to get it exact but hey... its my bow.
That being said, I am now thinking of calling back and seeing if they can do that grip in a TD model.... I can never make a decision.
OK... the next PL I order (already thinking there) will be a 66" birds eye maple... God, they had one in the rack and I almost fainted. Sweeeeeeeettt was the word.
While I was there Roger had to have taken at least 3 bow orders plus a bunch of phone calls, John was busy boxing bows to ship and Toby showed up in time to help a young man who got his first bow, an SA II, for Christmas with some arrows. While the young man was working with Toby his Mom told my wife that she thought she would like to try this stuff so Marilyn jumped into teach mode and spent at least an hour with the Mom. I told Roger that should be worth a discount... LOL
Marilyn and I were treated to a tour of the plant although no work was being done. The place is spotless. We got to see "Millie" and "Willie" the two "precision" milling machines, the lay up area, the paint room and weight area. Its way cool..
All in all, this was a great trip. It took me five hours to drive over there and I would do it again in a heart beat.
Now all I have to do is make a decision on the TD thing and make a phone call.... Oh, Lord give me guidance
The bows on "the wall" are something to behold. You name the grip, length, poundage and virtually the wood and they have one hanging there for you to try.
This is the best bunch of guys to deal with.
My brother has a LAG, how is the PL grip different?
Hermon:
The current PL grip is more like a traditional LD (D Shape) thinner and with little palm
Nice!!!!
get the t/d, one trip involving airlines will pay for the t/d modest charge. I flew to Sask bear hunting and the airline charged $80 extra each way for my long bow....
Joe: Those are my thoughts... Acctually, my wife, the design expert, thinks the TD system is cool... she could not get over how they do it...
Should not be a problem to get the LAG grip on a TD. All you have to do is dare Toby to do it!
They are the best long bows. I have 2 take downs love them
Nirvana ... Nixa .... Not much difference. Glad yur trip was a good one.
Those Widows sure are nice. Enjoy that new bow.
Get the TD :thumbsup: .
Thanks guys... I am very pleased with my current Widows and would find it hard to change.
This PL thing has become a bit of an addiction now.
DT, yea. When Roger brought the grip sample down stairs and I played with it Toby was makin arrows for the young man I mentioned. Roger asked and Toby just said ... yep!
As I said in the top post, I think I will still need to do a little to it but..... and I am getting the TD.
Want an excuse to go back Bruce...... I bet Widow has the equipment to do this.... It is called digitizing. They would take your current bow with the grip you like and basically run the digitizer over it like a tracer. This will generate a CNC program and duplicate your grip digitally, exact copy.They would then exact mill your grip with this CNC program on "Millie", or "Willie". Would save you a lot of time and you would get an exact copy of your grip. If you left now you could get there before they close, haha !!! How bout that Tulip wood Bruce ? Did you get to see it ? My weakness is Maccassar Ebony, Gaboon Ebony and Cocobolo. The combo of cocos deep wine red and the contrast of the black ebony knocks me out ! Hope you remembered to thank Roger for me, again he took great pains with me when I was getting started in trad. Sure do like the Widder crew, they be some fine folks !
Thanks for the report Bruce! Sounds like you had a very good and productive time!
I've never been to the facility, I'm not even quite sure where Nixa is (the Aussie in my GPS can find it though). The way I'm drawn to new bows just looking at pictures on this site, I would be in big trouble if I actually strolled through a place like that.
Bruce,
It was nice to meet you and Marilyn. Glad you guys had a fun and safe trip. Oh and it is Parson not Peterson but I will answer to about anything. :)
Bowwild,
Nixa is just south of Springfield, about 5 miles, on Hwy 160 or north of Branson about 30 miles.
Jimmy:
yea, we talked about that. I did have my PLX with me and we all looked at it. This LAG grip is about 80% of my grip except for some meat in the palm area. I can build that in myself and make it a custom hand fit via un hardened material for a fit....
As to the Tulip wood. I think it looks great but not for me. I must be entering my minimalist stage. The greybark with the glass overlays is gonna look cool. I really fell in love with that maple bow but it was not what I wanted this time.
We got to see a bunch of the veneer strips. They were mind blowing..... I am a wood freak and I was drooling.....
Scott: sorry, fumble fingers... People do my last name wrong all the time
Bowwild: Your wood background would have had you drooling as I was. Oh yea, what ever happened to those phone calls. I could have used that discount.
You are right. I would need to go with you and tie you to a board, take your credit cards and wheel you in like Hannibal Lector.