Anyone have any idea where I could get Micarta in a big enough piece for a take-down riser?


I am thinking of trying my hand at making a "short--and I do mean short...as anywhere from 40-46"" takedown recurve and I thought that this would be a good, solid, duarable and heavy enough material for a riser.

I need something I can shoot straight off the ground sitting where the tips do not drag, I have two 54" bows and while alot of yas may think that is "short" it is still a bit too long for a guy who has to hunt on the ground or a wheelchair--long story if ya got the time. I missed an opportunity at a nice buck this year because I could not get the bow situated where it was not dragging the ground or getting hung up in brush. Makes me wish I had shot the doe that was 5 feet away instead...lol!!

Also, is there anywhere that I can get some templates for recurve limbs that I could adapt that I could get to work within such parameters?

I am open to any suggestions or ideas.

Thanks!

Hardcore Harry
Sgt. U.S. Army Retired
82nd Airborne

Couple more questions

How hard is micarta to work with? Any special tools required?


Anyone have experience building a bow with it?


Hardcore Harry

You can get just about any size blocks you want from Old Master Crafters. They'll even grind a gluing surface on them for ya.

It's not too bad to work with. Cuts with a bandsaw and wood cutting blade just fine and grinds just like a hard wood.

You want the linen base stuff.

Thanks Charlie!


Hardcore Harry

Old Master Crafters only has Micarta up to 5/8" thick. He no longer carries it any thicker because of the lack of people wanting it. I called a few weeks ago and asked about it. I am looking for a piece also. I e-mailed Bob Morrison but haven't gotten a reply.

That won't do for anything outside of knife handles and pistol grips.


=hangs head=

I was all set to hive them a ring on Monday morning.


Ok back to googling.


Hardcore Harry

hardcore, i think i can help you, what coior and how long??? i think all i can get is brown or black, there is a place here in town i have bought from before, here is one i made from a piece of black   harold

Glue several layers together.  You can add another color into the center layer that way.
ChuckC

QuoteOriginally posted by shaft slinger:
hardcore, i think i can help you, what coior and how long??? i think all i can get is brown or black, there is a place here in town i have bought from before, here is one i made from a piece of black   harold

As the bow I want to build is going to be "short" I am thinking that it will have to be near or at 45 degrees at the handle.  Right off hand I am guessing perhaps 14-18inches square or around abouts. An angle section of 4 inches wide by 14" from the center ought to do it...what thickness do you think you can get? (in other words an equal "L" shape)

Colors...a forest green , brown, black or any earth tone will do.

Hardcore Harry

QuoteOriginally posted by ChuckC:
Glue several layers together.  You can add another color into the center layer that way.
ChuckC

Hmmm...that could be a possibility as well.

Thanks!

Hardcore Harry

QuoteOriginally posted by shaft slinger:
 

Lovely bow! I see the possibilites now.

Who made that?

Hardcore Harry

i made it

Hardcore, if you use straight Micarta try to through a peice of glass as an inlay (accent stripe) Micarta tends to be somewhat soft and flexable. You dont want a riser to be flexable at all. By putting the glass inlay it will stiffen up your riser greatly.

Adam,
what kind of micarta are you using???
 i have used a lot of linen and even paper in bow risers and never found any to be soft and flexable.
  the reason i don.t use it more ofton is it is too hard to work with.    Harold

Harold, over all Micarta is more flexible than glass, so to get the most out of performance glass is way better. I was told this by O.L.
Just like Diamondwood is way more brittle then your typical hard woods. but we still use it. I am sure if Harry were to build a riser out of straight Micarta the riser would pretty stiff. But not as stiff as glass or with a glass inlay. I hope I didnt confuse any one. I alsot confused myself. HA HA HA

I know what you meen by it being way to hard to work with and glass is easier work with but you get wat to itchy.

Adam, what glass are you using in the riser? are you puting limb glass in or is there some thing else you are talking aboutand if so where do you get it.
   i would like to try some       thanks      Harold

Not limb glass but the accent glass from bingham. I have gotten it 1/8 thick before and it is next to impossible to bend. I did and accent stripe in a bow that was 1/8" glass - 1/4" Micarta - 1/8" glass. This accent was so hard to bend but looked real nice when it was finished.