2025 What did you do Today

[Watsonjay]

Try to build my first 3-piece longbow. Started with a Kennym design, shortened the riser, laid the limb pads back a few degrees. It is a 14" riser black limba and katalox with wenge I-beam. Limbs are 26" with 7 1/4" wedge and 5 in tip wedges. I have no idea what the draw will be or if the limbs and limb angles will work well. Its .202 at the end of the limb wedges with a .002 taper bamboo core and .040 glass.


Any guesses on draw weight. Will cook up other limb tomorrow.

[Kirkll]

Are you putting those silicone heat strips right on top of your glass?

[Watsonjay]

Yes after the glass is taped and then wrapped in plastic. Form-pressure strip-heat strip-plastic-tape-glass-core wood-Glass-tape-plastic-heat strip-pressure strip-air hose.

[Kirkll]

Yes after the glass is taped and then wrapped in plastic. Form-pressure strip-heat strip-plastic-tape-glass-core wood-Glass-tape-plastic-heat strip-pressure strip-air hose.

Just a suggestion.... But you might want to eliminate the masking tape completely. Just wipe the glass clean with lacquer thinner, then wrap in plastic. You will thank me for that... trust me....  The 3 mil painters plastic is best. Much better than that thin sandwich wrap plastic. I use minimal masking tape later after them limbs are ready to mount for layout.

Then when loading in the form put the steel pressure strips over the plastic wrapped glass, then the heat strip, and then cover the heat strip with a piece of Formica before putting the air hose over it. Your silicone heat strips will last longer this way..... But NEVER just use the hose on top of the heat strip. You'll kill your heat strip very quickly doing that. Those things are pretty fragile in general. Be very careful with the part of the strips that stick out of the end of your form when using them. I ruined a lot of them years ago.  I also ruined them using a heat probe trying to keep the right temp going. Try and keep your temp between 160-180 for 30-40 minutes. Clear glass getting over 200 degrees will cause air bubbles.

Food for thought....

[Watsonjay]

Yes after the glass is taped and then wrapped in plastic. Form-pressure strip-heat strip-plastic-tape-glass-core wood-Glass-tape-plastic-heat strip-pressure strip-air hose.

Just a suggestion.... But you might want to eliminate the masking tape completely. Just wipe the glass clean with lacquer thinner, then wrap in plastic. You will thank me for that... trust me....  The 3 mil painters plastic is best. Much better than that thin sandwich wrap plastic. I use minimal masking tape later after them limbs are ready to mount for layout.

Then when loading in the form put the steel pressure strips over the plastic wrapped glass, then the heat strip, and then cover the heat strip with a piece of Formica before putting the air hose over it. Your silicone heat strips will last longer this way..... But NEVER just use the hose on top of the heat strip. You'll kill your heat strip very quickly doing that. Those things are pretty fragile in general. Be very careful with the part of the strips that stick out of the end of your form when using them. I ruined a lot of them years ago.  I also ruined them using a heat probe trying to keep the right temp going. Try and keep your temp between 160-180 for 30-40 minutes. Clear glass getting over 200 degrees will cause air bubbles.

Food for thought....

Kirkl, Thank you. I dont think Ive ever cooked a bow over 165. Im still too heavy handed with the epoxy to not ise tape but too afraid to not use enough epoxy

[B-JS]

I'm getting some Orders done.
ILF Risers.

And i Upgraded my vice.
The old self-centering one was a bit inkonsistent.

[Kirkll]

Wow! That is some pretty strange looking ILF millwork. What's it look like with limbs on it?

Cool looking hardware though.

[B-JS]

Wow! That is some pretty strange looking ILF millwork. What's it look like with limbs on it?

Cool looking hardware though.

I got 2 Options.
One with big Pockets, that completely integrate the Limbs into the Riser.
And this, showing Off the limb and the Hardware.

This one has a more aggressive and bulky Form.
But Limbpad and Hardware are the Same.

[Kirkll]

I like the shape of your limb design ....interesting riser shape.

[B-JS]

I like the shape of your limb design ....interesting riser shape.

Thx.
Limbs have a pretty serious Recurve, similar to Uukhas.

The Riser Design results Off keeping IT simpel and having Deflex for a forgiving Shot and good Balance.

Still playing around with the final Design.

Small Changes have huge Impact on the Look.

[Kirkll]

I just cut out a Myrtlewood riser block from a chunk i dug out of my wood pile this am. This should make a pretty cool looking bow.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/WgToqsKULj5kTaQ9A

[Watsonjay]

Those sturgeon skins look awesome on there!

After dealing with the furnace acting up today I got a little work done on a snaky Osage stave. After cleaning up it's a little narrow and the handle area is quite small. So I shaped out a piece of cherry to somewhat match up then gave it a boil before tightly clamping into place. Tomorrow I'll get it glued up. Once it dried I'll glue a belly side block to thicken up the handle a bit more before I start tillering. There are still a few cracks that need attention before tillering. But it looks better than I expected it to before digging in

Kyle

Beauty. It always amazes me a stick like ghat will shoot