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Main Boards => The Bowyer's Bench => Topic started by: BUCK-EYE on July 20, 2013, 04:50:00 PM

Title: cutting in sight window and shelf
Post by: BUCK-EYE on July 20, 2013, 04:50:00 PM
how high past center line on the center of the handle do you cut the shelf in at? also how far past center do you cut and how high do you cut the sight window,
it is a one piece recurve 64". thanks
Title: Re: cutting in sight window and shelf
Post by: jsweka on July 20, 2013, 10:15:00 PM
There's probably no hard and fast rules and depends on the bow and riser design.  

On the longbows I build my shelf is 1 3/4 above the center of the bow, 1/8 out from center, and I really don't know how high the sight window is.  I just eyeball it and rasp away until it looks good.  Now obviously you want to leave plenty of the fade out full width.
Title: Re: cutting in sight window and shelf
Post by: bigbob2 on July 21, 2013, 04:21:00 AM
Like John I cut mine in 1 3/4 above center, but only an arrow width in depth, unless the buyer specifies a deeper shelf.Same again as john with the shelf, eyeball 'til it looks right.
Title: Re: cutting in sight window and shelf
Post by: D on July 21, 2013, 07:18:00 PM
I cut mine 1 1/4 above center and cut to center but by the time I file and sand it up.  Its probably a little bit past.
Title: Re: cutting in sight window and shelf
Post by: LittleBen on July 22, 2013, 11:40:00 AM
I cut mine so the shelf is 1" above center.

I usually cut mine just to center as a precautionary measure. I think you can go a bit past center if you want as long as you have a deep sight window say 2.5".

I cut the sight window vertical as hgih as I can go, and fade it back into full width using the 3" drum of a spindle sander or the round end of the belt sander to define the curve. Making sure that the sight window gets back to full width before it fades to less than 1.75" thick roughly.

Hope that makes sense.
Title: Re: cutting in sight window and shelf
Post by: chackworth3 on July 22, 2013, 02:17:00 PM
I go 1 1/8" above center and 1/8" past center.  2 3/4" sight window.  With the strike plate and rest it takes it to almost back to center and about 1 1/4" above.
Title: Re: cutting in sight window and shelf
Post by: BUCK-EYE on July 22, 2013, 08:54:00 PM
thanks guys! been away for awhile.
Title: Re: cutting in sight window and shelf
Post by: Dan Bonner on July 23, 2013, 10:14:00 AM
Is it built on 1.5" or 1.75" lams? You can cut deeper shelves if the bow is wider. I cut my shelves 1" above center as I like the shelf to be just a tad above the hand. You have to be careful though so that when you radius the shelf it doesn't dip below the level of the bow hand. I generally cut at least 1/8" past center.  I like to keep a minimum of 5/8" of thickness at the shelf but I reinforce all 1 pc shelves with 1/8" phenolic to allow a deeper cut. The sight window can be cut however you want. On my short bows they may be only 1.5". On a longer bow I may cut them to 5". It doesn't have much effect on durability or performance.

Bonner
Title: Re: cutting in sight window and shelf
Post by: Pete W on July 23, 2013, 11:44:00 PM
I like to shoot it off my knuckle at diferent places and let the bow tell me where to cut the shelf.