Been turning 'em out like clockwork the past few months and that got me to thinking on what I like the most and what I don't like the most on building a bow. I like taking the first shot alot, but if it's someone else' bow its the look on their face when they shoot it. I really dislike filing/finishing nocks. Takes too long and I really just want to shoot it! How 'bout you?
I like shaping the riser and launching the first arrow.
Dave.
I really like the first time I clean the glue off the sides of the riser and rub some denatured alcohol or acetone on it to bring out the color in the wood. I like shaping the riser and tips but hate trying to blend the riser overlays. Seems to take me so long. I've never done a selfbow but I like the tillering part of a boo backed bow. Until it lifts a splinter..lol that part I hate.
Well I don't care much for splitting the trunk into staves, didn't realize all those years splitting firewood as a kid that I was in training. But love to see stave stash starting to grow. But I love to head out back and search for next tree to try, I do a lot more looking than cutting.
Debarking and hauling the fresh cut log out of the woods are my least favorite. Putting on the the finish and watching the grain come to life is the best for me.
Stringing a bow for the first time when the riser is still a block. It gives me the willies. You never know how heavy it will turn out, whether the tiller will be a mess or if a limb will blow!
Probably the most tedious process for me is getting my riser to match perfectly to my form with absolutely no light coming through. Back and forth from sander to form...sander to form until I get the perfect fit.
I like the anticipation of planning and laying the bow out, especially if it's a design I haven't tried. If it works out and it's a nice shooter, then I love every part of the process. But if it splinters or frets or takes a lot of set, well, that's the part I really hate. :mad: :)
Likes are cleaning after glue up, first stringing and shaping riser
Hates are preparing the riser (fitting back and thinning fades) and finish sanding.
(I`m not a big fan of glueing and applying finish as well)
But the very best is shooting the first arrow...
The worst for me is back and forth between the Sander and the form to get the riser just right the best is spraying the first coat and seeing all the colors pop! Joe
By far, the part I dislike the most is spraying the finish. I don't mind the sanding and prep work, but I suck at spraying the finish, seems it almost always takes several attempts, with lots of sanding between coats, before I get a passable finish. Not a good finish, just barely passable.
I really enjoy most every other aspect of the bow building process but a couple stand out. Chasing the last couple of growth rings on an Osage stave is super relaxing. Watching the first time bowyer stalk the final tiller on their new bow and the look on their face when they shoot their first arrow with it.
No hate. Nothing but love... beginning to end. I'm having trouble even isolating a 'favorite' part.
No hate. Nothing but love... beginning to end. I'm having trouble even isolating a 'favorite' part.
The part I hate the most is also the same part that I love. Tillering. I love it because you start seeing your bow come to life. I hate it because that's where it usually dies as well!!
Hate dealing with tapering the limb sides. Keeping everything matched and having those glass slivers sticking your fingers and hands is a pain.
Love the final sanding and applying finish. Seeing the final results come to life brings a smile.
Not a fan of limb tips, mostly the string groves keeping them even. I like the shaping process of the riser and limbs. Putting on a finish that is flawless.(not often).
I just pulled one out of the oven this morning and was reminded of the clean up process and all the crazy sharp edges produced from the excess glue. I almost always get at least one irritating little cut...including this morning!
My favorite part is the final sanding before finish and after all tweeks to tiller are finished. The bow shoots sweet, there's a nice soft touch to freshly sanded wood, it's the part where I connect with the bow (or don't...)
Least favorite is hard to isolate, but some of the things that are in the running would include sanding the sides down on a glass bow, watching a self bow come in below weight again, waiting for wood to dry, waiting for the finish to dry, and making strings.
Ahh, now I remember my least favorite: the discussions with my wife about why I am making another bow, when I'm going to fit her projects in, etc.
My least favorite part is harvesting a tree in summer and sweating like a hog......it's just plain old hard work.
I think my favorite part is putting on that first coat of finish and watching the wood come to life. Shooting the finished product is pretty sweet top.
My favorite and least favorite is shaping the grip. I don't have a set pattern but just shape and sand and feel and look and sand and so on until I get it just right, but I never know when that will be until finished.
Troy,
When you going to open the finish shop? :saywhat:
I will give an "AMEN" to what canopyboy said x2! Heard that again not 5 minutes ago......I love you dear.
My favorite part is shaping the riser and tips where you just get lost in it. The most tedious part is lining up the limbs and riser on a 3pc recurve, checking, double checking, triple checking, then double checking my triple check. Always a bit nervous when I have that drill press handle in my hand and ready to start blowing holes in it, the point of no return.
I despise shaping the handle to fit the curves on a bbo r/d type bow. ...Ben showed me a way around that which I'm forever thankful for.
..course this part makes me cringe a bit too...
(http://i748.photobucket.com/albums/xx121/Zradix/trilam%202/Sawwindow.jpg)
Favorite part...? hhmm Love shooting after I get the grip roughed in and I can feel the bow is well tuned for the 1st time.
Honestly...my favorite part may well be the planning.. ie..which type of woods...what thickness and taper..how to set up the jig..what type of stain..practicing the stain technique..etc.
Most if not all of the process is enjoyable from start to end. Picking out the stave, I like the early tillering-I do that with my bandsaw and it usually goes well and is fun to do. The tillering with scrapers and rasps, and that spoke shave thing, that can go on for days and weeks, that's OK too but sometimes becomes a bit tedious. My fav is the satisfaction of hitting weight and shooting.
I hate paying for materials! When I started building several years ago I could easily build one for about $125.00. Glass was 8 bucks a strip. Now I can easily invest over $200 per bow. More than that if I get real fancy.
Finished up a bow for me today. Getting out and lettin' arrows fly is also definitely at the top of the like list. Aw heck, it's all on the top of the like list!
i dislike string grooves. because i suck at it.
favorite part is bow layout
My least favorite part is coaxing out the last inch of draw. My most favorite is fina sanding and "fussing". Jawge
My least favorite part is missing poundage when a limb is stiff, doesn't move with repeated scraping then goes limp unexpectedly the next time you flex it. Started new bows for people a bunch of times because of this happening.
I hate maintance, cleaning the shop, changing saw blades, planer blades, sand paper and building strings. I really like building forms for a new design. building risers, cutting and tapering lams and the actual assembly of the bow. I hate waiting for the bow to cure in the hot box. I shape the limbs, string the bow and check the tiller before I ever index the bow. The best part is to feel the bow come alive during the first shot.
The most favorite part is shaping the riser and fling the first arrows with a new bow. I don't like to sand the tips until I' m happy with it. And the worst of all is building arrows, I hate it.
__________
Andy
Not a fan of choosing what wood combinations will go with each other , but the part I like best is making jigs to make things go faster .
Ralph, I get caught up making jigs as I do a bow also! I love making stuff, especially things to make bow building easier and more fun with each one I build. Got a bocote kennym bow on my mind now.
I REALLY hate blending in overlays to the limb. :mad: Someday I hope to improve to really,really,really suck at it.
i hate the bow breaking bit at the end! :D
It depends on the kind of bow I'm making. If it's a fiberglass bow, my favourite part is taking the masking tape off after glue up and roughing out. I like seeing how the wood looks under the glass for the first time.
My least favourite part is glue up. It always stresses me out a little.
For a self-bow, I like the whole thing. I guess the thing I like the lease is cutting the nocks. My favourite part is tillering it.
For a bamboo backed bow or other type of composite bow, I guess my least favourite part is flattening the bamboo, and my favourite part is dying it, or if I don't dye it, then my favourite part is tillering it.
See... I love all that stuff, even the stuff you guys hate.
QuoteOriginally posted by Bowjunkie:
See... I love all that stuff, even the stuff you guys hate.
Maybe hate is the wrong word??? :dunno: Maybe in my case it should be worded.......what do you really,really,really,really suck at :)