Just watched Stalker's entire bowbuilding film (which is excellent) and see that he uses a table-saw to square up his limbs. Does anyone else do this? What blade do you use for this? Looks like a great way to square up the limbs.
I use a jig I made to send them (TD limbs) through my drum sander. I can get them perfectly square and the same width. I use the table saw to trim the limbs to profile before sanding.. A cheap carbide contractor's blade works well for glass.
I was thinking of building one on my drum sander as well. I'd like to see how you use the table saw to shape your limbs. Thanks for the reply.
QuoteOriginally posted by Standswittaknife:
Just watched Stalker's entire bowbuilding film (which is excellent) and see that he uses a table-saw to square up his limbs. Does anyone else do this? What blade do you use for this? Looks like a great way to square up the limbs.
give us a link to that film
Thanks
Mark,
Here is a link to the bow build. I use a marathon blade on the table saw to cut the limbs. I'll bet I've cut at least 75 pairs of limbs on the blade that is currently on the saw now. They last quite a while. Also, on the new mule deer DVD I just put out, the bow build is on the bonus features. Might be more convenient than streaming it for some of you guys. The DVD is currently shipping, $15 + $4 for postage.
http://www.stalkerstickbows.com/stalker-films/
Nice bow build
Your bow build is an exceptionally entertaining video and well-done. I am grateful to you for posting it.
However, the notion of making not only freehand cuts with a table saw, but freehand cuts with the workpiece held off the table... well, that scares the hell out of me. It does not seem like something the typical saw owner should attempt.
Cootling, it isn't the safest thing to be doing and if it seems at all uncomfortable, it is better to find a different way to accomplish the job. I've been using tablesaws almost my whole life and am pretty comfortable working around them. The video was not intended to be a how-to, but rather a "this is how I do it".
I too use a table saw on several of my models. I use a thin kerf blade with no pitch to the blade. The same blade has sawed out maybe 2500 bows, it doesnt look to good and a couple of the carbide teeth are missing, it smokes a lot when I get in to the handle section but I've used it for close to 30 years and it keeps working ...Tim