I was shooting a hoyt excel riser set up but I wanted a heavier set of limbs this year and that riser won't tolerate much over 45 well. So off it went and I had to decide what riser to replace it with. I have been wanting a fun project anyway so I decided to convert an old black bear compound into a nice shooting recurve. Mind you none of this is new and many of the ideas I used for finishing I got from other build alongs. However I have not seen many of these here so I figured I would share. So here we go. Step one was to find the correct bow at the correct price.
A tip here is that if you have the seller strip off the limbs you'll save yourself a lot in shipping
Next I had to get all that old ugly paint off. It's tuff stuff kinda like a duracoat so mineral spirits won't touch it. This stuff from the auto parts store worked like a champ.
Here it is all stripped. Remember to always always degrease after every step and make sure to get all the paint from the limb pockets. I had to scrape a bit with a pocket knife.
You'll also need to order some ilf adapter plates off one of the various auction sites. They run between 30-45 bucks mine cost 40. You'll also want some longer limb bolts I ordered 2 1/4 inch. To install the plates you need to make darn sure the limb pockets are free of any old paint and degreased. Then scuff up the mating surfaces with 80 grit sandpaper and use a long curing epoxy. I use JB weld to install them. The limb pockets have hollow voids in them and some people like to install a dampening material like caulk or add weight to the lower or both pockets by filling them with either molten lead or a mix of shotgun shot and epoxy. I did not bother as I like a little stab or a bow weight so I can easily attach a wrist strap. Here are the plates installed.
Now the riser and plates need a protective finish. I used this stuff for the pockets as it's smooth and tough.
Side note I should also add above I heavily oiled the bolts and ran them through twice while installing to be triple sure no epoxy got into the threads. I held the plates in with the limb bolts and a c clamp for 18 hours while the epoxy cured.
In between coats on limb pockets I needed to clean a bunch of nasty old tape residue off the grip. I like to use lighter fluid as it doesn't damage the plastic.
Here it is before
After.
To finish the rest of the riser I used a spray on can of truck bed liner. I learned many light coats is best as I had a few spots I think could look a little better. All said though it looks nice.
Now it just needed limbs a rest and a string. For that I installed a set of 55lb medium tradtech 2.0 limbs I got a steal on, twisted up a 14 strand D97 Flemish, and slapped a bear weather rest on. I'll also install a Kwikee quiver and a wrist strap later. Here she is all strung up.
Hopefully I can post a few deer down with this bow for 2018. Hopefully a few of you enjoyed the build. It's a sweet shooting bow not a dog but not a barn burner either. Nice and stable in the hand though and pretty quiet with an 8gpp arrow. I like cat whiskers and Velcro on the limb tips and in the limb pockets to really get them quiet. It'ss Never whisper like a long bow but, they'll get just as quiet as any other recurve out there.
Very nice, Jake.
Im in the process right now of sorting though a bunch of old compound risers i had in storage. Many wouldnt be any good for a warf but a few may. Some of the questionable ones i may just get some used sage limbs and paint blue camo for bowfishing setups
You did a great job on that riser. Hopefully you will have success this fall. I had one Warfed by Bob Gordon, father of the Warf, I had him weight that lower pocket which combined with the cast aluminum of the riser made a heavy bow. Because the shelf on my riser was radiused I shot off of it.
Hah! So you're the guy who outbid me on that. And, after I went to all the trouble to convince the guy to strip it and ship it cheap. :laughing:
Glad to see it got put to excellent use. :thumbsup:
Excellent job Jake! Congrats on the work and thanks for sharing your process with us. :clapper: :thumbsup:
I have couple of warf bows, they are fun to mess around with and really shoot very well.
Now your bit by the Warf bug. Pretty soon you be looking for a Hoyt Rambo riser or a Proline, maybe even a Pearson Equalizer for making a "blind" bow. As for limbs watch the retailer sites for "scratch and dents" I call them. I got a set of carbon/foam limbs for half price cause the weight was miss marked.
Nice work!...I warfed a Hoyt Spectra myself..got the bow for $25 and the plates for $40. I did it just about the same way you did minus the truck bed liner. I roughed up the surface real well and went with rustoleum. It's a real nice shooter for sure
Built mine from a Martin Pantera riser.
Sharp as heck.
(http://i.imgur.com/X7TBeNS.jpg) (https://imgur.com/X7TBeNS)
(http://i.imgur.com/UMn4vsA.jpg) (https://imgur.com/UMn4vsA)
(http://i.imgur.com/KmP0940.jpg) (https://imgur.com/KmP0940)
I have a Hoyt Rambo, Martin Lynx, PSE Beast and soon to be Bear Black Bear. These things are just neat to mess with. And they shoot just fine.
I love longbow broom stick risers. I had an old three piece Black Swan metal riser converted...tippit
Bolt on limb Black Swan riser...
(https://i.imgur.com/GapK4ga.jpg?1)
Converted to ILF riser...
(https://i.imgur.com/uT7jIYo.jpg)
Nice tippit........I like a low grip also.
It definitely feels like a Longbow...not a Recurve with Longbow limbs.
(https://i.imgur.com/gZ3jdBZ.jpg?3)
Roy that is sharp! Heck of a machining job!
Lil help here, what's Warf?
I have two old wooden riser compounds, the name of the company was Premier. I like the feel of the grips on these bows but there are no limb pockets. Is there any thing I can do to them to put recurve limbs on them ?
Run a google search for "ilf adapter plates" and you'll find some brass and aluminum wonde mad for wood risers. You'd probably be better off with some type of router but if you were slow and careful it can be done with hand tools I bet. You might also have to move the limb bolts back.
Alternatively you could also try simply bolting down a set of normal takedown limbs and see how it works.
Ive thought about those wood riser ilf plates and making my own wooden ilf risers. A bandsaw and router table are on my list of tools to add to my little shop. It seems making my own ilf risers may be more simple than making 1 piece bows.
Could this old Martin Cougar 2 riser be warned?[attachment=1][attachment=2]
Ok thanks Jakeemt, I will look into it.
Over last winter I built my first Warf bow. I acquired a Jennings Black Lightning riser in excellent shape. I roughed up the factory finish and put several coats of flat black Rustoleum paint on the riser. I installed machined aluminum plates from Hawkeye in the limb pockets. They were an absolute perfect fit. I had to lightly tap them into place. I never used any epoxy, glues or anything to install them and they have never moved. I added a pair of TradTech BlackMax 2.0 wood/glass limbs and it made a 61" bow. The JBL riser is much the same as a Bear Black Bear riser and I was told it would make a 62" bow by after careful measuring and re-measuring for a string, mine come out 61" exactly. I put a Bear Weatherest on and a FF Plus Flemish twist string and a set of catwhiskers and began shooting it. After tuning with XX75's and setting the tiller, brace and poundage (I set mine at 44#), shooting it this spring and early summer, it has become my "go-to" bow. Other bows that cost much more are now gathering dust. This JBL Warf shoots as good as anything I've ever put in my hand. Completely dead in the hand on the shot, smooth draw curve, church-mouse quiet and dang good speed/cast. I'm looking forward to a long, happy relationship with this bow and hope to bloody it up this coming fall.
(https://i.imgur.com/J4gJfeX.jpg)
Does any one know of replacement handles for the Black Bear Warfed riser.
I also like a low grip.
Thanks.
Nice looking Warfs! I just purchased a Bear Kodiak riser that has been warfed. It should be here Friday. And I have a Quinn stallion that I had converted a few years ago. Good stuff, for sure. :archer2: