HH bug got me ... Part One!

longbowben · March 04, 2011, 12:23:00 PM

Yes my heart rate is up just talking about cutting a bow in half.

Wannabe1 · March 04, 2011, 02:11:00 PM

As some of you may know, Tony Van Dort, is out of country 'til June of this year. Well, he had Craig build him an excellent bow and sent it to me to hold 'til his return home. I have taken care to do some photos and post them here.

Tony has ok'd me to shoot the bow but, I think that is taboo. A man should be the first to shoot his own bow that he had made to his specs!

Wannabe1 · March 04, 2011, 02:12:00 PM

I'll let Tony give the specs.

Mudd · March 04, 2011, 02:33:00 PM

Awesome! Nice bow and I think it's great that it'll be waiting for Tony as soon as he arrives.

It's good of you to be willing to babysit it until Tony gets home.

God bless,Mudd

**DONOTDELETE** · March 04, 2011, 03:47:00 PM

Pg 105 and Pix, how Kool is that???? Way Kool...

March 04, 2011, 04:31:00 PM

That grip looks very good, Tony will like it.

David Mitchell · March 04, 2011, 04:55:00 PM

Tony'll love that one for sure. Wannabe1, you have very strong self control if you can keep from shooting just one lil' ol' arrow through it.

But, I do agree whole heartedly that Tony should be the first to do so....Dave

Wannabe1 · March 04, 2011, 05:17:00 PM

Nah, self control not needed. Got my own toys to shoot and occupy my bow fetish! :D

Montauks · March 04, 2011, 06:26:00 PM

Captain,

great tutorial on the connexion hinge!

Oliverstacy · March 04, 2011, 06:33:00 PM

There is a Tembo in the Stock bow page I'm interested in...how will this feel/differ compared to a Wesley Special?

thanks,

Josh

Rob DiStefano · March 04, 2011, 06:43:00 PM

QuoteOriginally posted by Oliverstacy:
There is a Tembo in the Stock bow page I'm interested in...how will this feel/differ compared to a Wesley Special?

thanks,

Josh

imho, there's little or no difference 'tween the bamboo cored models in terms of the model itself, meaning the number of core lams. what will matter is the length, holding weight and limbset. that 70", 54@28 will probably scale out at 56-57@28. personally, i'd never go under 70" for a hill-style at between 28-29" draw.

also, the $25 you save on the stock model is piddling - best order what you want as the expectation is the bow will be in yer ascham for decades, right? hah! however, the current 4-6 week new bow build wait might be the thing that'll make ya call up jason.

Oliverstacy · March 04, 2011, 06:51:00 PM

QuoteOriginally posted by Rob DiStefano:

QuoteOriginally posted by Oliverstacy:
There is a Tembo in the Stock bow page I'm interested in...how will this feel/differ compared to a Wesley Special?

thanks,

Josh
imho, there's little or no difference 'tween the bamboo cored models in terms of the model itself, meaning the number of core lams. what will matter is the length, holding weight and limbset. that 70", 54@28 will probably scale out at 56-57@28. personally, i'd never go under 70" for a hill-style at between 28-29" draw.

also, the $25 you save on the stock model is piddling - best order what you want as the expectation is the bow will be in yer ascham for decades, right? hah! however, the current 4-6 week new bow build wait might be the thing that'll make ya call up jason. [/b]

I might just see how the project you have going turns out and send you a bow blank and a hinge along with some $$!!!

Josh

March 04, 2011, 07:38:00 PM

Sometimes those bows that come under the ordered draw weight are better than average, because once the weight is missed there is nothing left to do with it other than tiller perfectly. A little hint I got from their former bow builder forty years ago.

far rider · March 04, 2011, 07:46:00 PM

Saweeet bow! Tony has winner there.

primitivealltheway · March 04, 2011, 07:47:00 PM

yep all this talk ,im ordering me one ,tried calling him a little while ago,but he must have closed.so i figured this out ,i have a 28" draw going for a 68" 53-56 lb ,wesley special with GABOON EBONY riser and deer overlay...or a CHEETAH with SNAKEWOOD riser and snake wood and ivory tips ,i think that would look pretty good along with the juniper limbs...i need help!!!

Greg Skinner · March 04, 2011, 07:48:00 PM

When I did my Cheetah blank a few years ago I cut in the shelf and did most of the finishing and shaping before installing the hinge. I used a round file and a drum sander on my drill press for the half-moon depression in the handle and tacked the hinge in place with a couple small drops of ca glue while drilling the pilot holes. I put a couple of drops of epoxy in the holes before I screwed in the screws and that was it. I never took off the hinge after attaching with the ca glue. Just get it lined up right to begin with.

After I installed the hinge I shot it some to be sure everything worked the way it was supposed to before I cut it in two. That way I was able to make little adjustments to the grip to compensate for the thickness of the hinge on the back. I also added strips of overlay wood on the back in the handle area to lessen the abruptness of the hinge resting on the fiberglass.

Once I was satisfied with the way it shot I cut it in half and did the finishing. I used a miter box and back saw. At that point the actual cutting in half was almost anti-climactic, because I knew all I needed was a straight cut. I used a couple of pieces of thin plastic to fill the kerf gap. You have to experiment some depending on the width of the saw blade. A how-to that I read at the time said to use enough thickness so that there is a fraction of an inch of wedge shaped gap when the hinge is joined but before it is strung. The stringing pulls it together and moves the pressure forward rather than rearward.

At the time I did this I also owned a Liberty bow with the Connexion Hinge TD feature, so I had some idea how it was supposed to come out.

Rob DiStefano · March 04, 2011, 08:31:00 PM

i think while the riser is reasonably squared up i'll spindle sand in the hinge "notch" groove first, see that the hinge fits well, but won't install. then cut/file/sand the shelf and handle, get all that bull work done to about 220 grit. then finish/seal the notch groove and install the hinge permanently right on the back glass and into the cocobolo riser. then move on to the miter box and saw. i'm not gonna rush this at all, but it'd be neat if it happens to complete before the april hog hunt fly out.

March 04, 2011, 08:45:00 PM

Good morning gents.

Uncle TW...Thanks a bunch for lookin' after the baby. I really think you should shoot it. Actually, it would be nice to get a "feel" for how it shoots...and what it likes to eat...and you know he needs exercise!

Macatawa is a Half Breed with the yew lams sandwiched between the candy boo. Wasn't sure how that would turn out but I like it! I wanted a somewhat darker bow for hunting and this one is certainly that.

Per Craig, it came in exactly as I ordered it at 69"- 57#@29" string follow. Also, I have huge hands and it looks like Craig did a great job to accommodate - will know for sure in a couple months.

Thanks again TW!

Rob DiStefano · March 04, 2011, 08:47:00 PM

looks like a real nice one, tony - congrats! now if it was a t/d, you'd have it in yer hands within a week or less.

Wannabe1 · March 04, 2011, 08:50:00 PM

Tony, Craig did accommodate for your hands. The handle section of the riser is larger than normal and I could tell right away as I am the opposite, with small hands.