I am about halfway through a red oak board bow build-along, about to get to the real tillering, and am having trouble trying to figure out how best to attack the arrow rest.

I don't have a bandsaw or a jigsaw. So, my options are pretty limited. So far I think my best bet may be to file down the wood to the level of the arrow rest and then sandpaper it for the final touches.

However, there has got to be an easier way, right? Just thought I would ask the pros.

I cut out the whole handle section on a board bow with an angle grinder and a flap disc.  Worked surprisingly well and you can pick up a grinder at harbor freight for less than $20.  A belt sander will also work or a coping saw.  All those options would probably be quicker than filing it although you will eventually get it done with a file.

I don't own a bow grade bandsaw and have made over 200 bows. There are buildalongs on my site. Jawge
http://georgeandjoni.home.comcast.net/~georgeandjoni/

I am sure you could get it done with ANY of the following...

hack saw, belt sander, grinder, band saw, file, or even a drill with an attached grinding disc attachment.

Just be careful and leave the final touches for a files and sanding blocks.

i used a rasp before i got a bandsaw.
don

I've used a hand saw, a coping saw, rasps, and even a hammer and wood chisel.  Just be careful with the chisel and keep it sharp.
Stan

I cut my shelf in with a hacksaw and use a two sided rasp to finish it off.

Any and all of the above will work.  I do mine with rasps.   There was a "shelf along" section in the build along i did form my Trad Gang bow swap bow a couple of months back.   That material is still up on my web site at:

http://dickwightman.com/archeryactivity/bowbuilding/tgbow-2/swapbow-2.html

It's a long presentation, but if you scroll down to the point where the shelf is going in you can see the step by step rasp process.

Of course, the real solution is to stop putting shelves in.  Genuinely traditional bows are shot off the hand.  Shelves are a modern, non-traditional development...

 

QuoteOriginally posted by red hill:
I've used a hand saw, a coping saw, rasps, and even a hammer and wood chisel.  Just be careful with the chisel and keep it sharp.
Stan

I do that quite a bit, just score it down to right above where you want to take wood off. Then chip it out with a wood chisel, but be sure to leave enough wood above where you want to take it down to so you have enough to file out and make it nice and even.

I have used a simple, cheap plastic miter box and saw to make multiple cuts of different depths, then roughing out with a chisel.  At this point, it is very easy to rasp and sand to finish.  Just be sure you cut shallow and keep the saw horizontally straight. The rasp can take off quite a bit of material quickly.

Thanks for all of the responses. I will try some of the suggestions and see what works best.

I am beginning to learn that when it comes to bow building that patience is a virtue and that innovation a necessity.

I'm not much for cutting shelves into selfbows.In order to cut a shelf into a selfbow, the riser has to be large (like a glass bow,) and on a selfbow the result is inelegant.

I glue on small arrow shelves instead.