title says it all          I have for years been trying to build a shootable bow...I read everything I can watch everything I can...after over 100 + failures of some type or another I finally gave up..I have used board bows, staves, glue ups (BBO style) I have spent tons of money for wood over the years and what I thought I knew wasn't good enough...now over 3 1/2 years ago I got hurt at a job and became disabled and I kinda put archery on the back burner for many reasons as I wasn't sure if I was gonna be able to walk ever again but with many surgeries and PT I was able to walk but still with a cane but it was a improvement then came the surgery for my shoulder and when that was fixed I got my knees done and I have a back surgery due but Im holding off from that..well during this time I started reading the Bowyers bench and it got my fires going again..in my wheelchair I would try to make a bow but something always happen to it due to my mistake or wood and I started getting depressed again until I met (D) David who gifted me some wood to try my hand again...well with his advice I started getting the idea and concept of making a bow..I semi was successful on the first one until it blew while tillering then the second was even better and while it didn't blow it had some issues but I will tackle that another day, he directed me to that old coot that everyone knows who likes to carry around a thumpin list..you guys know him as Roy          well with his advice and Davids advice along with some more wood from David as well as some glue I glued up my first R/D BBH today and Im hoping this is the one as I don't know if I can handle another failure and along with these guys help and as well as the many fine bowyers on this site who I admire for their willingness to help others and the many beautiful and awesome bows they make, perjaps this will be the bow I will be able to hunt with this year after 4 years of not being able to hunt due to my injurys...so here is the first installation of my adventures... [/url] [/IMG]  [/url] [/IMG]  [/url] [/IMG]
I made this jig with my string stretcher bar..I made end post 7" and mid post 3 3/4" and 4 3/4" for middle..I took the dimensions from Roy and Davids dimensions and came to a happy medium..from what you cant see is I secured it with a couple heavy duty zip ties and while it was supposed to go in the hot box I had forgotten to change the bulbs in there so I have it baking in the sun which is about 97 degrees right now and gonna leave it until sometime tomorrow afternoon before I unclamp it and see if everything stayed together before I sand to the lines on the blank...it is 65 1/2" tip to tip and I went down 3/4" from where I will make my nock so it will be a little more than 63" and Im shooting for mid 50s at my 26" draw so guys please wish me luck as Im putting everything I have in this bow....thanks for looking

ps. I got it glued up with smooth on and wrap in plastic and wrapped with bike tires and clamped down with everything I had...I had to work fast under my work area/bowmaking shed

pss.  I have a 20" power lam in there as well due to my buddy Davids generosity

Good Luck to you Razor! I am sure with those to guys along with many others who will chime in you will have a bow. Go slow, trust your gizmo if you have one for tillering, take many pictures, and post often. Hell ya can't post more in a thread than Zradix LOL, jk Zradix. But most of all have fun... I am up to 12 broken selfbows and not a solid shooter yet. Roy helped me with my first BBO and I always turn to that retired ol man for any help.

Looks pretty darn good there, Art. Let her dry for 24 hours. If you can, when it starts to get dark and cooler outside, take it inside where it will be at least 70 degrees. Hickory loves to absorb moisture so leaving it outside all night wouldn't be a good idea.

Roy...I was thinking of leaving in the shed since it would still be hot overnight..would that be ok? Or should I bring into the house where the AC is on and its about 70 or so degrees..I was gonna bring it out side and let bake in the sun some more and not touch until late sat. evening..well least unclamp it from jig and not mess with it until sunday sometime....thanks Justin...to bad we didn't live closer that way we can get some bows built or broke LOL

I have a gizmo and Im not sure it would work for a R/D bow if Im correct..I was hoping to use you guys knowledge on this one thru pics

Looking forward to this one.
Go,slow and wait out the answers from the Gang.
Sometime the answers may contradict themselves but it always gets worked out.
Good building.

yep Im gonna go slow as I do not want another disaster..alot of you guys are awesome at this craft..Im gonna take everything in

Yes Art the shed should be ok if you can close the doors, it just wouldn't be wise to let it sit outside where the dew will settle on it, you know how wet the grass is in the mornings! Leave it clamped for 24 hours. When you take the clamps off, then you can glue on the riser after you get it cut out to the curved shape of the riser section of the bow. I use the gizmo on my r/d bows. You just need to remember that the outer 1/3 of the limbs are going to be a little flatter because of the reflex. I don't know if you flipped the tips, don't think you did, but the bow below in the picture did have the tips flipped, notice how the end of the limbs don't bend like the center of the limbs? If this bow did not have the tips flipped and did not have reflex induced at glue up, the entire limbs would resemble a 1/4 moon shape.

 

Another bow with flipped tips and r/d at glue up.

http://s47.photobucket.com/user/ROY-CHRIS/media/MVI_7331.mp4.html

yep going in the shed and doors closed later today..still about 90 now..I see the glue squeeze out and harden but Im not messing with it until later...I didn't flip the tips..wasn't sure I needed to, thought it would hold the reflex some...Im sure I will do that next time if I ever get decent enough to make a bow...do I use the gizmo on the outer limbs?  Now Im looking for a slat of wood that is long enough to make the riser section..the longest piece of wood I have is a 1ft section of snake wood that is 1/2" thick and Im sure Im gonna have to laminate a pc or 2 to get it thick enough make the handle...or if I can get a chance I will run up to wood workers supply and browse thru their pile of scrap and see if they have a piece that is long and thick and wide enough....I don't think Im able to use exotic woods as I just found out Im getting some reactions from them..I cut out a piece of ebony the other day for a knife and got wood dust on my arms and Im having some skin irritations and they are bubbling and boiling up and oozing out so Im trying to stay away from exotics until I get a handle on it...prolly get walnut or something safer for me...I might have a piece of osage that was from a way earlier attempt that I cut from the bow that might be wide and thick enough to use...Im getting there I hope..I have been out side at least 50times so far to look at the blank  

Sounding good.
Hickory and,walnut glued together makes an attractive handle.

You will be able to use the gizmo on the R/D area but it will only show where it is not bending at first. Getting those,areas,to,come out right is the real key.

Looks like you're on your way to making a shooter.  Wishing you all good luck the rest of the way.    

Oh ya, IPE tore me up bad. Osage would be cool with a lam of walnut added. You need a one inch thick riser section.

thanks everyone for the advice and tips and the well wishes..Im hoping its gonna take...yep walnut and osage would be nice ...gonna try to get up to the wood store hopefully tomorrow so I should see whats availiable..to bad they don't carry osage up here

If you want to wait a few days, I'll send you a nice piece of Osage for your riser.

sent you pm...it will be a few days before I can get it profiled as like Roy I found someone willing to marry me and I have to do wedding stuff  

OMG, there's going to be a wedding! Well congrats, Art. I replied to your PM, son...

yep my second and my last...LOL  she is a good women, have to be to put up with a cripple  

go for it razor back really hope it turns out well for you mate. Keep the aussie flag flying!  

I'm hoping it will turn out good specially with the help from you guys out on this site. I have a good feeling about it now I got some more mojo coming. Roy out of the goodness of his heart is sending some Osage material for the handle. So if that doesn't help in making this bow along with my buddy David's wood and boo that he sent then I don't know what will