I have templates made and form for all practical purposes complete.  Placed an order with Kenny yesterday for materials including for the trade bow.  I'll start working on the riser meantime.

Handle glued and almost done floor tillering yesterday.  Hoping to get the backing glued up before the weekend.

Handle overlay is half-done, still need to do the tips.  I am leaving on a TDY for the next couple weeks and will get the shoot-in and finish done around 1 May when I return.  I'll have internet access and will be watching the progress of course!

I have to spray a couple coats over the lettering and it will be ready to roll....

Kenny, speaking of lettering, what did you use to get the nice gold letters.

Mike , it is a Mitsubishi UM153 Signo uniball pigment ink pen. I have no idea how it will react when I spray finish on it, but it writes wonderfully and dried on the original finish, so hoping it don't run or something crazy.... .

Search that on the big auction site and they are really pretty cheap and free shipping but takes a bit to get here.

Sounds good but I'm going to wait and see what happens when you hit it with some finish.

here is update 1
long bow
handle
[attachment=1]
limbs not glassed yet
[attachment=2]

best.

update 2
recurve
limb
[attachment=1]
other limb not casted.
[attachment=2]
[attachment=3]

best.

update 3
asiatic
limb belly not glassed.
[attachment=1,msg2792300]
handle (probably for the sake of shipping i will cut it half to make take down.)
[attachment=2,msg2792300]

best.

Since my victim didn't want a 10 pc take down, it's on to plan C.  Had this bow shot in with over 100 arrows through it.  Shot great and was fast.  Held 2" of reflex.  Did some final sanding then wanted to check weight before I put a sealer on it, pulled it to full draw and boooom!  This thing just exploded.  I'm just happy it didn't blow when me or even worse my victim was shooting it. ...I have another one glued with one of these experimental maple lam backs, but I don't trust it after this failure.  My bamboo is finally in so I'll get started on another one.  Sorry to my victim, I thought I would be finished 2 months ago

sorry to see such a beauty blown up... :(

You'll probably have much better luck with the boo BMorv. At least you got your practice bows out of the way now.

Ouch, Mr. Ben..

That sucks.

Put that Makake on the next one.

Oh man I'm sorry to see that maybe the third will be the charm !

Got limb tips finished up and done some final sanding. I put a string on it at lunch today and put a few arrows through it. I need to round over the limb edges and do final sanding over the whole bow and put a finish on it. Getting close to complete. While I'm here is there anything I need to do to the bubinga to seal it before I spray the finish on it? Thanks in advance.

With Bubinga or any other oily, tropical hardwood, it depends on what you're finishing with.

If you're spraying epoxy like Thunderbird for example, you don't need to do anything.  Same with catalyzing urethanes.

If you're using a varnish or conventional polyurethane, you'll want to seal the wood first.  A lot of guys like shellac for this.  I prefer to use superglue as a grain filler/sealer.

Lookin real good Dannon

I've heard of people liking the VHT but I couldn't find any in clear. Just curious if anyone has ever tried this stuff? I purchased a can of gloss and a can of mart.

Ink - some nice looking bows there. What is the wood in the riser of the last pic?

Ben - Bummer. Most of us have been there. More than a few have been there more than once.

Well, I got my test bow in the oven tonight in the new form. This is the first time I've done risers with a pattern sanding jig. Dang, where has that been all my life!?! Things went well, I'm excited to pull it out tomorrow and hopefully see where weight landed before long. Then off to the clear glass and good veneers for the final bow.