another newb with questions

Echatham · February 21, 2013, 11:40:00 AM

Hi I am new to the forum, and i have been wanting for some time to try and build a laminated recurve. I'm probably going to order a kit from bingham projects. I have two questions for now, and dozens more later I promise. Is there a good book on building glass laminate bows? and as of right now, my power tools are as follows: 10" radial arm saw, 8" disc/4" belt sander, couple of drimels, a palm sander (the 4"x4" vibrating type), couple of drills, and... thats it. and several handtools, you know rasps and files and saws and draw knives and whatnot. so my question is, am i ready to order my kit, or should i keep saving for a band saw, and then order the kit? Thanks!

Dimondback · February 21, 2013, 12:18:00 PM

A band saw makes a few of the steps (shelf rough cut and roughing the limb side taper) quicker/easier but you can build the Bingham's kit pretty easliy without one. On a recent takedown project I used a handsaw, chisels, rasp and scrapers to handle my shelf/window and it will be the way I do it from now on (almost as fast and you have more control of cut depth and don't have to worry about the blade of your band saw tracking to deep and destroying a $30 riser block). Bandsaws are nice to have for a variety of things but aren't completely mandatory. If you do buy one, buy the nicest one you can afford because I did not and wish I had saved a little more for a Grizzly or similar quality product.

Echatham · February 21, 2013, 12:19:00 PM

thanks Dimondback, that makes me excited cause the kit is so much closer if i don't need a bandsaw! what about a book?

macbow · February 21, 2013, 01:37:00 PM

I haven't run across a book on recurve building.

That,disc sander will be good to grind your limbs,down to the line.
Just use a,coarse grit paper like 60 or 80 grit.
To help cut some of the riser like the shelf a tile blade in,a hacksaw frame is better than a saw. The tile blade is also good at,starting the nock grooves.

Echatham · February 21, 2013, 03:33:00 PM

no book on recurve building... wow. i think i found an un-tapped market.

PEL · February 21, 2013, 04:34:00 PM

Bingham's has a good DVD on how to put together a laminate bow. Not on design, just techniques but very straight forward and practical.

jsweka · February 21, 2013, 07:05:00 PM

Although not for recurves, Jack Harrison's book "Traditional Bowyer: More Unnecessary Fun" is good and the steps for a laminated longbow are basically the same as for a recurve.

Echatham · February 21, 2013, 07:36:00 PM

technique is what i want to learn most, designs i can copy, until i figure out my own way, which i suppose is the way it is for everyone

Roy from Pa · February 21, 2013, 09:00:00 PM

Someday you will own a band saw, but you can use hand tools. Welcome to the addiction and enjoy the journey.

Echatham · February 21, 2013, 09:44:00 PM

thanks Roy, hey what do you guys think about the 9" bandsaws for around 100-150 bucks... good for the money or don't bother? next thing i buy is going to be the kit from binghams anyway. what about cutting out the form, what do you use, and what CAN you use? sorry, I may be asking alot of dumb questions, but i don't have any real woodworking experience, but i always wanted to... and i have always felt that i needed to be making something... from an early age... but never knew what. to this point, I have made one or two of alot of things, but never found my thing. I have never been so obsessed with anything as i am archery.... its getting real bad, like from the time i wake up til after I should have been in bed non stop bad... wife getting irritated bad... am i alone in that? i think probably not!