2018 Annual Bow Swap Progress Thread

EvilDogBeast · March 17, 2018, 06:08:00 PM

Got the riser cut out today. Man am I glad that part is over! The grain lines make it look a little wonky but it's relatively symmetrical :D

jsweka · March 17, 2018, 06:18:00 PM

Looks symmetrical to me. Very nice!

I've made good progress on my bow, but I realized I'm out of 220 and 320 grit sandpaper. Off to the local Lowes for me tomorrow.

Forwardhandle · March 17, 2018, 06:39:00 PM

Looks nice Evildog I'm doing the same riser on thursday , how did you do yours, I made a templet & going to use a shaper ?

EvilDogBeast · March 17, 2018, 06:57:00 PM

I made a template but was unsure if it would work since I made it with no lams on the form. I used 1" masking tape to hold the lams on the form and then clamped the riser block to the back of the form (used a level to keep it parallel) and traced the outline onto the face. After that I took it to the band saw, cut it out, and cleaned it up with the spindle sander (5" drum).

Has anyone ever used a jointer to clean up the back face of a riser block? Kind of wish I would have done it that way but not sure it's possible due to the curves.

Forwardhandle · March 17, 2018, 07:23:00 PM

I made a tracing off the print then made the templet off of that but it still has to much of a center gap on the form so Im tracing the form this time and making another templete then I will do the finale fit by hand with the lams in place , I bought this templet shaper bit for my drill press. https://imgur.com/gallery/I8Ezf

EvilDogBeast · March 17, 2018, 07:30:00 PM

Looks like that should work out nice. Something about the spindle sander at the wood shop here isn't quite right, anything sanded on that thing loses squareness but i'm not too sure why. Maybe it's the rubber on the spindles that does it.

Dannon · March 17, 2018, 08:44:00 PM

Ok guys I'm not sure but I may have ran into a problem. I cut the belly lams and veneers to length and the right side lams and veneers are about an inch longer than the left side. Is that going to be a problem?

Bvas · March 17, 2018, 09:18:00 PM

What are you building?
And are either of them tapers?

March 17, 2018, 09:19:00 PM

Depends on your situation... I cut my lams a good 1 1/2" over of what I need... If you did the same you will be fine... But if you only gave yourself a half inch of play, it sounds like you have got yourself a shorter bow...

Dannon · March 17, 2018, 09:23:00 PM

I cut them an inch longer but I thought they'd still be the same length

wood carver 2 · March 17, 2018, 09:34:00 PM

Has anyone ever used a jointer to clean up the back face of a riser block? Kind of wish I would have done it that way but not sure it's possible due to the curves.
If you mean jointing a riser block that is already tapered, I'd say don't do it. You would be cutting uphill on thin stock and it will explode and hurt you.
I hope I misunderstood your question.
Dave.

Bvas · March 17, 2018, 09:37:00 PM

Im confused.
So are the lams different lengths, or do they layout on the form differently?

Dannon · March 17, 2018, 10:53:00 PM

I'm building a 60" bow so I cut my lams and glass about an inch longer for the back of the bow. I laid out my bow on the form to test the riser fit and to cut my belly lams to length. I cut the first side and thought I'd just use the first on as a guide to cut the rest to length, but something told me to lay it down on the other side of the bow and it turned out to be about an inch longer.

Dannon · March 17, 2018, 10:59:00 PM

Didn't get much done today. Been helping my little brother with a kitchen remodel. However I did get the riser cut out and and run a dry run this evening. Had one little place on the belly ramps were I could see the light from a flashlight on the opposite side. I'll put some shims in that spot to fix that. I think I'm ready to slap some glue on it.

Dannon · March 17, 2018, 11:03:00 PM

Ok you guys that use postimage. Which link am I supposed to be copying to my images aren't so small?

EvilDogBeast · March 18, 2018, 06:31:00 AM

QuoteOriginally posted by wood carver 2:
If you mean jointing a riser block that is already tapered, I'd say don't do it. You would be cutting uphill on thin stock and it will explode and hurt you.
I hope I misunderstood your question.
Dave.

I meant with just the one side that matches the back of the bow cut out. The other side would still be solid stock because the fades wouldn't be cut out yet.

Mo_coon-catcher · March 18, 2018, 06:49:00 AM

I just checked tracking and it looks like the white tube should be in someone's doorstep Monday.

Kyle

March 18, 2018, 10:03:00 AM

Hey Dannon... Do you have a pic of your ramps???

wood carver 2 · March 18, 2018, 11:30:00 AM

I got you now, but it's still not a good idea. As you start planing, you will be planing uphill against the grain on the curved section and there is a likelihood that it will tear out. If the cut is deep enough it could be nasty.
You could start in the middle and work towards each end, but I'm not not keen on doing that either.
If it was me, I would cut out the curve and sand it, then plane the sides square to it.
Dave.

jsweka · March 18, 2018, 01:47:00 PM

I finished sanding and got the first coat of finish on my swap bow today.

I went for simple classiness in this bow with the curly maple riser and black glass. The limb cores are walnut with center lam of maple for contrast. I like the way this one turned out and I'm tempted to make one just like it for myself.

Here's a couple pics. The maple looks better in person than what the pics show in my dark and dingy basement.