Refurbished Ben Pearson Pinto

[V-Archer]

Some months ago I refurbished an old Ben Pearson Pinto for a guy who bought it on the internet. It had bad twisted limbs so I cut them off just above the fades and fixed Samick SHT limbs to it. It's a new life for an old shooter.

V-Archer      

[Van/TX]

That is so cool!   ...Van

[vermonster13]

That is cool!

[sticshooter]

SICK that's what that is. <><  

[Ga.boy]

That is just awesome! One of my first bows was a 55# Pinto. The bow was in almost mint condition, but the bottom limb was twisted beyond repair. I sold it as a wall hanger. Wish I had had the knowledge to attempt a transformation like that.
Excellent job V-Archer.

[V-Archer]

Ok guys,

Being enthousiastic about this refurbishing thread: This is the very first Pinto I refurbished two years ago when I started bow building and refurbishing older bows. It was quite challenging but it came out well.
I do not have pictures how I did the Pinto refurbishing it but if you are interested I can write a sort of "build along".

V-Archer      

[ckruse]

Wow, that is AWESOME! Are you ready to revive a 1960 Kodiak Special Deluxe? I might just know where one is with a badly busted lower limb!    CKruse

[hs6181]

 start writing, Im hanging out waiting.

this is something I've wondered about before so please, I'd love to read how you did it.

[droptine59]

Nice job.

[bayoulongbowman]

I'd love to have 64" or 62" Ben Pearson like that!!! thats so cool!!! Mark#78              

[V-Archer]

As some have requested here is part one of the "refurbalong" of the Pinto.

I'll try to get the "refurbalong" as accurate as possible because I didn't make pictures at the time. I was not aware (warned) that this tradbow building hobby/thing was becoming so addictive. Also I was not aware at that time (~2 years back)of forums like this where people posting stuff like this. Anyway here is part one. The materials needed: Two sets of threaded bushings M8 and M4 and a set of take down limbs. In this case Samick SHT limbs which were not too expensive.





The Pinto had long length cracks in both limbs so beyond repair so some cutting was needed. The bow had no twist when unstrung so I put her flat on the belly side on a sort of jig. I used a black rubber string and a set square to draw two markers, close to the fade-outs indicating the bow centre. Then I drilled a 3 mm deep hole at both markers. These holes are needed later as indication for the riser centre after cutting off the limbs.



Then I drew lines just at the fade-outs where the limbs had to be cut off.



More to come soon.

V-Archer
 

[Shakes.602]

"FrankenBow", built with Various Body, er Bow, Parts!!    Looks Good to me Partner!! Ya Done Real Good!!      

[ckruse]

Show us more... Please!    CKruse

[Osagetree]

Very interesting...

Where do you get those limbs again?

[V-Archer]

Osagetree,

I bought the SHT limbs some years ago at an archery shop in the south part of the Netherlands.
They are made by Samick and at that time they cost approximately 80US$.

V-Archer

[V-Archer]

Ok guys here is the rest of the Pinto "furb-along", enjoy      

Figure 1 shows the side view of the riser with the cutting lines where the tips must be cut off at both ends of the riser. For the Pinto this angle came out best at 22° to have the optimum fixing area for the limbs. I placed and secured the riser on a flat shelf such that the tip area that needs to be cut off was exactly at 90° relative to the shelf. Then with a very sharp band saw the tips were cut off.


Figure 1


Figure 2

Also the wedges at the belly side of both limbs must be sanded until they are flat and flush with the rest of the limb as shown in figure 2.

After cutting off the tips the markers should still be visible. I clamped a rubber band at both riser ends (riser center line) such that it was in line with both markers (figure 3 A) and made a marker for the limb fixing bushes. The locations of both markers were determined using the existing fixing holes in the new limbs. Ensure that the flat ends of both limbs are matching the end of the cut off as shown in figure 3 B.  


Figure 3

Then the holes for the threaded bushes were drilled carefully through the riser at 90°. The diameter of the drilling hole must be determined accurately in order to lock the threaded bushes tight into the riser wood. Then both threaded bushes were carefully screwed into position, just a bit below the limb-fixing surface. If required a counter sunk screw, at the belly side, can be used as extra locking. This screw goes halfway into the threaded bush, not further! (this is what I have done for this Pinto as extra security) This is shown in the upper part in figure 4. After placing both threaded bushes the limbs are temporary fixed to the riser as shown in the lower part of figure 4. The limbs still were able to manoeuvre for lining up purposes. A rubber string is used on both limb tips to determine the overall centre. After lining up both limbs were fixed to the riser. Then two small markers (I call it "limb locators") were drawn on the limbs at approximately 4 cm from the limb fixing bolts.


Figure 4

Carefully 2 holes of 4.2 mm were drilled through both limbs and into the riser, inclusive a countersunk top to match the countersunk locater screw (figure 5 A). Both limbs were then removed and the top sections of these locator holes were enlarged to a diameter matching the threaded bush as shown in figure 5 B. These threaded bushes were screwed in carefully, just a bit below the limb-fixing surface.


Figure 5

After all this was done both limbs were fixed to the riser again with the limb fixing bolts and locator screws. Then the rubber string was placed to check the line-up of both limbs again.
After this check, both limbs were glued to the riser using epoxy glue with a long setting time. Both surfaces were covered with glue and carefully both limbs were secured to the riser, meanwhile checking the line-up with the rubber string.
The next day the string was removed and I started to sand the limbs, using a belt sander, until they were matching the riser curves. See figure 6.
Then I checked the tiller with a normal string and had some arrows fired, all went OK and the arrows flew like darts.
I filled the holes with some araldite filler and sanded them smooth. To finish it all off, I glued veneers matching the riser color to the limb fixing area and belly area on the riser. Then the whole bow, inclusive the lettering on the belly side of the limbs, was sanded until the bow was smooth and ready to receive the coatings.


Figure 6

Before applying the final coating, the riser was covered with masking tape leaving the limbs, inclusive the sides of the wedges, uncovered. Also the veneers on the backing side were covered with masking tape. Then both limbs were sprayed black. After dry-up the masking tape was removed and the backing side veneers were slightly sanded again. Then the bow, inclusive the black limbs, was coated with three layers of polyurethane based paint. The result is shown in figure 7.


Figure 7