Hobbies

[aeronut]

#152046

Everybody has a hobby or two.  Don’t they?

I’ve got more hobbies than I need.  Photography is one.  I am the track photographer where my daughter raced BMX (bicycle motocross).  She lives in Topeka now so it’s a 3 hour drive there.  I go instead to Pryor, Ok where my friends operate a track to shoot pictures at there.

Woodworking, making game calls and assorted items.

Building my own archery equipment is another hobby.  I’ve been chasing arrows for 55 years now and started building selfbows and laminated bows for about 18 years now.  One thing I haven’t done is build a take-down bow so snowed in boredom got me started on that.

I built the form and bought a set of Flame Maple Burl laminations.  I went to a semi-local wood shop to buy some Huntsman TDR 1100-11 epoxy.  I had been using Smooth-On epoxy but after reading several bowyer stories of it having glue failures I decided to give Huntsman a try.

While there I made the mistake of looking through their laminations spotted the Flame Maples.  I usually make my own laminations for my bows but these had to come home with me.

Bow press and laminations laid out in order of assembly.

It’s kind of hard to take pictures of the process while spreading glue and laying everything together.  The hard part is not getting everything within arms reach stuck to your fingers.

Next is airing up the hose to 80#’s and checking everything as air is added and then into the old hot box at 160*.

I read through the spec sheet for the Huntsman and it’s cure time is a lot less than the Smooth-On.  I left it in the box for 2.5 hrs just in case.

So far so good.  I’ll let it sit overnight and then sand down the edges tomorrow.  Those glue boogers can be very sharp.  After sanding the edges on this limb I’ll start gluing up limb #2.  Not sure what woods to use on the riser yet.

This is the grain near the tip of the limb.  I haven’t uncovered the burl.  I’ll get to see that after I draw out the centerline and sand the limb profile.  Stay tuned.

[richard roop]

#152065

Ha !!!1 …………….. Wait ’til you retire; ……… you’ll ask yourself how you ever had time to work !!!!

Totally cool on the bow build. I’ve wanted to but am still trying to build the perfect arrow. …….. and a few other things.

[aeronut]

#152066

I’ve been retired for three years now Richard.

[richard roop]

#152077

And let me guess …………………… You’re busier now than when you were working !!!!

[aeronut]

#152089

I pulled up the spec sheet on Huntsman epoxy and it cures faster than the Smooth-On I have been using so I pulled the limb out of the hot box after 2.5 hrs.  That was a little longer than needed.

I took the form apart to see how well everything had stayed in place.  Laminations do shift sometimes so it’s a relief when everything is still in line.

The epoxy that is squeezed out can be as sharp as glass so you handle the limb with care until you get it sanded off.  After sanding the fiberglass laminations are still a little rough so you make sure you don’t slide your hand on them or you will pick up small splinters.

Sneak peek after sanding all the glue boogers off the sides.

Back.

Belly

Next I strip off all the painters tape and check the glass.  Then I retape both sides and mark the centerline in the back of the limb.  The tape is pretty tough to remove after baking so I use a plastic putty knife to help get it off.  I used masking tape on the first bow I made and it was terrible to remove.

Draw the limb shape on the tape and it is ready to sand down.

 

 

[Raymond Coffman]

#152095

Aeronut

That flame maple lamination is just the ” bees knees”

Looking good …can’t wait to see it finished..

Scout aka Ray

[aeronut]

#152121

Hit the sander today and got the limb shaped to form.  Looks more like a bow limb now.  Now I have to make another one just like it..

[aeronut]

#152122

I’m glad another of my hobbies didn’t freeze during our – 15* nights.  My bees are showing up at the feeder.  Not in great numbers but they are showing up so there’s hope for this coming season.

[aeronut]

#152124

Limb #2 assembled and in the hot box.

 

[richard roop]

#152130

Fascinating to see the bow build !!!

Please keep ’em coming.

[aeronut]

#152136

Limb #2 out of the hotbox and ready for initial sanding.

I ordered a piece of Jatoba wood to use for the riser.  I’m going to add a Hickory accent stripe in it.

[aeronut]

#152180

One thing that has been a problem for me on laminate bows is sometimes the glue line at the fade has small gaps.  None have been bad enough to scrap a bow but they look bad.  The glue lines on these fades came out perfect.

To drill the holes in the limb butts and riser you need a jig to make sure everything lines up.  These jigs can cost $65 or more.  I was lucky enough where I worked that we had a full machine shop.  I made this jig out of steel from the scrap bin and my only cost was for the four screws.

Work has stopped for now because I need a new sanding belt for my sander.  The one in use now is my last belt and it is getting worn enough it is starting to burn the Bubinga wedge.

[aeronut]

#152234

I picked up a new belt yesterday at Home Depot so I was able to rough out limb #2.  Now to drill the limb for the mounting hardware and add some antler tip overlays.  I haven’t decided to use deer or Caribou antler.

Looks a whole lot like the first one.

#2 is on the left.  I really like these Flame Maple veneers.

[Raymond Coffman]

#152238

Aeronut

Looking good. Love that Flame Maple !

Scout aka Ray

[aeronut]

#152259

Decided to go with deer antler tips on a piece of Tiger Maple.

Cutting and sanding down some antler from a long dead Texas deer.  Now my shop stinks.

[aeronut]

#152277

The tips are sanded down to rough shape and all that is left cutting the string nocks and final shaping of them.

I also set up the limb drilling jig and drilled the pin and bolt holes in the limbs.  I probably quadruple checked this before even getting the drill bit chucked up.   This is not a time to goof up.

[aeronut]

#152281

My Jatoba riser wood was delivered this morning so I laid out the riser shape on it.

Then marked the cut line for the accent stripes.  I’m going to use two strips of Maple with a black dyed strip sandwiched between them.

Meanwhile I have another project in the works.  I bought a knife blade blank and am going to put stabilized Spalted Elm scales on it.  They are in the vacuum chamber soaking up Cactus Juice and will stay there overnight and then get baked tomorrow.

[aeronut]

#152318

After soaking up the Cactus Juice I wrap the wood in a thick layer of aluminum foil and bake it in a toaster oven for 2 hrs at 200-210*.

After cooling down and unwrapping.  The resin is cured hard and the rough edges are very sharp.  They are ready to be sanded down.

[aeronut]

#152343

Riser time

Sanded and ready for the accent stripes.

 

[richard roop]

#152352

Methinks that the next time I buy a bow I won’t snivel quite so much about the $$$.

Always thought that if I ever won the lotto, I would have matching knife handle, pistol grips and bow riser made. Something with black wood and crushed turquoise.

Never to old to dream.

[aeronut]

#152358

I have about $120 in wood, fiberglass, and glue plus the takedown hardware (my guess, I didn’t look at any receipts).  The big cost was the Flame Maple veneers at $70.  That is including the cost of the entire quart can of Huntsman epoxy but I could probably make 30 or more bows from that can which knocks down my estimate.

Most of them I make I use my own wood and sand my own veneers and it is just the glass and glue cost + my labor.

[aeronut]

#152359

The bow I liked the most was an Osage selfbow I made from a 1″ wide splinter (hence its name) off of a stave.  It wound up at 64″ long and pulled 42# at my 26″ draw.  It really launched an arrow with authority.

Total weight:  bow, string, antler overlays, layered leather rest, and leather handle wrap….14 oz.

[aeronut]

#152365

Well, the dye didn’t penetrate the Maple strip very good but I can take care of that later with an India ink pen.

Now a trip to the bandsaw and sander.

Presto.  A fat boomerang.

 

[aeronut]

#152381

Holes drilled for the limb mounting hardware.

[aeronut]

#152382

Next we tap the holes for the inserts.  This is a 1/2-12NC tap.

Add some epoxy to the threads and 1/4″ alignment pins and set them in place.  Now we wait for the epoxy to cure.

 

[aeronut]

#152383

While the epoxy cures I am mixing up a batch of sugar syrup for my bees.   The temperature is 62* here and my Maple trees are bloomed so the bees are really working them over today.  I’ll add the syrup to my feeders to give them some more needed nutrition.

I’m also watching the BMX Super Nationals in Desoto, TX on youtube livestream.  My daughter is there this weekend racing.

[aeronut]

#152385

It now looks kind of like a bow.

I still need to cut out the sight window and sand the contours of the riser.  Cut the string nocks and shape the tips.  Sand down the edges of the limbs and work on the wedge contours.  Start checking and working on the tiller.  And a whole lot of finish sanding before applying a finish to it.

And then I can clean up my mess and put the tools up for a while.

[aeronut]

#152416

 

Yesterday I did some initial sanding on the limb butts and worked on the riser.

It was a very nice day so I decided to sit outside at my picnic table to work on the riser with my #49 Nicholson rasp.  I was sitting about two feet from my bee feeders and every once in a while one or two would hover over the riser to see what was going on.  Bees are curious critters.

I’ve never worked with Jatoba wood before.

[aeronut]

#152417

This morning I did a little work on my knife handles.  I epoxied them onto the blade last night and hit the sander this morning.  Still need to do some finish sanding on them.

These are Spalted Elm that I stabilized with Cactus Juice resin.

[richard roop]

#152418

Cactus Juice Resin ?????

[Raymond Coffman]

#152424

Yes I was wondering about cactusjuice ingredients myself?

I had to look up jotoba wood – hard wood ! And hard to work with apparently ….

Curious to see how the spalted elm finishes up …

Scout aka Ray

[aeronut]

#152426

Spalting is the first step in wood decay and the wood starts getting soft.  The Cactus Juice stabilizes (hardens) the wood where it won’t fly apart in a lathe.

This is my source for the Elm.  My friend had a guy cut down her dead Elm tree.  He cleared everything but left the trunk and never came back to finish it.  I cut it up so I could get some of the wood for projects.

While digging out the composted material in the middle I came across some turtle eggs.

I thought they were turtle eggs.  I found eleven unhatched eggs in one clutch and 23 hatched shells in another.  There are a lot of rat snakes in this part of Kansas.

This is before stabilizing.  The spalting is prominent through these pieces.

The stabilized wood is pretty hard on lathe tooling.  This one is coated with an oil finish called Feed & Wax.

My finished project.  I made five of these lighthouses for Christmas presents.  The crystal is 1.25″ in diameter.

 

 

 

 

[aeronut]

#152427

Spalted Hackberry.  The wood is so soft you can dig it out with a thumbnail.

After a trip through the vacuum chamber and baked @ 200* for two hours.  Ready for the lathe.

Deer grunt calls.  And you can add dye to the resin.  I make the bands myself.  They cost around $3-$4 each but these are made from 1.25″ sink drain.

 

 

[aeronut]

#152430

I took care of some other stuff this morning and then spent about two hours in the wood shop.  I started work on the limb tips.  The fiberglass and antler really wear out the little sanding sleeves on my Dremel tool so I do most of the work with a rasp and then smooth out the rasp marks with the Dremel.

I will put thin super glue on the antler to smooth it out and help strengthen it then do some more finish sanding.

 

[aeronut]

#152431

Just about forgot this picture.  It’s not cheap but it sure does a great job making useless wood into beautiful projects.  The best thing is you can clean up with soap and water.

[aeronut]

#152469

Here’s the first coat of finish on the Spalted Elm.  Rainy weather today so I may hold off on any wood work today.

[aeronut]

#152495

I started working on tip #2 today.  I can get into making the first tip pretty easy but I beat myself up on the second one trying to get them to match.

#2 on the right.  They kind of look alike but I’m not done sanding on it yet.

[Raymond Coffman]

#152497

Very interesting about the spalted elm I was not familiar with that process. Turned out very nice. Keep it coming …..

Scout aka Ray

[aeronut]

#152510

I have been looking at a lot of riser shapes trying to decide what I want to do with my riser and finally decided to go with this layout.

Lots more sanding to do…..

[aeronut]

#152637

I haven’t quit, just busy.

I had planned on being in south Arizona this week but my plans were changed.  I would have taken a bow but this was not an archery event.  It is a border watch operation in the cartel land near the border.

But, here I am.

I put the limbs on and set the bow in my tiller tree.  First picture is where the bow will be around brace height.   Second is about where it will be at my draw length around 26″  The tiller is close enough that I’m not going to mess with it for now.

Now I started working on the riser shape.  Lots of sanding done and lots more to do but I’m liking the shape of it.

 

[aeronut]

#152668

And more sanding………………

One thing for sure.  That chunk of wood is getting a lot lighter in weight.

[richard roop]

#152688

Question;

Does the Cactus Juice need to be applied with the vacuum gizmo or can it just be used as a dip or a brush on ???                            I’m thinking uses for Cholla Cactus skeletons.

Thanx …………………. and keep ’em coming !!!!

[aeronut]

#152693

Putting the wood in a vacuum will draw all the air out of the pores and the cactus juice fills in those pores.  Just dipping will not permeate the pores of the wood and you will still have air gaps and soft wood.  For the wood I use for turning on a lathe I want it permeated throughout.

You might look at some Minwax wood hardner for the Cholla and let it soak for about 30 minutes.  You can get that at Home Depot or Lowes or other hardware stores.

[richard roop]

#152695

Ok ……………. Thanx !!!!!

[aeronut]

#152722

I got out my India ink pens and filled in the center accent stripe that I tried to dye.  I’ll know to saturate the wood several times if I try that procedure again.

I started out good staying in the the center stripe but toward the end my eyes were getting tired and I made a few wobbles.

 

[aeronut]

#152723

The finish line is getting nearer and I’m already dreaming up my next bow build.  I’m thinking of a Curly Tiger Maple riser and limbs.  I’ll use iron nitrate on the wood like I did on my flintlock mountain rifle stock.  It will be an interesting build.

 

[aeronut]

#152794

I got a string made and this is the profile.  It took a few steps to get to this point, now I need to do the final sanding and spray a finish on the bow.  The scale I am using says 45# at my draw but it feels heavier because I haven’t done any shooting for a couple of months.  Time to get back into that.

Please pardon the dirty floor.

[Raymond Coffman]

#152804

Wow

That turned out great !

Very nice looking bow …. clean lines – well balanced design .

Scout aka Ray

 

[aeronut]

#152985

Not quite done yet.  I’ve been busy as heck plus a pinched nerve that’s giving me some back pain.  Going to have to see the chiropractor again.

I was wondering how colorfast the India Ink would be that I did the riser stripe with so I finally did a smear test on a piece I cut off the riser block during the first steps on it.  I used Minwax  Antique Oil Finish on it.  I like it better than Tung Oil, Teak Oil, and Linseed Oil.

Here’s the first of many layers of oil with a lot of buffing to come.

[richard roop]

#152995

Awesome !!!!!

[Raymond Coffman]

#153003

Looking real 🙂 nice

Scout aka ray

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Author]

Posts