It has been a couple of years since I have had a student interested in building a bow in shop class.  One of my Junior students is has started his take down longbow this winter.   

We are shooting for a 45# bow with a Bocote Riser, Actionboo limb cores with some beautiful spalted elm veneers.   We are using the Bingham Pronounced plans and forms.   

Big shout out to Kenny M for all of his help and for delivering great materials. 

Here are a couple of photos of the progress.

Here is another

Wow!  That is a strange looking riser pattern...

I don't believe i ever saw anything like that in Binghams plans.

look forward to seeing the finished product.   Kirk

Quote from: Kirkll on January 24, 2024, 11:54:39 AM
Wow!  That is a strange looking riser pattern...

I don't believe i ever saw anything like that in Binghams plans.

look forward to seeing the finished product.   Kirk

HAHAHA,
That would be crazy!
I guessing those tall stand-offs are just to line the pattern up to the riser block.

Ya if those were flush limb pockets those wedge butts would be LARGE!!!

Nice---pass it on     

Here are a few photos from previous bows built in my shop classes. 

Nice job Ron!

Are those the sandlot guys inserts?

Yes they are Kenny.  Ed is a good friend of mine and he gave me several of them.  I will use them on this build. Best limb alignment system I have ever used.  It is a shame that they aren't available anymore or that more people didn't utilize them when they were.

Wolfcoach would you post a picture of the insert

Here is a photo of the riser inserts that we will be using.  The collar works as a 2nd alignment pin on the limb.   Unless someone else has started manufacturing these, i do not believe that they are still available

Dry fit of the limbs with my student and preparing the press for the first limb.  We will glue this one up after lunch today and get it in the heat box for the afternoon

Do you have a vertical mill, or a drill press with a machinist table for drilling your limbs and riser hardware?  I'm curious how you are getting precise alignment on your insert and location pin holes. 

Can you send me an email?  I have some other things I'd like to swap ideas with
you.

   Thanks, Kirk

bigfootbows@gmail.com

The jig that I am using was manufactured and marketed by a friend of mine through Old Master Crafters along with the riser inserts.  I have used these several times and they work very well.  He no longer produces the insert or the jig.

This is really a well thought out design that works very well.

Hey Ron,
Where are you located?  _ I live in Mahomet, IL near Champaign/Urbana.

I'm glad to see some kids are interested in making a bow - looks like you have everything lined up for them to succeed.

We are in Southern Pike County

Right in the middle of Big Buck country!
I'm guessing Pleasant Hill based on your Wolfcoach handle?

We just finished the glue up his first limb and have it in the heat box for the rest of the afternoon. 

I have one of these, but did not like the layout of the holes, you can still get them.
https://www.amazon.com/Centering-Doweling-Sleeves-Bushings-Woodworking/dp/B08L3856X6?source=ps-sl-shoppingads-lpcontext&ref_=fplfs&smid=A2E0Y35WB1TY8S&th=1

Looks like he modified his, I like it

What Kirk is getting to is after you screw and glue the insert in the riser it could be off center some because bolts are a little loose in threaded holes.  Splitting hairs here but 20/25" out to the tip could be off some.

Trust me..... I ran the gauntlet on self centering drill jigs. I have two of those similar to yours Max... but what I found was ......that if you could keep the jig in the same position and just slide it down the riser and drill both ends it work somewhat well.
But if you flip those 180 degrees, you'll find out how far off center really is.... Drove me nuts! 

Of course I was building bows with a second set of limbs, and wanted something consistent enough to build more limbs for other bows that I built in the future. That makes things a wee bit more difficult.

Same thing with using limb bolts as one location pin. Between tap drift and plus or minus tolerances on the threaded inserts themselves, those limb tips can end up 1/2" out of alignment when you mount them pretty easily.

But.... If you insist on using a limb bolt and single location pin. The simplest  way to insure those limbs are on the riser straight is to mount them with the limb bolt only, straighten the limbs up, then drill though the limbs from the top into the riser.

Of course you need a limb butt  overlay. But it's a fool proof method I've used myself a few times years ago before buying my vertical milling machine. As long as you don't need a second set of limbs built you are fine... if you miss your draw weight and have to go again, ya gotta pull the pin...

You know the funny thing is.... Even with the precise nature of using a mill with a machinist table using two location pins and an over sized hole for the limb that fit first time , every time. I still get limbs that mount up out of alignment a wee bit now and then...

It's always something....

Kirk