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Author Topic: Trouble Finishing Bow Limbs  (Read 3970 times)

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Offline Nashoba

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Trouble Finishing Bow Limbs
« on: November 20, 2012, 10:35:02 pm »
Hey guys.
I am currently working on a hickory flatbow for my girlfriends little sister. I have the grip shaped out and the limb tips are about where I want them. The problem I am having is with the mid limbs, specifically the six inches directly above the grip. The limbs in that section are far thicker than the tips, and when I try using a hand plane to remove material I end up pulling material off all the way to the tips. I cannot find a way to thin the area down without messing up either the grip or the limb tips. Any ideas on techniques or tools to deal with this?
My tool kit consists of a drawknife, a hand plane, a sanding block, a rasp plane, a few different files, and assorted knives.
Thanks!
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Offline bow101

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Re: Trouble Finishing Bow Limbs
« Reply #1 on: November 20, 2012, 11:45:29 pm »
Hello Nashoba, I have 2 planes that I use. One is set up for aggresive wood removal and I have a smaller hand plane that is adjusted for thin shavings. I have yet to have the privleage of working with hickory. Most of my wood consists of Eastern maple, red & white oak. When I plane oak with the hand plane it just takes off a very fine sliver, You can actually see through it.
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Offline steve b.

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Re: Trouble Finishing Bow Limbs
« Reply #2 on: November 20, 2012, 11:51:18 pm »
I've never used a hand plane on a bow.  For belly work I either use scrapers or rasps.  For the area you described I use a rasp with course and fine (r) sides.  The rough side removes wood quickly and leaves deep grooves in the wood.  I flip the rasp and use the fine side to get those grooves out.  Then I grab a scraper and smooth it out even more.  It would take less than five minutes to make a considerable change in that area.
« Last Edit: November 21, 2012, 12:14:00 am by steve b. »
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Offline Pat B

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Re: Trouble Finishing Bow Limbs
« Reply #3 on: November 21, 2012, 12:02:16 am »
I do the same as steve b.
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Offline Weylin

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Re: Trouble Finishing Bow Limbs
« Reply #4 on: November 21, 2012, 12:11:07 am »
I agree, that sounds like the perfect job for a rasp.
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Offline Fred Arnold

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Re: Trouble Finishing Bow Limbs
« Reply #5 on: November 21, 2012, 12:25:28 am »
x2 for the rasp. At the point you are at I get rid of the knives and planes, time for finesse work with rasps, files, and scrapers.
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Offline Carson (CMB)

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Re: Trouble Finishing Bow Limbs
« Reply #6 on: November 21, 2012, 12:25:48 am »
Like Steve B. said. 
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Offline soy

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Re: Trouble Finishing Bow Limbs
« Reply #7 on: November 21, 2012, 03:21:15 am »
I'm working on a hickory right now And just like you're describing you need to use that rasp... and if you don't have a cabinet scraper you need to pick 1 up there cheap and handy and well worth their weight in gold ...imho
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Offline Pappy

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Re: Trouble Finishing Bow Limbs
« Reply #8 on: November 21, 2012, 07:28:05 am »
Rasp and scraper,never used a planer on a bow before. :)
   Pappy
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Offline George Tsoukalas

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Re: Trouble Finishing Bow Limbs
« Reply #9 on: November 21, 2012, 07:33:17 am »
Rasp and scraper.  Once you become familiar with a dknife's use you could use it too. Jawge
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Offline Buckeye Guy

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Re: Trouble Finishing Bow Limbs
« Reply #10 on: November 21, 2012, 04:22:30 pm »
For Hickory I use 50 or 80 grit sandpaper save your rasp for the Osage !
Have fun !
Guy
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Offline bow101

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Re: Trouble Finishing Bow Limbs
« Reply #11 on: November 21, 2012, 04:30:42 pm »

I need another rasp, the one I have is to aggresive it leaves very rough gouges in the wood. I also use 50-60 grit paper on a finishing sander. Having arthritic hands doesn't help matters.
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Offline Onebowonder

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Re: Trouble Finishing Bow Limbs
« Reply #12 on: November 21, 2012, 04:38:42 pm »
I love my Shinto Rasp for this sort of work.  It gives you great control of the wood removal process.  Follow with a scapper once you get down close to where you want to be.

OneBow
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Offline SLIMBOB

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Re: Trouble Finishing Bow Limbs
« Reply #13 on: November 21, 2012, 05:43:30 pm »
Old school.  Draw knife and sand paper.
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Offline Gordon

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Re: Trouble Finishing Bow Limbs
« Reply #14 on: November 21, 2012, 09:22:26 pm »
A spoke shave works well if you don't have too many knots or grain swirls.
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Gordon
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