Primitive Archer
Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: smokeu on June 13, 2009, 08:57:49 pm
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Does anyone use an electric planer? Or have an opinion on the use of one. I cant afford a bandsaw, so i thought this would be a decent compromise to use for roughing out bows.
Any info would be great, and thanks as always!
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Mike Loe
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Neither the planer or the bandsaw are good for floor tillering. They can be used for roughing out a stave or making laminates for a laminated bow though. The only power tool I would say is a floor tillering tool would be a belt sander. I don't really recommend that either. Power tools just remove wood too darn fast. That sounds like you can floor tiller a bow 3 times as fast, but it really means you can screw up a lot more wood 3 times as fast. Patience is a much more efficient tool than any power tool. Justin
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A good wrasp or drawknife are a lot cheaper than a bandsaw too, or both :). I had to reply cause I liked that little arra you made on yer post ;D.
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power tools are great for floor tillering,if you want to take a hunting weight bow and turn it into kids bow
hand tools and patience are your best bet for making bows from wood
besides busy hands are happy hands ;D
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thanks Cowboy,
I have a couple of rasps, a draw knife and a some other misc. items. But i sont use the draw knife much becasue i dont have a workbench or anyplace to mount a vise. I was considering building a shaving horse. But i just got a carpenters vise table from lowes that im going to try out tommorow.
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Thanks sailordad i was hesitant to even post this for fear of the dreaded power tool haters. I fully understand about the powertools. I much perfer the oldfashioned way of doing things, I have just been working myself to death lately. thanks for the advise
Mike
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When I am Decrowning a Stave for a West Coast Paddle Bow....I will use my Power Planer...it works great for that ...and reducing a Stave......
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Like mentioned power tools are best for roughing out bows and if you are skilled you can cut it closer than when you aren't. Practice on cheep wood first. Sometimes I will use the bench sander with 100+ grit along with scrapers when floor tillering on a long straight bellied bow, but I really consider it a hand tool since the scrapers are removing more wood at this point..
I will use the sander to get the bows close to bending with a 30 grit belt, and do so with serious concentration like that needed when your fingers are close to any power saw blades...
Having used both of your options extensively I'd get the bandsaw first , get some nice custom blades, and make friends with the best cabinetmaker around to help you if necessary.
Rich
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I have a electric planer and joiner, and I wouldn't use either for floor tillering. I do use both to smooth and thin bamboo however. And use both for laminated bows. But not for selfbows.
I like a good quality ferriers rasp.
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Ok i get it no floor tillering.... Geez ;)
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I do. Got a cheap FERM one, and I love it. Taken quite a bit of BBI's to floortillering stage with it, and after that, I used a normal plane.
A electical plane doesn't leave a smooth surface, And it's really quick, so you won't want to use it for tillering. But It's ideal for roughing out straight staves, and maybe even for a little floortillering.
I actually used it yesterday, to flatten the 'belly' sides of some staves. It safes lots of drawknifing, and you'll be able to draw the future outlines of the bow on the flattened surface.
Nick
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Ok this has been one of the best tools i have ever bought!!!!!!!!!! Wow what a time saver. Deffinatly could see the danger of this tool in unskilled hands. It is a good time for me in my bow making progression however becasue i have sweated out and learned the hard way how to do things. Thanks for the input very helpfull as always!!
Thanks
MIKE
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Ok this has been one of the best tools i have ever bought!!!!!!!!!! Wow what a time saver. Deffinatly could see the danger of this tool in unskilled hands. It is a good time for me in my bow making progression however becasue i have sweated out and learned the hard way how to do things. Thanks for the input very helpfull as always!!
Thanks
MIKE
Be careful if its one of those hand electric jobs. I took off my fingerprints one day on two fingers grabbing it before the blades quit spinning.
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You can ruin, in 5 seconds with power tools, what it has taken you hours to accomplish.
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Electric planers. Aren't they intended for dimension lumber (rhetorical question)? I'm scared for some of you. Just be careful. I don't even use hand planes on bows because they did in depending on the grain and I must have 20 of them-never mind an electric plane. Yes, I do have one. :) Jawge
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Interesting thread.
I'm guilty of using power tools during every stage of bow construction....and I have messed up some bows because of it. I have also messed up bows using hand tools. The difference being that if I'm using power tools, I'll usually mess up a bow after, let's say, 30 minutes....whereas if I'm using hand tools it may be 90 minutes before I mess up.
The trick is getting proficient with whatever you are using. Personally, I've tried everything from stone to state-of-the-art....but I tend to favor the power tools. Mainly because of the time factor.
The electric planer idea sounds interesting. I might get one eventually. I've heard only good things about them.
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That was my dilema. I spent hours of precious time working on a bow only to break it or make a fatal mistake tillering or what have you. From roughing out with a rasp and a machete. I have come a long way. I have a new baby thats a year old and two step sons 10 and 12 that keep me very busy. So if i can save some time roughing out some wood... I am all over it. Sometimes i only get 30min or an hour before my bowmaking for the day is over.
Also it is my opinion that if you want a truly authentic weapon it should be constructed in a fashion true to the period. ie. stone tools, etc. I enjoy the things of mother earth. However, i must realisticly utilize my time.
Thanks,
Mike
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you can also use a bench plane and take off lots of wood fast that way...