Primitive Archer
Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: Nashoba on November 20, 2012, 10:35:02 pm
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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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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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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.
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I do the same as steve b.
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I agree, that sounds like the perfect job for a rasp.
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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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Like Steve B. said.
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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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Rasp and scraper,never used a planer on a bow before. :)
Pappy
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Rasp and scraper. Once you become familiar with a dknife's use you could use it too. Jawge
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For Hickory I use 50 or 80 grit sandpaper save your rasp for the Osage !
Have fun !
Guy
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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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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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Old school. Draw knife and sand paper.
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A spoke shave works well if you don't have too many knots or grain swirls.
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Thanks guys! I think I will need to invest in a couple more tools.
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Looks like some good info for ya and if you save your money you could use a belt sander hehe thats what ive used on hickory before where the rasp would shoot sparks ;) jk but the wood was super hard and my scraper and rasp was usless on the hard wood that it was hehe
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get a 4 in 1 rasp, they arent expensive, give you course and fine and flat and radiused, i mostly use the radiused side in those areas your haveing trouble with, Bub