I thought I would share my learning curve with ya'll. I have never built a laminated bow, so please chime in if you see me goofing something up.

I started this with my nieghbor cutting down his Mesquite tree. He wanted to know if I wanted it for my smoker. I split some billets and thought about doing a selfbow. Then I read some threads on Mesquite selfbows and was not so sure... still might in the future. Anyway there was a really nice crotch in the tree and thought it would make a neat riser. So my other neighbor asked about laminated recurves and we set out to create. He has chosen Ironwood for the riser, boy is that stuff hard on tools!

Here is the Mesquite with the bark & sapwood removed. I don't know how to post multiple pics, so please bare with me on single pics. John

This is the crotch with the bark & sapwood removed. John

Other side

Cut to rough size & squared

I weighed the riser to determine the moisture content or when the wood stabilized. I do not have a moisture meter but in the desert ther isn't any moisture. So in the meantime I contacted Binghams for plans, built my heat box & limb forms. I will not get into all that, all I can say is there sure is alot of prep work before you even start building a bow. John

Nice! Bring it.

I ordered clear glass, desert camo tappered & maple straight lams.

Everthing is glued and ready to clamp in the press. no turning back now. John

In the oven to cook.

Out of the press & oven, what a mess.

I'm going with a 62" bow, 2" wide limbs.

I noticed the laminations shifted in the press, which changed my centerline on the tape. In future bows I will have to mark the center of the limbs after they come out of the press.

Here is the rough set-up

Holes are drilled & tapped for mating the pieces. The mesquite tapped well.

I'm liking the way the desert camo turned out.

unstrung

strung

Looking good! Can't wait to see how that riser turns out. You can put some stops on your form to prevent slippage on your next set of limbs.

Mr Bingham would be proud.I only made a couple 2" wide you may find it "too wide" most look better at 1 3/4" wide.Youre doing great!

Gotta take a break and taste some of that mesquite

John that is looking really nice.

Ribs...YUMMY!!!

Cant wait to see how the riser comes out. I stashed some Mesquite to dry before we left AZ. Should be good and dry by the time I get back to it. I like the Desert Camo limbs, used it in a few long bows. Now put down the ribs and get back to that bow !

Trux Turning - Thanks for the input on the stops to prevent the lams from shifting.

Well after the limb issue I went back to the print / pattern I recieved from Binghams. Seems the print may have shifted in the copier and the limb pattern is off. So I layed out a new pattern for the limbs. Also decided to hybridize the riser design. John

Here's the pattern layed out over the original. Had to adjust the shelf one inch up off the centerline.

Drilled a 1" dia. hole in the centerline.

upper limb

lower limb

Brace on center

Got the riser profile cut & sanded. Interesting grain movment. John

OK now I've got a question. I can slip a piece of paper about half inch between the limb and riser. The paper mics. @ 0.004. How critical is the two flat mating surface between riser & limb? Should I keep honeing the surface till they are flush? Thanks John

They should pull together when it's strung. If not just put a layer of felt or cork in there.

That won't be an issue - the bow is looking good! Are you planning to put any glass on the back of the riser?

BirdBow / Trux Turning - Thanks for the input, I like the felt idea. Also I am planning to leave the wood without any glass or other lams. However...I do have a couple things up my sleeve to add as accents to the riser, keep watching, I hope.

Anywho, I started to shape the riser. After much review of 3-peice takedown profiles I see alot of similarities in other bowyers craftsmanship. As my stone carving mentor once told me, "Do not think your design is a new idea, because it has been done before. But you may blend certain elements together in a new light."

I am starting with the grip and working my way out to the ends. I shoot with a straight wrist and open grip. But I do like the feel of a finger pistol grip. So I grab the handle, mark it, carve material away, repeat. I decided to power carve the riser as opposed to my normal chisels, rasps & files. I radiused the shelf aprox 1/8", with the highest point above the crotch of my hand. I will radius the side wall of the strike plate also. John

Try and keep as much meat in the throat of the grip as you can. With all the defects in the wood it could snap right there. That's possibly why it was asked if you were going to laminate some glass on the front of the riser. That adds an incredible amount of strength.

BirdBow - I just re-watched Ken Beck / Black Widow Bows video and him offering a free bow if the guy could break the peice of glass over his knee. So at this point I wont add any glass only because i will not remove anymore wood from the throat of the handle. But it is in the back of my mind. Thank you for the suggestion.

I got back into sculpting the riser. Letting my imagination go where it will. Thanks for looking. John

Beautiful!

That is a wicked looking riser. looking forward to seeing it finished.

Well done.

bad spot in wood near the throat of the grip? Better stop while youre ahead with the rasp.Great job!

beautiful ! But I really worry about that bad spot in the wood running thru the throat. I never make a riser out of a single piece of wood, I usually laminate something in the middle, an accent stripe or something, probably just overkill on my part. Yours is looking good though, you have an eye for it !

John I love Misquite, can't wait to see som finish on it

Well been tring to get some work done on this bow, but real life keeps getting in the way.

I cut some limbs/sticks of mesquite with knots in them for limb tips. I left the sapwood on, thought it is a nice contrast. John

I injected all the cracks with epoxy.

I was going to take a scorpion & black widow that came to visit but didn't leave and do a ying & yang thingy. I tried a sample but the epoxy heated up and blew up the other scorpion. Besides I think it will get to busy / gaudy.

Ah, real life,... That is a beautiful project you've got goint.

Anyway started to fill the surface cracks with turquoise.

can't wait to see more, looking good so far

Very nice work. I cant wait to see the finished product.

Wow... you have some serious talent! Can't wait to see the finished result.

Thanks for sharing your project. Some great ideas. Very cool tip overlays and filler.

This has been great to watch Thanks for sharing this build!!

I've enjoyed this build-along. Can't wait for the finished product.

The turquoise thing is brilliant ! Scorpion/ black widow great idea also, but I think you're right to maybe save for another bow. I love these materials, was born in the southwest.( What about a velvet ant in amber ? : )

Well it's been some time since I gave an update, so here we go. Here's the scorpion that blew up when the epoxy heated up & cured. John

Filed my string grooves

Double check & everything is still in line.

Working my way thru the grits of sandpaper and at 220 now.

I didn't like the sudden stop of the turquoise, so I decided to create a crack in the limb to carry your eye thru.

Stone epoxied in & sanded to 220

Other limb

Well to take a break from my daily sanding routine, I pulled these two fella's out of the deep freeze.

I am envious....AWESOME BOW!!!

They aint exactly twins but they will do. As Del Gue said in Jeramia Johnson "better to be remembered on some mans lodge pole"

Rough up glass with 80 grit

Smooth on some TB3 & roll on the skin.

Allign & trim overhang sides.

Like I said not exacly twins

The one had a real nice rattle. Anyway, salvaged what I could from these roadkills.

Now Question: How long does it take for these skins to dry?

On my selfbows they seem to dry in a week or so. I think this fiberglass doesn't allow any moistue to escape. All for tonight, thanks for looking and all your input guy's & gal's. John

Nice

Another work of art. Truly.

Finished riser @ 600 grit

Well these skins are taking forever to dry and masking tape sucks. Gonna try blue tape next time to keep the flowing Titebond off the sides & belly. John

Tried a small spot to remove the scales and the color came off too. Patience young grasshopper.

wow I'm enjoying watching this project. looks great. lots and lots of character. and Jeremiah Johnson is the best movie of all time btw

You have a great talent. That bow will be a beauty!

Stoner,

Any updates on this bow? I bet I'm not the only one curious to see the final product.

Another clever use of turquoise to fill some gaps. Nice add touch. I figured they're others have done this. Nice work Stoner. Do you still have the Bow? JF

Stoner - Really like your treatment of the riser as a functional, yet sculptural project. I appreciate your aesthetic sensibility. Would enjoy hearing how the bow performed and if you are still shooting it.

Dis we ever end up seeing a finished product from Stoner

Stoner you got us going,can't stop now lol... Just touch me and walk away? Wow from what I have seen it looks awesome great job.. Jeepman

wow now this is great to see what a bow please keep it going I want to see the finished product.

A truly, truly "Custom Bow". You sir are one talented craftsman. I really enjoyed following this build, and like all the others I am anxious to see the finished bow. Thanks for showing us.

Sorry guys & gals, forgot all about this till Jeff did his build a long. I'll take some finished pics & post em. John

I see turquoise. Looks good. JF

Where do you get a glove like that one ?

My glove,lol. That was my imobilizer sling. Lol JF

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