# Watch me finish a Howard Hill bow blank!



## Apex Predator (Jun 11, 2008)

When I pulled her out of the box, I was immediately excited! The bow is in the rough, but beautiful. The edges are rounded but will require a bit of sanding. The shelf is not cut in, but the location is marked with a red line. The Howard Hill website says that you can finish these with nothing but hand tools, and Craig is right. I don't have the patience though. I was itching to fling a few arrows through her! This is what I received in the mail today.






















I first marked the depth and length of my shelf cut out. The directions say to cut it 3/8" deep. I marked it 1/4" deep and planned to file it to the line. I carried the line of my shelf cut-out 2 1/4" up the riser. I used my band saw, and four way rasp and had it ready to sand in about 30 minutes. I decided to add some radius to the shelf. Craig normally cuts them pretty flat. I also filed the handle area down some to make a locater style grip.


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## Apex Predator (Jun 11, 2008)

I forgot to show the rough cut riser.  It took me about 30 minutes with a four way rasp to shape the shelf and locater grip.











I put a piece of electrical tape on the shelf, strung her up, and went out back to shoot a few. Wow! This one is a real shooter. She's drawing about 53-54@27 according to my scale, so I guess Craig plans on me sanding quite a bit to hit 50. If it looses just a pound or two I will be happy, and surely stop there. Last thing for tonight is glueing on tip overlays of cocobolo to match the riser. Here they are glued on with CA Gel. I will dress them up in the morning and start sanding. I hope to be spraying finish by tomorrow evening after work.


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## SOS (Jun 11, 2008)

Looking good!


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## Apex Predator (Jun 12, 2008)

This morning I cleaned up the tip overlays and cut the side grooves in with a file. I carried the groove all the way over the overlay. Total tip shaping took about 20-30 minutes.











I then started sanding. It took me about 1 1/2 hours to sand through 220 grit. I didn't sand the glass faces until I had reached the 220 grit stage. Cocobolo is an oily wood that most finishes will never dry over, so something must be used to seal it before finishing. After sanding with 220, I applied two coats of superglue to the cocobolo on the riser and tips. I spread it on with my finger, careful not to stop in any one spot and get glued to the bow! I sanded the super glue between coats with 400 grit. I will sand the entire bow with 400 tonight and start spraying.
















This cocobolo is gonna really "pop" when finished!


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## hogdgz (Jun 12, 2008)

Awesome, cant wait to see the finished product!!!


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## SOS (Jun 12, 2008)

Heelllooo, we're waiting........been 12 hours.......


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## Apex Predator (Jun 13, 2008)

Thanks for the compliments. I have built a few wood bows, and am getting the bugs worked out of how I do things. The finish is driving me bonkers though. I have been using a spray lacquer which is really easy to apply, looks great, but is not very durable. I am not set up with a sprayer yet, but that is what I need. I bought some spar urethane in a can for this one and started spraying last night. The can says to re-coat within 90 minutes, or you must wait 72 hours. This stuff was still very tacky after 3 hours on the first coat! I stripped it all off and am spraying it with the Minwax spray lacquer that I am used to using. It will scuff some, but is really easy to touch up. It is susceptible to about any solvent though. I have to do the ink work this morning, and I will post some more photos.


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## belle&bows (Jun 13, 2008)

Can't wait to see this one finished.


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## Apex Predator (Jun 13, 2008)

Here she is with two coats of lacquer.


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## Al33 (Jun 13, 2008)

She sure turned out pretty Marty!

For someone without a lot of shop tools this is the way to go. What does one of these blanks run?


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## Apex Predator (Jun 13, 2008)

The basic blank in any model is $325.  Mine has an extra bamboo lam which adds $25.  He said that he would throw in some coco for the overlays, but forgot to I think.  Luckily, I had some laying around.  I only have 2-3 hours in this thing.  I plan to buy another.


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## Apex Predator (Jun 14, 2008)

This morning I started my leather grip. I start with an over-size piece of leather cut square on the edges. Most of mine will be around 4 1/4" tall when finished. 






I have to cut this one shorter, because it covers the inked specs. Be sure to stretch it plenty as you are trimming. You want a very good stretched fit. Some leather stretches bunches, this piece does not. 











Make sure you use a very sharp blade for your trimming, or it will look ragged. Make sure your top and bottom lines up along the seam. 











I always cut a little whoop-te-do for the radiused shelf. 






I had to jump ahead with the photos to show you the whoop-te-doo. Dis-regard the holes, because we ain't there yet!


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## Apex Predator (Jun 14, 2008)

Now you need to mark and cut the width so it lines up, and is the right size. Stretch alot for this measurement and cut. You want to pull it together slightly when stitching it up. You can't pull too hard or you will rip out the holes. A good fit is paramount to a nice grip. It will bunch up under your hand if too big, and have a gap at the seam if too small. 











You want enough gap that it takes considerable stretching to get it to meet at the seam. 

Time to cut a strike plate piece. You can get fancy here if your want, by making it look like an arrow head (Pearson I think), or indian head (Indian). 

I prefer simple and classic. 






Fit it as you cut to make sure it looks right to you. I like it to run under the grip wrap at the bottom. Gives it a neater appearance to me.


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## Apex Predator (Jun 14, 2008)

Make sure that the match up well at the seams.






I use a leather chisel to punch my holes. They can be bought at Tandy leather for $7-8. I used to punch round holes, but found that this tool makes for a more finished looking grip with the small slits. 






I put the first chisel blade in the last hole to keep my spacing right for the next set of holes. At the end, I have to use the last two holes for alignment, because I ran out of grip. I keep my outermost holes about 1/8" in for strength. If you cut your holes too close to the edge they will pull out when lacing it up. 





















Everything should line up nice, and they should have the same number of holes side-to-side. This is all for now. I have to let my finish cure for 24 hours before I lace the grip tonight.


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## Apex Predator (Jun 15, 2008)

Here we go folks! After polling the good folks on here and other sites, the majority chose the light colored deer skin for my grip. However, many were suggesting black. Black is my favorite, and I found a piece after scrounging around. I prepared it the same as the above piece.

I start out by wrapping the finished piece in position, stretching it until the seams meet, and then marking the belly side so that I can get in the exact position when I apply a little glue.






I then trace out my leather strike plate on the bow with a pencil, so I know where to put the glue. When applying contact cement, or barge cement, be very careful that none gets on the bow except where the leather will be, or it will harm the lacquer finish that I use, and many others.


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## Apex Predator (Jun 15, 2008)

When both bow and leather has dried for a couple of minutes, and is no longer wet, it's time to apply it. I start my sticking the top point and rolling down the strike plate with a small shanked screw driver. The screw driver makes it seat well in the corner of the shelf.











Now it's time to apply glue to the belly side of the bow where the grip will be. I only apply about a 1" wide strip to the bow and then to the leather. I just want some glue to keep the grip from shifting under my hand when shooting. Align the index marks top and bottom, and glue her on. I forgot to photo graph that part.

Now for the stitching. I use two curved needles and about 36" of heavy nylon leather sewing thread. I start at the top like this, and then stitch my way down, always making sure I stitch right over left. I am constantly pulling and stretching the leather to make sure I don't have to tug too hard on my stitching holes. It will be a stretch fit, so you have to tug as you stitch. It would really help to have an extra hand here, but not necessary.
















When I get to the bottom I tie one half of a square knot and check my stitches. If they are not tight, or the leather is not seaming well, I will use one of the needles to pick at the threads from top to bottom, pulling out the slack.






I then finish the square knot and trim to about 1/8" from the knot. I then take a lighter and burn the ends. If you leave the tag ends too long they will burn down, but will turn black. If you burn a very short piece they just turn into little molten nylon balls that are not unattractive.


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## Apex Predator (Jun 15, 2008)

Now for the finished product!


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## Slasher (Jun 15, 2008)

Down right fine looking piece of work Apex... You done good should say it all... But now, how does she shoot? I haven't seen pics on the group, but most of all the hero shot!!! That bow screams to get bloody!!!!


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## Apex Predator (Jun 16, 2008)

She is a shooter, but I have to re-program my confuser.  I have been Hill-less for several weeks and shooting nothing but my wood bows.  Getting really good with them, but need some more practice on my Hill because of it.


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