Bowswap ILF Build-along - All Done!

[BK in TEXAS]

Here is my home made router table. 36" long, 20" wide


Angle iron fence


Printable tape measure..... printed & glued to table.

[BK in TEXAS]

Here is how were going to rout the grooves for the Donkey inserts.
Again....riser has to be square.



The long lines tell me about where to stop.


To make sure I get the groove dead nuts in the center of the riser I joint a 2x4 to the exact width of the riser block and keep adjusting until the groove is centered.

[BK in TEXAS]

Do a test run with the actual riser block....I cut about 1/32" just to make sure we're good. We're good.


Check the length too. The top of the insert should be even with the edge of the wood. Because of the pad angle the bottom will be slightly in from the end of the riser. When you shape the riser it will blend in.

You DO NOT want to cut the whole groove depth in a single pass. It's too much. Make the cut in 3 or even 4 passes, raising the bit after each pass. This will help ensure a clean, smooth groove.


Routing to the line on the fence, cutting right to left. right to left is the "normal" cut direction on a router table.

Rout the other channel left to right with the same side of the riser against the fence. This ensures your channels will be perfectly in line, assuming your riser block is square.

A bit of warning here. Back routing like this can be dangerous. With the blade spinning counter clockwise (as your looking down on it) the bit will want to push the riser block away from the fence. The deeper the cut, the more it's going to want to push away. This will most often happen hard & fast....at best ruining your riser.....at worst ruining your hand. The best way to prevent this is make several shallower cuts. The less wood the bit has to push, the easier it will be to control. So....consider yourself warned.

[BK in TEXAS]

Channels routed.....everything fits.
Notice the Donkey Inserts line up at the top of the insert, not the bottom. If you don't do it this way you will end up grinding off the little dent that helps get the bushing button started in the dovetail.


Using the insert as a guide, mark, then drill your holes.
27/64" for the bolt, 5/32" or so for the #8 mounting screws.


Hardware & tap.


1/2" x 13.
I usually tap as far as I can, back the tap out, clean out the hole, then tap it again.


Don't twist too hard when you get to the bottom
Fortunately this was the last hole.


All done & ready for limbs
If you hadn't noticed already, the i-beam is no longer in the center of the riser. I made an executive decision that I did not want the i-beam to show in the sight window. Phenolic just ain't all that pretty. So, when I jointed it down to final width, I simply took it all off of one side.

[Dan]

BK, very well done and looking good so far, keep it up!

[michbowhunter]

Great job Bobby! Looks like fun....love the router table!

[BK in TEXAS]

[Longbow]

Looking good Bobby, can't wait to see them finished

[Crooked Stic]

Dang I hate when tools break like that. Those risers are looking good.

[Ben]

OK, Dude---after re-re-reading this thang..... Let's back-up to the limb form
Are you using the same limb form that you use for your take downs
If so, how in the world did you get lucky enough to end up with the same angles.