Skittles

[Tom Leemans]

This is a bow I finally got around to finishing for my Daughter Emily. It's a BBO reflex delflex, 64" NTN with cow horn overlays at the tips. I think I made the upper limb 1-1/4" longer. I started it two years ago and it had developed a crack running out from a pin knot in the slat during tillering. I repaired it with a patch per Dean Torges' instructions.
Look close

Grind it out

[Tom Leemans]

Trace the patch

Made the patch and glued it with Urac. Ready for glue up

[Tom Leemans]

On to the finished product. Em wanted a wild dye job. It starts out purple at the handle, then fades to Cherokee red, then sunset orange at the tips. The dye job will throw your eye off, but I swear the tillering gizmo says the tiller is good. Sorry about the sideways pic. Photobucket is messing with me.
Unbraced

Braced

[Tom Leemans]

Tips

Handle is rolled and stitched and sports a floppy arrarest.

[half eye]

Damn Tom, that's a sweet bow right there....bet she's tickled to death. My granddaughter was wild on them colors also. Very nice, sir!!!!
rich

[Tom Leemans]

More later when Photobucket stops locking up on me!

[BowEd]

Nice repair job.She should like it a bunch.

[spyder1958]

Very nice Tom, I'm doing a bow for my granddaughter and she would love that. I may copy some of your work if you don't mind.
What did you use for dye and your process for applying and sealing?
Thanks, Graylan

[Tom Leemans]

Thanks for the kind words. I use alcohol based arrow dyes that I bought from Larry Maggard of Grey Ghost. Mike Yancy at Pine Hollow used to sell it too, but I don't see it on his site anymore. Fiebings leather dye comes in a bunch of colors. I know it works well too.
Hero pic

I think she likes it

[Tom Leemans]

Oops! Forgot to mention. I just put on gloves and apply the dye with old pieces of tee shirt. You have to wipe carefully to get the fade right. One color tends to thin the previous one you laid down. BTW the bow came out at 50#@27". She's a swimmer, so she hauls it back easier than I thought she would.

[Tom Leemans]

O.K. one more pic. She was so proud of herself for sneaking this arrow through that hole on the steel caribou at 15 yards. Wish I had video of it. I was proud too!

[hedgeapple]

Beautiful bow.  And that girl can SHOOT.

[beetlebailey1977]

That is a fine looking bow.....I like the colors.  Good to see the young lady shooting, and shooting good at that.

[Tom Leemans]

Yep, when she settles in and remembers to hold that left arm still, she's always right on.

[lostarrow]

Nice job! Looks like she may have tried a bow once or twice before.