Cutting the Frame



For the frame you will need the following pieces.
    4 spars cut 31.75" (leading edges)
    2 spars cut 31.75" (lower spreaders)
    1 spine 42" (I use a two piece spine)
    1 upper spreader 22"
    2 9" micro carbon rods for standoffs

    2 ferrules cut 3" long for the leading edges
    1 ferrule cut 3 5/8" long for the center T/lower spreaders
    1 ferrule cut 3" long for the spine if you use a 2 piece spine
    1 ferrule cut 1 1/2" to attach the arrow nock to the spine

    4 leading edge connectors
    1 center T
    3 arrow nocks
    2 spreader end stand off connectors
    2 sail end stand off connectors

    2 vec's for the ends of the stand offs
    3 vec's for the ends of the leading edges and spine
    4 stoppers (I use small o'rings) for the leading edge connectors

For this discussion I will talk about GForce UL for a frame.  The assembly sequence is critical on tapered spars due to the taper. I will discuss assembling the pultrude spars afterwards.


Mark the 3" and 3 5/8" ferrules 1 1/2" from the end.  Glue these into one end of 3 of the 31.75" spars sliding them into the spars 1 1/2".   The 2 spars with the 3 inch ferrules will be our upper leading edges.  The spar with the 3 5/8" ferrule will be one lower spreader.  If you are using a 2 piece spine that I supplied mark and glue a 3" ferrule into the shorter section of the spine at this time. Press the 1 1/2" ferrule into one of the nocks and glue the nock/ferrule into the other end of the shorter spine piece seating the nock fully against the spine section.

Heat the leading edge connectors and center T before putting them on the spars.  Water in a cup near boiling is a good choice for heating.  The leading edge connectors on the lower leading edge spars need to go onto the spars before the stoppers and the stoppers need to go onto the upper leading edge spars before the leading edge connectors.
1.  Heat the lower leading edge connectors and slide them up the lower leading edge spars until they are within 2 1/2" of the ferruled end of the spar.
2.  Put the o'ring (or equivalent) stoppers on the spars.   Glue them in place.  The upper leading edge stoppers are glued so that there is 12 3/4" of spar extending beyond the stopper toward the narrow end of the spar.  The lower leading edge stoppers are glued so that there is 10" of spar extending beyond the stopper toward the ferruled (large) end of the spar.
3.  Heat the upper spreader connectors and slide them down the spar close to the stopper.
4.  Put the vec's over the end of the upper spreaders.
5.  Press the arrow nocks onto the ends of the lower leading edges.  You may need to heat these also.  I hammer them on with a wooden mallet.
6.  Heat the center T and slide the small opening over the ferrule on the short end of the spine.  Press the ferruled end into the longer section of the spine.  This will cause the center T to ride up onto the spine.  Slide the center T onto the long section of the spine and position it centered 26 1/2" from one end.  Slide the ferruled end of the lower spreader into the spreader portion of the center T and set it aside to cool.  This will prevent the center T from distorting as it cools.
7.  Slide the spreader end stand off connectors onto the lower spreaders and position them approximately 17" from the ferruled end.
8.  Push the 9" micro carbon rods into the sail end spreader connectors.  Make sure they seat evenly into the connectors.  Glue them there.  Put the small vec's over the exposed end of the mcr.

If you are using pultrude spars heat the center T and press one of the ferrules into the larger opening in the center T.  Center this ferrule and glue it in place.  Put the center T through the cut out in the sail and put the spine through the smaller hole.  Put a stopper (rubber o'ring) on the spine above the center T.  Position the center T properly on the spine and slide the stopper down to the top of the center T.  Glue the stopper in place.  Put a stopper approximately 1 1/2" from the center T end of each spreader.  Make sure the spreaders meet in the middle of the ferrule that is in the center T.  Glue the stoppers in place.

Set the frame aside to dry and we'll make up the bridle.