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How to Drill a Riser for Bowfishing

Bows for bowfishing have not been given a back seat to their terrestrial counterparts, but have improved in development and design, allowing for various accessories. Installing riser inserts is a way to add versatility to a fishing bow. Drilling out risers involves a simple procedure, and it will allow the mounting of additional accessories, like a Kwikee style quiver or a bowfishing reel. Riser kits come with instructions, and they can be installed in minutes with a few hand tools.

Things You'll Need

Riser kit
Sand bags
Vise (if applicable)
Towels
Ruler
Drill
Drill bits (5/16 inch diameter)
Paperclip
Plastic hammer
Allen wrenches (if applicable)

Instructions

- 1
  Match your riser kit to the brand name of your bow, or as close as possible. There might be slight variations in the riser insert sizes and drilling depth. This article will use an AMO installation guide as a general example. Determine if any stipulations exist for either right- or left-handed bows, and choose yours accordingly.
- 2
  Set the bow on its end on a level work bench and weight the end limbs with sandbags, to stabilize it. If you have a workbench vise, place the bow with the edge facing up between the jaws, and place towels between the jaws and bow grip before gently tightening. You may leave the bow stringed or un-strung it if you wish.
- 3
  Lay the template over the shelf, or riser, just over the grip area, if your kit came with an instruction card and template. Center the template. Mark the two drill holes with the edge of a drill bit.
- 4
  Mark your first hole on the shelf near the top of the grip, if you have no kit template. Use a drill and 5/16-inch drill bit to drill a hole exactly 3/8-inch deep into the wood. Use a paperclip to probe the depth of the hole, and place it against a ruler to get the proper depth. Drill the second hole in the same fashion if a template is provided.
- 5
  Use a ruler (with no template) to measure 1 5/16 inch up the shelf toward the top of the bow, and etch a mark with a drill bit end. Drill the second hole 3/8-inch deep, with the 5/16-inch bit. Remove any excess sawdust or burs around the drill holes. Place both brass riser inserts inside the holes, with the brass flange facing upward.
- 6
  Tap the brass inserts into the wood with a plastic hammer, until the inserts are flush and seated. Screw the expansion screws from the kit into the threaded riser inserts by hand. The expansion screws might have Allen heads, so use the correct sized Allen wrench for tightening.
- 7
  Screw the expansion screws down into the inserts until they stop; this will expand the inserts, opening them up so they seat in the wood. Remove the expansion screws and un-clamp the vise, or remove the sand bags.

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