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Author Topic: Shortest Possible Wood Bow?  (Read 6691 times)

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Rhinegold

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Shortest Possible Wood Bow?
« on: October 25, 2009, 12:43:06 am »
What do y'all think is the shortest length technically possible for an *braced* wood bow?

This would involve no synthetics, no horn, no sinew, no glass...just wood, glue and maybe rawhide or some other natural backing material.

As a *minimum* lets say a 26" draw...and at least 40#.

I'm guessing it might be something made of several 1/8" strips.

Pictures are most welcome! ;)
« Last Edit: October 25, 2009, 01:06:42 am by Rhinegold »
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Offline Tom Leemans

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Re: Shortest Possible Wood Bow?
« Reply #1 on: October 25, 2009, 01:01:10 am »
If you're going to draw it with fingers, you have to consider string angle. Im sure folks have made them in the low 50" range, but normal rule of thumb is twice the draw length plus handle area.
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Shadow Walker

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Re: Shortest Possible Wood Bow?
« Reply #2 on: October 25, 2009, 01:49:45 am »
Hop hornbeam,,,48" (46 nton)....bark back and belly

[attachment deleted by admin]
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Shadow Walker

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Re: Shortest Possible Wood Bow?
« Reply #3 on: October 25, 2009, 01:54:15 am »
sorry, wrong pic. Here it is at full draw.

[attachment deleted by admin]
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Shadow Walker

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Re: Shortest Possible Wood Bow?
« Reply #4 on: October 25, 2009, 01:57:37 am »
Here's another HHB 48" with 28" draw

[attachment deleted by admin]
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Offline Justin Snyder

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Re: Shortest Possible Wood Bow?
« Reply #5 on: October 25, 2009, 02:16:09 am »
Boo backed Ipe
50" TTT and 48 1/2 NTN
50# @ 26"
Just over 1" wide from the grip out to 16" from center. The last 9" is a constant taper to the 1/4" tips.
It has a 4" rigid handle with another 1 1/2" of fades.
The static recurves are 6".



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Rhinegold

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Re: Shortest Possible Wood Bow?
« Reply #6 on: October 25, 2009, 04:47:39 am »
Awesome pics guys thanks!

Justin, did you sand the back of the grip into a convex shape before gluing it on the limbs?

Shadow, Are the limbs just as wide as the first on your second bow there?

Looks like 1.5" at the base...at least.

« Last Edit: October 25, 2009, 05:01:56 am by Rhinegold »
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Offline Del the cat

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Re: Shortest Possible Wood Bow?
« Reply #7 on: October 25, 2009, 06:10:33 am »

OK, I know it's not what you mean, but I couldn't resist... :-[
Justin, that's one great little bow, I bet she punches 'em out :)
Del
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Offline Justin Snyder

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Re: Shortest Possible Wood Bow?
« Reply #8 on: October 25, 2009, 10:51:27 am »
Quote from: Rhinegold on October 25, 2009, 04:47:39 am
Justin, did you sand the back of the grip into a convex shape before gluing it on the limbs?


Actually it isn't a glue on riser, it is spliced, and the pieces were that thick.
Here is the link to the original post. http://www.primitivearcher.com/smf/index.php/topic,7923.15.html
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Offline Jmilbrandt

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Re: Shortest Possible Wood Bow?
« Reply #9 on: October 26, 2009, 02:34:26 am »
I've got one of juniper 33 or 34" I don't remember which, unbacked draws 24". I think it's 35 or 40 pounds, I'm going to have to get it out get some pics and measurements.
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SW Utah

Shadow Walker

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Re: Shortest Possible Wood Bow?
« Reply #10 on: October 26, 2009, 03:44:05 am »
the bark backed bow is 1.5" at the fades and the second bow is 1.25" at the fades. The second bow is not backed.
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Offline The Gopher

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Re: Shortest Possible Wood Bow?
« Reply #11 on: October 26, 2009, 12:55:07 pm »
Hey Rhinegold, did you have a bow in mind? i'm really getting into short bows too. my shortest to date is a little osage selfbow. that is 59" NTN, could have gone shorter if the stave was better, but there was some good character knots in there that i didn't want to push my luck.

http://www.primitivearcher.com/smf/index.php/topic,14576.0.html

i have a 50" HHB roughed out, and a 50" ash bow also roughe dout that will get a sinew job. we'll see how they all shake out.
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45# at 27"

Offline JackCrafty

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Re: Shortest Possible Wood Bow?
« Reply #12 on: October 26, 2009, 04:37:10 pm »
I think anything under 46" is pushing the envelope on a 26" draw.  But who knows...make it wide enough and apply enough sinew to the back and somewhere in the 40" range might be feasible?
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Offline Justin Snyder

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Re: Shortest Possible Wood Bow?
« Reply #13 on: October 26, 2009, 06:02:14 pm »
I suspect you could get down a little farther. I wasn't trying to make the shortest bow I could. I was trying to make a bow from the scraps I had on hand.  ;)
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SW Utah

Rhinegold

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Re: Shortest Possible Wood Bow?
« Reply #14 on: October 26, 2009, 06:18:36 pm »
Quote from: The Gopher on October 26, 2009, 12:55:07 pm
Hey Rhinegold, did you have a bow in mind? i'm really getting into short bows too. My shortest to date is a little osage selfbow.
Well this mainly has to do with my height. I'm 6'5" and my little archery range in the basement of an old house has low ceilings, so a shorter bow would help.

I realize however that its probably far more difficult to make a shorter bow.

Right now, I'll be pleased if I can turn out a decent set of arrows before Christmas. :-\
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