My first BBI

[NTD]

First I'd like to thank a few people for helping with this.  Justin Snyder for giving me the confidence to actually start this thing and for your glue up method, I used your pine strip and rubber band clamps.  David Knight for the great bamboo.When David tells you it's glue up ready he means it.  And TwistedLimb, Your bow made me realize I could make a BBI without a fancy R/D design. 

My friend has been shooting bows for over 40 years.  He started with fiberglass recurves and then bought a Bear Whitetail hunter in the 70's.  He still shoots that old compound barebow style with no sights and a shooting glove.  Him and I were having a conversation a month or so ago about my dislike of compounds.  He always appreciated that I like traditional gear but never really got it.  A few weeks ago he walked into the local PSE pro shop.  He called me after his visit and exclaimed "I got it".  He was stunned when he went in there.  He thought they were all kids bows and had actually asked where the adult bows where.  He just could not believe how mechanized every thing was and how small the bows where.  He told me after seeing that he almost wants to go tie a string to a branch because it would feel more like a bow than what he saw in there.  Even though he'd been shooting his compound for over 30 years he never realized how far they had gone with them.  I decided that he was now ready for a real bow.  So this is what I made for him.

It is a Bamboo backed Ipe.  67" long, 1.25" wide tapering to 3/8" tips.  I glued in 3 inches of reflex and as you can see in the pics kept just a tad bit of that.  The overlays I picked up at a local hardwood store as turning blanks, I can't remember what they are but I liked the look of the wood.  Although I don't like how I made the overlays and that's something I'll have to work on.  It is backed with western diamondback rattlers and the handle is your basic gopher snake.  The bow draws 48# @ 30".

I hope he likes it.  Let me know what you think.

[NTD]

[Josh]

wow nice bow!!!  ...you are right, when David sends you a piece of bamboo, you can glue it on straight outta the box.  I am doing a reflexed ipe bow right now that is sporting one of David's bamboo backing strips, I hope mine turns out half as good as yours did.  Beautiful finish work and excellent tiller man..    I bet it shoots hard and fast too.     -josh

[Okie]

Great job Nathen!! I like the straight profile and the tiller looks great.

[knightd]

Sweet job on that one..I like the looks of stoping the skins and wraping them.. .. Glad you liked the boo..

[radius]

that's two you just finished up, right?  that's how i do it too...

my guess judging by both of them is that you are a bit "set-shy", meaning they both look pretty stiff coming out of the fades.  The wood just outside the fades is important to get bending, because it's the widest and thickest and can stand the most pressure.

But damn good laminating work, amigo, very good.

[NTD]

Thanks for all the compliments guys.  And yeah I'm not entirely happy with the tiller and yes Radius I am "set" shy.  This is actually the same bow I posted last night, just better pictures.

David, absolutely loved the bamboo and will be getting more from you in the future.  When are you gonna post a bow with those mojaves on the back?
And don't worry I will be buggin the hell out of you soon...next BBI will have to be an R/D.

I'm sad to see this bow leave but it is going to an absolutely deserving friend.

Nate

[knightd]

It will be soon that you will get to see them.. .. The best bows are the ones that go to freinds...!!!

[PeteC]

Good job Nate,it looks good,and your buddy ought to really like it. I was over in your part of the world in July.My wife and I backpacked the Grand Canyon,camped at the river,( bright angel creek),then stayed on the rim a couple of nights.Y'all have a real treasure there. Great bow! God Bless

[Justin Snyder]

Great looking bow Nate. The tiller looks great also. Somebody is going to be very happy with that bow. Justin

[Rich Saffold]

Looks good Nate, and that is a fine gesture that you are doing by helping your friend escape the dark world of mechanical arrow spitting devices.. And with a BBI..Gotta love that!

Rich-

[NTD]

David, glad to hear we'll see them soon. 

Pete, Yes it is very beautiful here.  I'm originally from Maine moved from there 5 years ago to NM and then a year and a half ago moved here to AZ.  I love it here and more importantly so does the Wife.  Parts of me still miss Maine but when I go out in the desert and smell the creosote after a rain and look at the rugged Mountains in the background and then a pack of yoters light up I definitely feel "home".

Justin, Thanks man.  You helped more than you know.  I love your glue up method.  Only thing was I was stressing over getting all the rubber bands on before the glue set.  I used TB3.  Did you get my PM?

Rich, Thank you Sir.  He absolutely loved it!!!  And actually already mentioned that he might be stuffing the compound in the closet for good.  Did my heart good to watch him shoot it.  And yes with a BBI.  I joked with him about how hard it was to let it go when the only bow I have is a red oak board...If I'm not mistaken it is you we have to thank for this beast called Ipe as a bow wood?

Nate

[The Burnt Hill Archer]

very nice! i have a r/d hickory backed osage bow, and i know they can be faster, but more and more im prefering the looks of just a plain ol strait profile.

good job on that handle wrap too.
Phil

[Jesse]

Looks like a great bow. You had some good help and it shows. I second or third what you said about the boo from David Knight. Way better than what you get from most places.  congrats on your first bbi.

[Cooper]

A very fine bow - I like it 
Ipe and Bamboo is a fantastic combination and this is a very good realization of the possibilities these woods offer.