250 pounder attempt

[adb]

I'd have to agree. I seriously doubt that cherry would be able to withstand 110#, especially with a narrow profile. I think it would chrysal horribly.
I've also made several backed cherry bows, and they've all been <50#, with wide & flat limbs.

[RyanY]

Well I don't know what to tell you guys. I just measured the bow this morning and it was more at around 105#@32" plus I weighed myself and it gave an accurate reading for that. The bow started out as 1/4"hickory backing, 1/4" purpleheart core, and 1/2" cherry belly. I thought cherry wouldn't be strong enough for it too but It hasn't chrysaled bad at all. The bow has taken around two inches of set. Also I made a string for it and it's actually 74" ntn. I'll try and make a graph like alanesq.

Yewboy - I was kidding when I said it was easy in that video. It is by no means easy to draw but considering the bow I have been drawing it's a dream.

alanesq - Thanks for posting that graph. Your warbow buildalong page is the reason I had the confidence to start making them.

[RyanY]

Well I just finished up trying to make a graph like the one alanesq showed. I did two inch increments from 12-26". I was having a rough time holding it steady at the longer draw lengths but I noticed that it started to stack a bit in the longer draw. I plotted it in an x,y scatter and added an exponential trend line to account for stacking. I plugged 32" into the trend line equation and came up with 108.8#. Its not the most accurate reading in the world but that's all I got. I don't really have any other way of measuring the draw weight. Anyways, I'll try and see if I can take some pics with my mom's camera to show better pics of the bow and I'll also take some of my last glue up of hickory, purpleheart, and white oak.

An aside - The color of this cherry very closely resembles yew heartwood so a hickory/ash/maple backed cherry could look a lot like a fake yew bow and with some added perry reflex could be a sweet shooter depending on design.

[Ian.]

Taking a note from Alan white oak and white ash will make a heavy weight bow up to as he has proved 160lb  I wouldn't be using hickory or purpleheart on anything that is, no offence just a weight trainer.

[alanesq]

ryoon4690 : You need to do the same for your other bow now and then you may see why one is harder to draw than the other
it may be your other bow is heavier to draw at the start but goes up slower so reaching the same end draw weight

Or it could be just a matter of an extra 5lb making all the difference if you are close to the max you can draw - I find that a 100lb bow and a 120lb bow can feel about the same to draw but just go slightly beyond your limit and you can't draw it at all

[alanesq]

I cant fault ash for a backing but finding wood which can take the compression is the difficult bit in my experience
lemonwood or Ipe are the two woods I have had success with
btw - the oak did hold out for a good while but then suddenly decided to give in and started failing along its length

[RyanY]

alanesq - That other bow is 32# heavier at full draw. It's 110#@28 and the reason I think I can't get it there is because the mechanics of the draw. I feel when its that early in the draw I'm not using my back as much as at the farther draw lengths.

Ian - I did see his 160#er but I'll be going for around 125-130#. I think the hickory and purpleheart are fine to use in these heavy lam bow except for the fact that purpleheart sucks to work with. If I'm not mistaken hickory is even stronger in tensile strength than ash and can take more ring violation. The purple heart isn't doing much of anything besides putting space between the back and belly. White oak, haven't worked with it yet.

As for hickory for warbows. I used to think that at heavier weights hickory would crush its own belly but the bow Jim made me has a bamboo backing and hickory belly which shows no sign of chrysals what so ever. I think hickory can do just about everything.

[alanesq]

alanesq - That other bow is 32# heavier at full draw. It's 110#@28 and the reason I think I can't get it there is because the mechanics of the draw. I feel when its that early in the draw I'm not using my back as much as at the farther draw lengths.

Sorry - yes that would explain it
When I was shooting my 140lb bow no problem I have a 165lb bow whch I still couldnt get more than about 15"

[rudderbows]

OK here is a You tube video of the first attempt being drawn on a scale.
This was the 225 pounder, but, was shooting for 250.
http://www.youtube.com/my_videos I will give another try at it very soon.
Uploading you tube stuff is tweekey with our computer. Sometimes it takes and sometimes it does not.

[Ian.]

That is a blank link, i you view the video then give us the web link that should work or alternately tell us what to search for.

[rudderbows]

heavy bow man  Marlon, I have a bow for you to try out. I have your address , but, I wanted to talk with and ask a couple of questions first on the phone if possible could you email me your phone number?

[rudderbows]

Ian, sorry about that. Go to You tube and do a search for rudderbows, thats my call name there. The title of the video is "MEASURING A 225 POUND ENGLISH WAR BOW"
I will try to post the link again . Not sure if it will work, computers do not like me much. 
http://www.youtube.com/my_videos

[youngbowyer33]

that link just takes us to the "my videos" section, so it works for you but for us it takes us to our videos, not yours.

[Ian.]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7c1okvMP8m4

I searched from your channel, the above link will work,

 P.S nice bow

[Loki]

That's impressive! 225# @36" WOW