Hickory Board Buildalong

[Newbowyer]

Ok here is the pic you requested.



I just finished the other limb. I dont think there is much point in posting it because it looks like the other.

Just for fun
directly after finishing today

Got Dust?




After a long vaccum cleanup.





And last 4 years bucks. Mine and my dads



Guess we like Euro mounts eh?

[Justin Snyder]

It looks like the board was cut from along side the knot.  I would make that the bell side of the bow and cut that dark area off when you thin the limb. Other than that I really think that is nothing to worry about.  You are in good shape.  Justin

[Newbowyer]

I didnt even think about that . I was actually going to use the knot on the back. I might end up having a knotless bow!


I dont expect to get much more done until the weekend. I will be busy.

I think I am going to use these measurements on this web page to grind it down on the belly. I think it will be alright.
http://www.geocities.com/salampsio/oak4.htm

[Newbowyer]

Finished roughing out my bow today. I did it with the angle grinder outside since it was so warm ( 50). Boy am I glad I did that, even outside there was alot of dust. Cleanup was a breeze though ( pun intened)


I learned alot about the hunk of wood I am trying to make into a bow.

^^See, it looks like very little early growth, at least I thought it did.

^^ See that little sliver at the top right. That is the only late growth in that entire limb. I think the other stuff is early growth because it was much more splintery when I started to round the edges. This really worries me.

Speaking of rounding the edges. I started to do that and finished up with only 1/3 of the bow done. I tried to get the limbs moving directly after roughing it out, and they werent moving at all. So I decided to make it more of a D shape belly to get them moving more. Unfortunately I ran out of time. Here are pics of where I am at right now.



Last pic is of the area I rounded the edges and gave a slight D shape too.

[Justin Snyder]

I know you are getting tempted to start hacking and grinding.  Now is the time for patience. Don't get impatient or all your work will be lost.  Justin

[Pat B]

Dito what Justin says!  it is time for a rasp and scraper.    Pat

[George Tsoukalas]

CC, any of the board cuts  will make a bow. =plane sawn, // rift sawn, || sawn. I look at  the edge grain.The straighter the better. I like the idea of putting the know on the belly. Is there any possibility of "chasing" a ring to make the back grain better? Jawge

[Newbowyer]

Jawge, I think there was before I started. Now that its all roughed out I dont think I can, although I will give it a look after school today.

[Newbowyer]

Crrrrrraaaaacccckkkkk, thats the noise my bow made when I pulled it alittle too far when tillering. .............                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       

Well that would be a reasonable excuse.

What actually happend was I was rounding out the corners with a file, when I heard the crack. Limbs hadnt even been bent once and it still broke.  Right as the home stretch was coming up I heard the noise no bowyer ever wants to hear. To add insult to injury it was the last section of the bow I had rounded off and gave slight D shape so I had just spent some time doing that.. Well thats bowmaking. I learned from it though, you can break a bow with out even moving the limbs, lol. It was fun, I want to thank you guys for convincing me to do this.. Now what should I do for my next bow .

area outlined in black is the crack.

Its just far enough from the tip so I cant make a bow out  of the remains. I dont think I can glue it back together. I think I will try anyway


If there is success with the glue I will continue. If not maybe I will build a hickory backed red oak with some R/d, to practice for my osage core.

[Bob S.]

I'm gonna have to try a board bow. My shed is starting to look like a lumber yard, but nothing there will be seasoned enough to be used for quite a while. Every time I walk by, the staves call to me unmercifully. If I don't start shaving something soon I'm going to need a therapist.

[George Tsoukalas]

Coca Cola, I'm sorry to hear that your stave broke. Do spend the time looking for a straight grained board. Do think about a bend in the handle board bow. Do persevere. I spent 3 years and 14 staves to get a hunting weight shooter. I learned quite a bit from each of those 14 staves. You learned quite a bit about boar choice from that stave too. You have a great attitude. Have fun. Jawge says, " If you ain't breakin' you ain't makin'." Jawge

[Bob S.]

I should have read this whole thing before I put my last post up. Sorry to hear about your bow.