Tiller check please (arc eye is setting in) :)

[dwardo]

Ayup all,

Finally managed to save enough cash to get my workshop roof done so its been bow makin madness since.
I have a few bits of wood left from last year not the best bits but its my own fault for not planning ahead

This is a sliver of yew that was taken from a 7ft pipe straigh stave that ended up showing all sorts of problems after splitting, broke my heart but i have put it all to use from knife scales to axe handles.

Can you lot please let me know where i am going wrong with this liitle bow. Its about 45lb at 19" so far 59" ntn
I am after what ever draw length i can get and i can flip the tips or what ever you lot might think. I just cant get my eye back in yet after a long break (shouldnt say brake!!)

[Josh]

Wow it's looking good to me.. Maybe a few scrapes midlimb out if you are willing to give up some weight.  The left limb looks a little stronger than the right but you can just make the right limb the top which would make it perfect.  Great work, man!   

[Parnell]

What's your full draw length?  If I'm completely opened up I'll go 28", but the other week I made a 60"ntn hickory D bow for a buddy's birthday that I was drawing to 25" and it was accurate at 20 yards.  Tell you the truth, I kinda prefer to draw at about 25" with a D bow at this length.  Just seems like the best blend of what works for me.  But, everyone's different, right?!

Looks real good...

[dwardo]

Wow it's looking good to me.. Maybe a few scrapes midlimb out if you are willing to give up some weight.  The left limb looks a little stronger than the right but you can just make the right limb the top which would make it perfect.  Great work, man!   

More than happy for it to loose more than a few lbs i dont really like to shoot anything over 50-55 lbs. Its currently only at a scraper finish so i may sand it all out and then sand from mid limb out. Thanks

[dwardo]

What's your full draw length?  If I'm completely opened up I'll go 28", but the other week I made a 60"ntn hickory D bow for a buddy's birthday that I was drawing to 25" and it was accurate at 20 yards.  Tell you the truth, I kinda prefer to draw at about 25" with a D bow at this length.  Just seems like the best blend of what works for me.  But, everyone's different, right?!

Looks real good...

My draw is 28 3/4" but i am gonna have to be realistic with this one, just gotta learn a new anchor point!

[dwardo]

If i want to eeek as much draw length out of this bow where is it best to start removing more wood? also what can i safely expect from this length?

I have some silk to back it if that would make any difference, i just cant hack this 22 inch draw

[Parnell]

I'd release more of the left limb until they are evened up then see where you are at.  From there, maybe move a bit more of the last quarter of the limbs?  Stay away from the handle area.  After shooting it in a little bit, I bet you'll be at 25".  If it were mine, I'd call it 25" draw.  I've never worked with Yew though, so take my advice with a grain of salt.
Once it's dead even on both sides, I'd just take a few scrapes away evenly on both limbs and shoot, repeat if necessary.  Work the bow...
That's how I've been doing my D bows.
Hope it works out for ya.

[dwardo]

Just gaveway at 23 bang it went.

I didnt expect anything from this from the minute i splitt the bloody thing, lots of black veins of mineral deposit. Oh well.

Next!

Another wych elm bow, this one is getting a black silk back i think...


Natural Kink and deflex in liimb


Out to 29


Dog wondering when i am gonna stop messing about and chew one of these sticks


at least some of it was put to use

[Del the cat]

Damn, I got here too late!
It looked a bit lik ean ELB style bow, in which case I'd say the outer limbs weren't working enough (they do look a bit fat ), and it looked a bit short for that style.
Did it break in the middle? Go on post a pic...I've shown my latest breakage
BTW. Ilove that second bow, it's really working hard, I like the steep fades, looks real edgy, and that deep handle, very stylish/sculptural, and those curves could drive a man wild.
Del

[dwardo]

It started out as a 69 inch yew longbowish but horrible things just kept cropping up out of the wood
If i had of been realistic i would have tried for a flat bow out of it but i was stuck on a ELB type not listening to the wooood!

Alright the pics of shame,.,.

[Del the cat]

At least I was right about where it would go .
It's nature's way of slapin' us down when we get too big for our boots (or the women folk have forgotten to do it )
Still that second one pushes the limits nicely
Del

[dwardo]

The little sapwood pin knot in the bottom picture dead center 



 

[Del the cat]

BTW. That Axe handle is really pretty. mine needs a new handle, maybe that's another job for the winter.
Del

[dwardo]

BTW. That Axe handle is really pretty. mine needs a new handle, maybe that's another job for the winter.
Del

Cheers Del It was my aunties axe who was given it by my Grandfather who passed away some years ago.
I Cleaned up the head to find to my surprise it was an old Gransforths Burks Axe, same as mne

The Snakey looking elm has just had a backing of black silk and look spretty cool.
Just gotta wait until it dries out again, little bit more sanding then a finish.

[sonny]

looks like the edge- on the back- of that bow was pretty square. I tend to round 'em over before much bending......

a square edge is where a splinter is most likely to lift.