2012 Red Oak Board Bow Trade

[DarkSoul]

I hope it's just me, but the grain in that last pic appears to be running at a terrible angle?
See these red lines I drew. Am I right or mistaken? If the grain does run like this, it will be close to impossible to make a bow from this piece of wood!

[ionicmuffin]

not entirely sure, if it is im just going to go for it and see what comes of it. this is hickory, so i don't know if that makes a diff. I dont have the money to buy a new red oak board so i figured i would go with this and see what happens.

[ionicmuffin]

its just at the tip where it does that grain swirl upwards, otherwise its pretty much flat the entire length.


If this concerns any of you i can tiller it out to 1 or 1.5 inches past draw and also i can shoot it a ton before sending it. and by a ton i mean like 400 times.

[hedgeapple]

Iconic, the last 4 to 6 inches (6" is better) are not bending anyhow.  And depending of the style of bow, say one with longer levers, it may be up to 8 or 10 inches of non-bending tips.  So it should matter.

[Weylin]

Yikes, I didn't realize the deadline was that far gone. I'll contact my assignment and let him know it will be on its way soon.

Hey Gordon, I think you're in the wrong thread. This is the Red Oak board bow trade, you didn't enter this one, did you? The deadline for the main bow trade isn't until August.

[ionicmuffin]

its a pyramid styled bow, so basically most of the bend should be in the fades and inner third. although there will be bend in the middle too. I can leave the last 6 inches alone

[Gordon]

Yep, you are right Weylin. I got these threads mixed up.  So instead of being late, I finished my bow early!

[ionicmuffin]

Here is the progress I've made. I have it at 5 inch brace. I will post some pictures of the draw tomorrow after my classes. Pyramid profile 64 inches long. The limb that the arrow points to is not bending as much as the one that has no arrow pointing at it. It looks imbalanced doesn't it? I've got some work to do but I think it will come out to about 40-45 lbs at 26"

[bubby]

that's looking good muffy, and you diagnosed it right, slow and steady stays the course
I measure from back of bow to string at each fade and try to get the same number, remember to exercise after scrapping then measure from both fades for an even tiller

[ionicmuffin]

Should I just try to even the tiller from the brace profile first and then when it looks even I should see where I'm at?

[bubby]

no you have to work the limbs after each removal, then check it, how far have you bent it so far, you can work the limbs just going to 15" work them 50 times then check it, once you get it even you can work it out to 20" or so on the tree nice and easy, then I start shooting arrows at a short draw and just work my way out to full draw, put a pc of tape on the arrow at full draw, if that is 26" i'd go 27" for safety, you can shoot at a target from like 5 yds or just shoot in the dirt till it gets worked out

[hedgeapple]

Bubby has probably made more bows than I have, and probably better bow too.  But I don't understand this logic.  Bubby, I'm not trying to be an "A".  I'm looking to learn, also. 

In my way of thinking, Muffin you probably haven't pulled the bow pass your target weight.  You've have the tips bending 6 to 8 inches so you've braced the bow.  Now you see there's an issue with the right limb being a bit stiff.  Why would you continue to pull/work the bow before you fix the problem.  Continuing to work the bow when there's an issue is unduly stressing the weaker part of the bow.  That's just my humble opinion.

I do scrape a bow when it's braced.  Maybe I shouldn't.  But I do.  I will take it out of the vice and draw it a couple inches for several pulls to allow the bow to re-set itself.  I may pull it 10 or 20 times.  I have seen a few of the better bowyers on her do this.  But, maybe they're just as lazy as I am.   

Again, Bubby, I would love to hear more of you thoughts on our different ways of making a bow.  I'm sure I can learn from you.

[ionicmuffin]

Ok, here's the work I've gotten done. The set is around 1 3/4 inches at the moment, considering that the MC is probably 9% or a tad less it's probably taken a bit more because of that. I also have had some tillering mistakes so I think part could be because of those. Here's the unbraced pic, vids are coming of them working the limbs.
First: http://s1074.photobucket.com/user/ionicmuffin/media/MVI_6416_zps5af8dbaa.mp4.html?sort=3&o=1
Second: http://s1074.photobucket.com/user/ionicmuffin/media/MVI_6417_zps3d5e9e93.mp4.html?sort=3&o=0
My voice sounds weird to me on camera, ignore it if you want.

[Bryce]

mark some arrows at 26"draw and shoot it 25 times, check tiller, shoot 25 more, check tiller,25 times, check tiller, shoot 25 more, check tiller. make corrections if needed. and then finish

[ionicmuffin]

sweet! sounds like im on the home stretch! Thanks!