Author Topic: Hickory backed hickory, pulling 90# @ 25" so far...  (Read 15622 times)

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Offline toomanyknots

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Hickory backed hickory, pulling 90# @ 25" so far...
« on: March 01, 2013, 09:35:59 pm »
...and that is as far as I can pull it on the scale so far,  :). Hickory backed hickory, 74 3/4" ntn, 1 1/4" wide and 1 1/16" deep at the handle.









Low brace:





Drawn about 20" at low brace, pulling 80# here. It has went down a smudge in weight since then:





Full brace:









This is about 31" to 32" draw approximately, I use my belt buckle as a guide, as my belt buckle is about 31 1/2" to 32" from the floor:





This is the linen string I am using on this bow, 9 strands of 70# breaking strength linen, twisted in a 3 ply:



In my opinion, the left limb might be bending a little bit too much midlimb in one spot, and needs to bend a little more at the tip. It is pretty close I think though.
« Last Edit: March 01, 2013, 10:45:05 pm by toomanyknots »
"The way of heaven is like the bending of a bow-
 the upper part is pressed down,
 the lower part is raised up,
 the part that has too much is reduced,
 the part that has too little is increased."

- Tao Te Ching, 77, A new translation by Victor H. Mair

Offline toomanyknots

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Re: Hickory backed hickory, pulling 90# @ 25" so far...
« Reply #1 on: March 01, 2013, 09:40:26 pm »
Here is a link to the video that I took the fulldraw photo from: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LbNc9A3ugYQ
"The way of heaven is like the bending of a bow-
 the upper part is pressed down,
 the lower part is raised up,
 the part that has too much is reduced,
 the part that has too little is increased."

- Tao Te Ching, 77, A new translation by Victor H. Mair

Offline bow101

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Re: Hickory backed hickory, pulling 90# @ 25" so far...
« Reply #2 on: March 01, 2013, 11:52:56 pm »
 8)  Another good one. "Great Scott" look at that tiller  ;D  Looking good; looking real goooooood.
"The privilege of a lifetime is being who you are."  Joseph Campbell

Offline toomanyknots

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Re: Hickory backed hickory, pulling 90# @ 25" so far...
« Reply #3 on: March 02, 2013, 12:47:02 pm »
8)  Another good one. "Great Scott" look at that tiller  ;D  Looking good; looking real goooooood.

Thank ya, i'll try to get a better fulldraw soon, I know there is alot of wood in the way of the other limb so you can't get a good look at the tiller.
"The way of heaven is like the bending of a bow-
 the upper part is pressed down,
 the lower part is raised up,
 the part that has too much is reduced,
 the part that has too little is increased."

- Tao Te Ching, 77, A new translation by Victor H. Mair

Offline toomanyknots

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Re: Hickory backed hickory, pulling 90# @ 25" so far...
« Reply #4 on: March 08, 2013, 04:14:48 pm »
I think I am about done tillering this bow. The handle could come around just a bit, but I am thinking it might be smarter to leave it a bit stiff with a big heavy dense hickory bow anyway, thinking about handshock and all. I got some nocks on it and have been debating tillering symetrical, or slightly stiff on the bottom limb, but I am just never am happy with a longbow that is asymmetrical. The top limb still has a spot that is working a tiny bit too much I think, but it is real close. The last time I have weighed it, it was pulling 95# or so @ 27"/28". I am thinking it has come down a bit though during tillering. It still only has just over an inch string follow, and that is after being pretty brutal with it, letting it sit at full draw on my static tiller tree (one with the notches), pulling it a good deal past 32", and all before reducing it in weight further. So I would think a wood that is rumored to be quite weak in compression, after being abused so much without being treated, would have more string follow by now. Here are a couple better tiller pictures:



« Last Edit: March 08, 2013, 04:18:21 pm by toomanyknots »
"The way of heaven is like the bending of a bow-
 the upper part is pressed down,
 the lower part is raised up,
 the part that has too much is reduced,
 the part that has too little is increased."

- Tao Te Ching, 77, A new translation by Victor H. Mair

Offline toomanyknots

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Re: Hickory backed hickory, pulling 90# @ 25" so far...
« Reply #5 on: March 08, 2013, 04:37:09 pm »
Here is the video I took those tiller pictures from:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YuzFSdd5_5E&feature=youtu.be
"The way of heaven is like the bending of a bow-
 the upper part is pressed down,
 the lower part is raised up,
 the part that has too much is reduced,
 the part that has too little is increased."

- Tao Te Ching, 77, A new translation by Victor H. Mair

Offline ionicmuffin

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Re: Hickory backed hickory, pulling 90# @ 25" so far...
« Reply #6 on: March 11, 2013, 03:38:15 am »
definitely a sweet bow! for hickory being the belly it sure did take well to the compression.
Amo innectis arcus- I love crafting bows (latin)

Offline toomanyknots

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Re: Hickory backed hickory, pulling 90# @ 25" so far...
« Reply #7 on: March 11, 2013, 11:27:54 am »
definitely a sweet bow! for hickory being the belly it sure did take well to the compression.

Yes, I will definitely be using hickory in the future, never made a longbow out of it as I heard it sucks in compression, as everyone else has. Turns out I have been making perfectly fine bows out of woods wayyy less compression strong than hickory!  :o
"The way of heaven is like the bending of a bow-
 the upper part is pressed down,
 the lower part is raised up,
 the part that has too much is reduced,
 the part that has too little is increased."

- Tao Te Ching, 77, A new translation by Victor H. Mair

Offline Adam

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Re: Hickory backed hickory, pulling 90# @ 25" so far...
« Reply #8 on: March 11, 2013, 12:27:30 pm »
That looks great!  I've only made selfbows up to this point and this is probably a stupid question, but what's the benefit of gluing two pieces of the same wood together as opposed to using two different types?

Offline toomanyknots

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Re: Hickory backed hickory, pulling 90# @ 25" so far...
« Reply #9 on: March 11, 2013, 02:55:15 pm »
That looks great!  I've only made selfbows up to this point and this is probably a stupid question, but what's the benefit of gluing two pieces of the same wood together as opposed to using two different types?

The backing was straight grain rift sawn, to keep the bow from failing in tension. The other was a plainsawn piece. With lumber bows, you have to have either a straight grain rift or quarter sawn with little to no run outs, or a single ring (like a selfbow). Plainsawn will not work unless you chase a ring (like a selfbow). I would recommend checking this these sites out:

http://www.alanesq.com/longbow.htm (longbow/warbow making guide: http://www.alanesq.com/bsb.htm)
http://poorfolkbows.com/

Thank you guys by the way!
"The way of heaven is like the bending of a bow-
 the upper part is pressed down,
 the lower part is raised up,
 the part that has too much is reduced,
 the part that has too little is increased."

- Tao Te Ching, 77, A new translation by Victor H. Mair

Offline Adam

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Re: Hickory backed hickory, pulling 90# @ 25" so far...
« Reply #10 on: March 11, 2013, 03:28:13 pm »
Ahhh... Got it now.  Thanks!

Offline toomanyknots

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Re: Hickory backed hickory, pulling 90# @ 25" so far...
« Reply #11 on: March 11, 2013, 04:33:12 pm »
Ahhh... Got it now.  Thanks!

No problem,  :).
"The way of heaven is like the bending of a bow-
 the upper part is pressed down,
 the lower part is raised up,
 the part that has too much is reduced,
 the part that has too little is increased."

- Tao Te Ching, 77, A new translation by Victor H. Mair

Offline Slackbunny

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Re: Hickory backed hickory, pulling 90# @ 25" so far...
« Reply #12 on: March 11, 2013, 09:56:02 pm »
definitely a sweet bow! for hickory being the belly it sure did take well to the compression.

Yes, I will definitely be using hickory in the future, never made a longbow out of it as I heard it sucks in compression, as everyone else has. Turns out I have been making perfectly fine bows out of woods wayyy less compression strong than hickory!  :o

I'm guessing that whole thing got started because hickory is so often judged alongside top tier woods like Osage who have great tensile properties. Against those top tier species it doesn't look so great, but if you open up the floor a bit, it still stands out as a great wood.

Offline PortlandJoe

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  • nock. draw. LOOOOSE!
Re: Hickory backed hickory, pulling 90# @ 25" so far...
« Reply #13 on: March 17, 2013, 12:45:54 am »
how do i go about picking up one of your bows??

Offline }|{opukc

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  • Patience my friend !!!
Re: Hickory backed hickory, pulling 90# @ 25" so far...
« Reply #14 on: March 17, 2013, 05:09:06 am »
knots, bow looks very good - maybe a little more on the left. If you work a little in green stalk handle will still remain hard and reduce the impact to the handshok.



George
Best regards from Bulgaria - George