Shorty Vinemaple

[steve b.]

Here's a bow that was a bit too short  for anything but a kid's bow but it was so flat and wide that I wanted to at least make a heavier but short draw bow. 
So I spliced in some hazelnut tips in order to add whatever length I could and to see if it would work.  When I clamped it up there was so much glue that I didn't see that I didn't get one tip butted up well.  Seems fine.  I drilled and pinned them from the side.

Needs a little more tiller work and the tips need reduced.  So far NO set.  The apparent set that you see unstrung came when I heat treated it.  It took 2.5" of curve after temper then over the week it slunk back to 1.5".  I didn't clamp it down during treatment.  Bummer.  I'm debating on sinewing it with a little perry reflex.  The back is very wavy/bumpy.

[steve b.]

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[IdahoMatt]

Shoot Steve I think that looks great.  What draw are you shooting for?

[burn em up chuck]

   very cool

          chuck

[Dan K]

Turned out alright Steve, should clean up nicely.  Can't wait to see the final pics!

[Peacebow_Coos]

Cool bow, I like the splice that's pretty cool.  Looking forward to seeing this one too

[Pappy]

Cool little bow,tips look mighty large, cool looking but large,are you planing on thinning them a bit ?
 Pappy

[Badly Bent]

I'm liking this one. Hope you post more of this bow as you get it finished Steve.

[NeolithicMan]

very cool little bow. I would save the sinew for another bow man, this things pretty interesting without it. maybe try and make a larger version and see what you can get away with

[steve b.]

Thanks everyone.

Matt, I had no plans for draw length.  I was more interested in seeing if the tips would work.  I'd like to get another inch or so out of it.

Pappy, yes.   I left the tips large until I got a string on it so I could see what to remove.  I will narrow them both and take a good 1/8" off the belly side.

NeolithicMan, I'm leaning that way, just leaving it alone.  Thanks.

[IdahoMatt]

I say go for it.  Looks like those tips could take it.  I like the way you glued them up.  Did you use a router?

[campx]

Sweeeet, I like it!  Ive been wanting to try a similar thing, with some hawthorn or saskatoon (serviceberry) that is too short for a regular man-sized bow.  Hamster wheel spinning in my head..........

[steve b.]

I'm glad you guys like it. 

I did all the cutting with a handsaw, files, sandpaper.  That's why its not real clean.  If I was going to do this all the time I'd buy a high quality tenon handsaw.

This is not the joint to use to really make a bow considerably longer because the joint potentially would need to be working.  So I'm not sure how much you could thin the bow and joint so that's it bending but still strong enough to keep the lever from breaking.

I reduced the tips some more: