Building the Vine Maple Bow - Finished

[RBLusthaus]

Nicely done and thank you for the time you put into these buildalongs.  Russ   

[Carson (CMB)]

Another great buildalong, and very fine vine maple bow, Gordon. 

[nakedfeet]

I now feel thoroughly inadequate.

[Gordon]

Thank you all for the really great comments - I'm so pleased that this build-a-long has been so well received.

Nakedfeet, no need to feel inadequate. The purpose of this thread is to give folks the confidence to build a bow like this. It is not that difficult if you take your time with it.

Again, thank you all so much.

[Pappy]

Another beautiful Bow Gordon, thanks for taking us along.
 Pappy

[Sockrablur]

Thank you Gordon, amazing build! Loved all the photos, it really helps understand. Your an artful craftsman sir. Well done

[ptaylor]

That's great Gordon! I have a vine maple stave roughed out in my woodshop, and when I get around to working on it I'll be looking through this thread again and again. Great information. Thanks for sharing this!

Preston

[IdahoMatt]

Yet another great build along Gordon.  I learned a lot from this one as well as your hazel bow.  That is for thanking the time to do this.

[Billinthedesert]

Gordon, I was hoping to find a new buildalong here, and lo and behold, vine maple. Thank you so very, very much.

[BowEd]

Another great build-a-long.Very nice and ooodles of pictures to boot.

[Dan K]

Very helpful Gordon.  I now have the confidence to tiller my 4 1/2" reflex yew stave.  VM is pretty forgiving wood so is it safe to assume that following this process should work on yew? 

[IsaacC]

Hello Gordon,

May you please explain to me the reason that the bow will start to set as you tiller it if you haven't taken enough off the belly? If this has to do with the thickness of the limb and the characteristics of the wood, it seems like this would limit the draw weight of the bow. How can you increase draw weight possibilities and avoid set in the limbs? Increase limb length is my thought...

Thank you, I am thoroughly impressed by the intricacy and efficiency of your work.

Isaac C.

[Gordon]

Vine maple is unusual in that it has a tendency to curl into reflex when a stave is split and dried. My theory is that the wood cells on the tension side are actually contracting as they dry and by working the bow you are reducing reflex by stretching the tension cells as opposed to compressing the cells on the belly. Of course, at some point, the cells are stretched as far as they will go and if you are not careful the bow will begin to take set.

[IsaacC]

Vine maple is unusual in that it has a tendency to curl into reflex when a stave is split and dried. My theory is that the wood cells on the tension side are actually contracting as they dry and by working the bow you are reducing reflex by stretching the tension cells as opposed to compressing the cells on the belly. Of course, at some point, the cells are stretched as far as they will go and if you are not careful the bow will begin to take set.

Thank you, that makes sense. If stretched too far the fibers would yield. When the thickness is decreased, the moment is lessened on the outer fibers.

Do you have a rule of thumb for draw weight vs limb length (or width)? It seems like the only way to go higher in draw weight would be to go longer (less stress on the limb).

[Gordon]

Isaac, I have made a lot of vine maple bows and I generally have a pretty good feel for the proper proportions when I start a bow. But I haven't tried to work out a formula. What kind of bow are you trying to make?