Advice on narrow, rounded belly bow...

[Badger]

  Here is a 30 min special red oak, 1 1/8 wide 15.5 oz, 67"long, 40#@28". about 3/4" of set but I started off at 55# so would have taken less. Not so skinny to twist. Fits great in the hand and not fragile. Should be bending a little more mid limb.

[Wooden Spring]

Awesome Badger... That's exactly what I need!   

I take it you and Pearl Drums are a bit at odds? Either that, or the "rules" of bowery are a bit like the bows they produce - they can be bent...

[Badger]

 Pearl just likes to argue LOL. No, I don't think we are at odds, we all just share different experiences.   On this type of bow you can make a bunch of them quickly just using the tillering gizmo with the bow about 1/2 drawn. On a rounded belly a rasp works very quickly.

[Wooden Spring]

Pearl just likes to argue LOL. No, I don't think we are at odds, we all just share different experiences.   On this type of bow you can make a bunch of them quickly just using the tillering gizmo with the bow about 1/2 drawn. On a rounded belly a rasp works very quickly.

Outstanding. Thank you sir!

[Badger]

The one on the right is an epoxy formed horn nock, the one on the left is a real horn nock. You can't tell the difference if you are looking right at them.

[Wooden Spring]

OK, I am definately trying the epoxy nocks...   Hey, that might be a good idea for a crossbow nut too.  Hmmmm... Now you've got the wheels a turning...

[PEARL DRUMS]

For whatever reason, I was under the impression you wanted backed bows. Carry on and do what you will.

[wizardgoat]

I have  yew lumber id trade for the right stuff

[Wooden Spring]

For whatever reason, I was under the impression you wanted backed bows. Carry on and do what you will.

It will be a backed bow for the purpose of laying in reflex, just as I do for my flat bows.

[bubby]

Is a hard backed bow "period specific "?

[bradsmith2010]

i think the red oak is easy and cheap to get and will make the bow required,, and is time efficient as seen above,, many other woods and designs will work,,

[PEARL DRUMS]

Steve's bow doesn't have a back. A red oak backed with ash, hickory or elm will not act the same as Steve's straight up red oak board did. Your increasing the backs tension properties greatly. That totally changes how the belly of red oak works and what it will handle.

[PatM]

 Backed bows made with hickory and tropical wood bellies were very common in that era. Maurice Thonpson mentions them repeatedly in TWOA.
 The Thompson's preferred them over all native timbers.
 Snakewood, Fustic, Ruby wood, stained Lancewood are all mentioned as bow woods of that time.
 Here is a link to the chapter in Thompson's book.
http://archerylibrary.com/books/witchery/docs/appendix/appendix_1.html

[Badger]

  Most of the elbs I do are tropical woods backed with either hickory or white oak. On a bow as described that needs to be long and lightweight like 40# it is almost impossible to make a bow with reasonable dimensions from a dense wood belly.  If you are not worried about the 5/8 rule it is no problem.

   Several years ago I had to make about 2 dozen reenactment bows in the 30# to 40# range. I used western white cedar which isn't even considered a bow wood and it worked out great. They had nice demensions for handling and the physical mass stayed light for good performance.

   When I do use a hickory backed ipe for a low pound bow I use the mass principle and it tells me to move the bend way out from the handle and make them bordering on whip tillered. They shoot great like that. If a bow is too narrow it is just too easy for it to start twisting sideways.

[bubby]

Backed bows made with hickory and tropical wood bellies were very common in that era. Maurice Thonpson mentions them repeatedly in TWOA.
 The Thompson's preferred them over all native timbers.
 Snakewood, Fustic, Ruby wood, stained Lancewood are all mentioned as bow woods of that time.
 Here is a link to the chapter in Thompson's book.
http://archerylibrary.com/books/witchery/docs/appendi



Thanks pat