72" Paper Backed Red Oak Longbow

[Siyah Later]

I finished this bow last fall but got busy and never took any pictures of it.  This is the second bow I've made, and I think it's a pretty good improvement aesthetic wise and performance wise over my first.  I ended up doing really thin tips on this bow, but not on purpose.  I messed up a bit when cutting the tapers so I had to narrow it.  However, in the end it just forced me to make a slightly more risky and better performing bow, so I'm glad I messed up!  I also tried to get a bit fancier with the handle and tip overlays by using alternating strips of red oak and some random darker wood I found.  I backed it with some brown paper I had, and the arrow rest is 3D printed (sorry, I know that isn't very primitive  ).  The bow is 72" tip to tip and pulls about 40# at 28".  It took about an inch and a half of set.  I've shot it at least 500 times and it still looks great; I think this one's a keeper!

There are lots of pictures of the bow and more information on my blog here:  http://www.diydudes.com/paper-backed-red-oak-longbow-bow-2/

[bjrogg]

Nice lookin bow Siyah Later tips look good to me.

[Eric Krewson]

Pretty stiff out of the fades on the upper limb, same on the bottom limb to a lesser degree.

[Siyah Later]

Nice lookin bow Siyah Later tips look good to me.

Thanks!

Pretty stiff out of the fades on the upper limb, same on the bottom limb to a lesser degree.

I agree.  It's because the tips ended up narrower than intended and I didn't have thickness to account for it, so the tips bent a lot from the start and I couldn't get any more bend into the inner limbs without losing weight.  Oh well, more experience for next time!