My First Miniature Longbow

[jaxenro]

Snapped like a dry twig when I pulled it to about 6".

So I started a second one using walnut backed oak. The first one was walnut backed mahogany I didn't have a lot of hope for it anyway, mahogany not being a good wood for bows, but it was what I had in the little wood pile.

I think the outer limbs were too thick and it was doing too much bending in the handle area.

[Pat B]

How did the first one break? was it a backing failure or did the belly collapse? Knowing this will help build a successful mini-bow.

[jaxenro]

Belly failure. Iknewmahoganywas kind of brittle. I ordered some better wood just waiting on it. Lemonwood, Yew, and Rosewood for the belly

[Dictionary]

Build it about 5 feet longer next time. It'll hold up at a 6" draw.

[jaxenro]

Build it about 5 feet longer next time. It'll hold up at a 6" draw.

Thought of that but it would look silly shooting a 8" shaft

[jaxenro]

So I am working on the second one but am new to the tillering process. If I understand correctly I need to work on the left limb to make the bend more match the right. Should I also be trying to get more bend in closer to the tips on both sides?

[stuckinthemud]

You do need to get both limbs bending the same.  I like to use a digital camera and upload the photo to a laptop/tablet so I can see the whole bow  - it also means I can hold up something circular, like a saucer or CD, to the image and see how fair the curve is. 

[jaxenro]

Kind of like this? Handy I can take a photo at each progression and work it until it matches the circle

[Dictionary]

Just like that. Limb on left needs a few scrapes to balance with the right limb and both limbs need the tips bending a bit more.

[Del the cat]

You need to tiller a miniature using exactly the same process as a full sized bow.
Del

[jaxenro]

Trying to. Notice I am using a long string to start with and working one step at a time

[jaxenro]

Seems like everything needs to be like full size. I ordered my mini Bodkin points will see if they print. Now I just need to find some mini goose feathers, or the equivalent, and some mini yew staves and I will really be cooking. The staves will probably be the hardest

[loon]

Great idea
I would try to just find some smallish branches of maple or something.

I should try a mini compression pine bow..

[jaxenro]

One of these times I will get one to stay together. This one is Walnut belly Oak backing I think I am tapering the limbs too much and making them too slender which is why they keep snapping but I will get it.

Anyway still need to do some work on the right limb the left looks ok to me. The thin line between the walnut and the drawn circle is the oak

[stuckinthemud]

Getting really close now, looking much better