Starting on first bow build- Bow broke, pics added

[Canerod]

Well, I went and done it. Got two red oak boards, a Sureform, a 4-in-hand, and a set of round files. I'm gonna try and make a bow, since I can't stand it any longer. I've read TBB volumes 1&2, plus many fine websites (Thanks Gawge ), but I'm wondering about dimensions. What's recommended? I'll be doing this without supervision, all out of books or the web, and I'm one of those folks who has trouble following instructions (or is that "destructions"?) . Any hints or tips?

TIA!

Canerod

[Mike_A]

What poundage are you going for and what style, length, bendy or stiff handle. As much info as you can give. With the red oak board bows I've made for 45-55 I usually go about 1.75 to 2 in wide to midlimb then taper to 3/8 in nocks. That's for a 68 to 70 in stiff handle bow. Hope this helps. Mike

[Canerod]

I'm hoping to make a stiff handled bow. I have some maple that I want to glue one for the handle and maybe limb tips. The boards are 72" long, 1x2" so it's really just .75"x1.5", and I normally shoot 55-60#@27" on my laminated bows. I'd be happy with anything over 45#, to be honest. Can I make the bow and then back it later for more weight, or does it need to be backed before I tiller it? If I make the handle stiff, should I increase the o/a length so I have the same amount of working limb?

Thanks!

[Keenan]

  Check out the bowaholics thread on the "anything" Forum, The sooner that you seek help the better it gets.  Keenan

[Kegan]

Might I suggest that making one of those boards into a D bow before trying a stiff handled bow- it shoudl take a few hours scraping and then a little tillering. The dimensions are pretty easy and allow for veyr easy construction and a nice strong bow.

For length, make it twice your draw plus 16". Leave the middle two feet 1 1/2" wide, tapering to 3/8" pin nocks. Leave it 3/4" thick in the center grip, tapering to 5/16" thick tips. If the taper is good and you don't need alot of tillering, this could yield a bow of 65# or so, depending on the density of the wood. Just round the back edges and tiller slowly.

[Canerod]

Thanks for the info. On a "D" bow, do I narrow the handle section any or just add a arrow rest? 1.5"wide by .75" thick sounds pretty uncomfortable as a grip, should I build it up with some other material, like the leather ovals I've seen on other's sites. Or could I just add a small piece of wood to the back of the grip, to round it out?

[Kegan]

Leather ovals on the belly works best. No narrowing or cutting into it of any kind, here the "Floppy rest" works superbly. It's not that hard to get used to a wide, thin handle. I've shot bows 1 3/4" wide and about 1/4" thick at the handle without trouble. And the time spent making a D bow and getting used to the handle is still less than making a flatbow- at least for me .

[Canerod]

OK, I know..........everyone says don't use powertools when you first start, 'cause it's too easy to mess up quick. So in true bonehead fashion, I decided I needed to speed things up late last night, and not having a bandsaw, a jigsaw should work, right?? WRONG!! So now I've got the limbs too thin.

Kegan, any dimensions for a kids bow, say 15#@20" or so?? I think I can save it and make a good bow for my girls, and I promise to stick with hand tools ONLY until I get a bandsaw, but all bets are off then, lol.

Thanks!

[Canerod]

OK, using the dimensions from Ferret's site for a youth boardbow, I think I'll be able to save this one. I reduced dimensions, smoothed all edges and Put together a tiller tree this AM. I just realized that I don't have any scrapers, though. Should I just use the Shurform and 4-in-hand to work tiller, or am I better off waiting till I can get some scrapers?
Sorry for all the bonehead questions, but I'd like to save this one and have a bow for my girls.

[stiknstring]

An old butcher knife (the one I have I got at goodwill for about fifty cents) or a pocket knife will work fine as a scraper. 

[Canerod]

Good call! I hadn't thought of using a knife as a scraper, even though I do the same thing with a small pocketknife when I'm finishing strips for a bamboo flyrod. I tried using the blade out of an old Stanley plane, but it's a bit small to get a grip on.

Next question: How far do I take the bow with the longstring before I go to the shortstring? I'm going real slow so I don't miss the mark again.

[El Destructo]

I'm with Keenan...if you are wanting to make a Yew ELB one day....you may as well start learning on a good ole D Bow....I love them Bendy Handles anyways!!!

[Canerod]

OK. Bow #1 is officially dead    I kept exercising, spotting stiff spots, scraping the stiff spot, then back to the tree for exercising 20-25 draws. I had gotten it up to 6-7"and after exercising, drew it to put the longstring in the next slot and CRACK!, it let go.





The break followed the grain of softer new growth, so am I correct in assuming that I just got a bit too much pressure for the design?? I'm anxious to find out what I did wrong, since board #2 is sitting in the corner. I just don't want to repeat the same mistakes.

[stiknstring]

Possibly a problem with board selection.  Gotta make sure that grain runs straight for the most part end to end.  If there are wiggles, waggles, and run offs then you absolutely should back it with something tough like linen or silk.

[El Destructo]

another thing....how much pull were you putting on it??? don't ever go past what you want for a Bow Weight....say that you are shooting for 50 pounds at 26 inches of draw...NEVER go past that weight.....and when you exercise the Wood between scrapings....do it slow and steady....don't be pumping the Bow ...this only adds to breaking the Fiber down to the point of Fatigue...

Make sure that when you are picking out Boards....that you pick them with the Straightest lineal Grain you can find....as little run-off as possible....plus if the Limbs are wider....you can have more little flaws than with a Narrower Limb....at least in my experiences thats the way it has run..