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[Flntknp17]

Wow!  Lots of fine work being posted this week!  Love them all! 

As far as why I make backed bows from lumber......because that is what I have to work with.  I just don't have the time to go cut staves and let them season, wish I did, and someday I will, but with three kids and all that entails, I just don't have time.  I really like the process of making a bamboo backed bow out of some nice hardwood and we have a really good local hardwood lumber yard so I can go sort through hard maple and ash and hickory and tropicals to my heart's content until I find the right piece.  I made a bunch of osage stave selfbows in the 90s, but haven't found any decent wood around here in a long time since I'm north of where it grows well.  It's in the works.....I just hope for now my bamboo backed bows are primitive enough for the trade.  I see all these beautiful bows that could have been made thousands of years ago and I worry that mine are too modern.....

I finished up the most recent hickory and boo bow this week with some latigo leather dye and then a few coats of tru oil.  I made a string for it on Saturday and will put a leather grip on it this week.

Matt

[dylanholderman]

As far as why I make backed bows from lumber......because that is what I have to work with.  I just don't have the time to go cut staves and let them season, wish I did, and someday I will, but with three kids and all that entails, I just don't have time.  I really like the process of making a bamboo backed bow out of some nice hardwood and we have a really good local hardwood lumber yard so I can go sort through hard maple and ash and hickory and tropicals to my heart's content until I find the right piece.  I made a bunch of osage stave selfbows in the 90s, but haven't found any decent wood around here in a long time since I'm north of where it grows well.  It's in the works.....I just hope for now my bamboo backed bows are primitive enough for the trade.  I see all these beautiful bows that could have been made thousands of years ago and I worry that mine are too modern.....

Nothing wrong about working with what you have, could you post a pic of one of your glue ups though?
Every time I try to make that style of bow I get nasty gaps along the edges, this last time I tried was better but still there.

[Flntknp17]

I just love making these bows with bamboo and some random hardwood......I honestly enjoy it more than I like making stave bows.  Not sure why, I just do.  I use a 6"x48" belt sander to get all the surfaces FLAT before gluing.  I use Titebond 3 ot Titebond 2 and and bicycle innertube for gluing.  I don't have a form, just use wood blocks to induce Perry reflex while drying.  Seems to be very reliable and stable.  I will attach a close up of a bow finished this week showing the glue lines. The wood is che chen, hickory, cocobolo, bamboo.

[Flntknp17]

I should have mentioned also that I have had better luck with the gluing after I switched from clamps to the bicycle innertubes.  I think the innertubes do lot better job of distributing even pressure all over the gluing surface.  The folks I know who have good success with clamps tend to use LOTS of clamps (at least 20-30) and I don't have that many clamps.  The innertubes are readily available anywhere and cost just a few dollars. 

Matt

[Sagebrush]

I quietly purchased a couple of clamps at a time so as not to arouse too much wifely suspicion until I got to two dozen.  My glue ups improved remarkably.  That and the addition of a second set of trustworthy hands. 

[dylanholderman]

I just love making these bows with bamboo and some random hardwood......I honestly enjoy it more than I like making stave bows.  Not sure why, I just do.  I use a 6"x48" belt sander to get all the surfaces FLAT before gluing.  I use Titebond 3 ot Titebond 2 and and bicycle innertube for gluing.  I don't have a form, just use wood blocks to induce Perry reflex while drying.  Seems to be very reliable and stable.  I will attach a close up of a bow finished this week showing the glue lines. The wood is che chen, hickory, cocobolo, bamboo.

I’m thinking prep is where I’m stumbling, I’ve been using hand tools and I think I always end up rounding the corners over very slightly. I think I’ll try with a plane iron ground dead straight or get around to building a drum/thickness sander.


That dude is holding some AMAZING reflex! And those nocks looks smooth and just flow with the bow. I like it I'm gonna hafta try me some of that wood one day.
[/quote]

Thanks sleek  I was going to say that it looked like more than it was because of the distortion but you made me go and check and it’s sitting right at 1 3/4” I feel pretty good about it now 
(Especially considering I didn’t do any heat treating on this one)

[sleek]

All that reflex with no heat? THATS when you KNOW you got it right! Outstanding job!

[Flntknp17]

I’m thinking prep is where I’m stumbling, I’ve been using hand tools and I think I always end up rounding the corners over very slightly. I think I’ll try with a plane iron ground dead straight or get around to building a drum/thickness sander.

Yes, I find the prep is more important than the actual glue-up.  If you get the prep right, the gluing is really easy.  If you don't have access to a belt sander, I would highly recommend using a flat board at least 10"-12" long as a sanding block and wrapping 50-60 grit paper around it.  My experience was that drum sanders and hand held planes were challenging, though I know others have had success with them.  Use a pencil to zig zag down the full face of the intended flat surface and then make a couple passes with the sanding block.....if all the pencil is gone everywhere, then its flat.  If there are marks left, then you know you have islands between the marks.

Matt

[dylanholderman]

All that reflex with no heat? THATS when you KNOW you got it right! Outstanding job!

Yep all natural reflex, even the string alignment was good right out of the gate so I never used the heat gun on it.
I suppose I could of heat treated it to up the poundage but at this point I don’t want to screw it up 

I’m thinking prep is where I’m stumbling, I’ve been using hand tools and I think I always end up rounding the corners over very slightly. I think I’ll try with a plane iron ground dead straight or get around to building a drum/thickness sander.

Yes, I find the prep is more important than the actual glue-up.  If you get the prep right, the gluing is really easy.  If you don't have access to a belt sander, I would highly recommend using a flat board at least 10"-12" long as a sanding block and wrapping 50-60 grit paper around it.  My experience was that drum sanders and hand held planes were challenging, though I know others have had success with them.  Use a pencil to zig zag down the full face of the intended flat surface and then make a couple passes with the sanding block.....if all the pencil is gone everywhere, then its flat.  If there are marks left, then you know you have islands between the marks.

Matt

Thanks I’ll give that a shot on my next attempt.

[bushboy]

My offering is pretty well done....it has taken a little more set then I had wished for...I've left it braced for many hours  in hopes that the tiller won't go wonky....Hollow limb...looks like a giant piece of celery!0!.unbraced travel to resting is quite small,so I don't expect much more set.

[burchett.donald]

   Somebody is going to be real happy with that one Bush...Those tips man? Has to be a screamer with no hand shock for sure...Love your tips on all the bows you produce...
                                                                              Don

[Sagebrush]

 How are we doing on reserve bows if someone falls through???  I have several if it gets down to it.  I love the thread over the years.  I don't need one in return.  Everybody's bows are looking great!  Keep it up.

[Mo_coon-catcher]

I have one that’ll work as a reserve. The hickory flatbow with the large knot I made before the black locust recurve. I played with it the other day and loved how it shot.

I’m liking everything I’m seeing and am getting excited for shipping day.

Kyle

[TimothyR]

Bamboo backed purple heart just before I put the first coat of finish on. I'll get some more pictures as soon as I get the bow finished

[dylanholderman]

TimothyR how do you like the purple heart for a belly wood?, i've wanted to make a bow with it ever sense i new board bows were a thing but i've heard that its brittle in compression.