2022 Bow Trade - complete

[Jakesnyder]

Got my bow finished up. All it needs is a buckskin grip. It comes in at 60lbs at 24in. 58in tip to tip. Reflexed tips and 2 good layers of sinew. Also I'll put a full draw pic up soon as the wife gets time.

[Jakesnyder]

Sorry about the blury pics

[ssrhythm]

My wife watched me shoot an apple sized group with arrows that are not yet tuned/matched to the bow and told me I was being hypercritical because this was the first bow I’ve made for someone that was actually expecting a bow.  Maybe it’s better than I’m thinking it is.  I’m out of town for next two weeks, but I’ll have it finished and will post pics by the end of September .

[superdav95]

Looks like it would be fun to shoot jakesnyder!

[stuckinthemud]

Looks great!!!
I’ve been on vacation for a fortnight but will be cracking on with things now. Time to twist up a string and chase the draw weight/length.  Should be done in good time, will post photos soon.

[Jakesnyder]

Here's full draw. I don't think it's quite strait on. But it'll work

[Kidder]

Good work guys. We are getting close to the finish line. I’d like an update from everyone. I show The following people done:
Kidder
flntknp17
mocooncatcher
Superdav95
Jake Snyder
Is anyone else ready? As far as I can tell we are waiting on Stuckinthemud, Ssrythm, Swampman, and Mafort. Can I get an update from each of you guys? Those finished Hold off shipping until given the green light. Thanks and keep at it!

[Digital Caveman]

Hello, everyone, I had to sit out this year's trade for lack of time, but I have been following along. 
Last year I attempted a few bows for the trade, and ended up sending a hickory board D bow with a diamondback pattern.

Due to a chain of mishaps, the bow I was to have received was burned in a shop fire, and the backup was stolen.  After another backup plan didn't materialize (in hindsight I stretched that out way to long), Kidder was kind enough to send me the Bamboo/Yellow heart bow he built as a backup for this year's trade.

It's as light as a feather, with a good strong, smooth draw.  The craftsmanship and tiller are first rate.

A huge thank you to Kidder for organizing the trades these past two years, and for ensuring that everyone received a bow in the end!

[Swampman]

I haven't posted anything for quite a while.  My shoulder problem flared up again and ended up getting a tear repair.  That has kept me sidelined most of the summer.  I am making good progress on my iron wood bow.  I have an even tiller and have about 4 inches to get to the target draw length.  It is also looking like I will be in good shape to hit the target weight.  This build started as a 67 inch stave but I split a tip on it so it is now a 62 1/2 build.  I think it will work out better at that length.  I almost set it aside when this happened but after looking it over I decided to move forward with it.

I do have a black locust bow finished but it is a little under weight so I don't want to send that to my recipient. 

Hopefully I will get a picture posted soon. 

[Mafort]

Had to switch to hackberry as my vine maple bow warped and I’ve been fighting to straighten it. So I’m going for a nice hackberry mollegabet/recurve type bow. Should be done extremely soon

[stuckinthemud]

Chasing draw length, I’m at draw weight at 14”, but got another 14” to go before I’m at draw length. Going carefully as I don’t want to mess this up

[ssrhythm]

Ok.  I got my skins on and thread wraps done yesterday, and I just put the first layer of finish on this morning.  I finished shooting the bow in and figuring out the arrow tune with a carbon arrow at the end of last week.  I don’t know how this usually works, but I’m going to send a couple of carbon arrows tuned to the bow, a couple of sure wood shaft Douglas for arrows, and hopefully a well tuned, truly primitive cane arrow.  I took the liberty of doing a stone inlay of an animal tailored to my recipient’s screen name…I hope I didn’t assume the “wrong idea” from his screen name.  Regardless, I think it came out looking like a dang cartoonish thing…my wife and kids say it looks great; beauty is in the eye of the beholder, but we all agree that it at minimum looks like the animal I was actually aiming for, so there’s that! 

I really wanted to produce my best bow yet, and that did not happen…I guess this year was my sophomore slump.  That said, for all the aspects that did not meet my expectations, the bow is an “easy” shooter (easy, smooth drawing bow), and I’m very accurate and consistent shooting it from 25 yards in, it will definitely feed the family if needed, and it should be ridiculously durable.  If my guy ends up thinking “I got robbed!” it will certainly make a great conversation piece at minimum. 

I’ve already determined that I’m going to send him the next great bow I make…which hopefully will be the one I originally started for him.  It had a ton of reflex (too much), and I had to do a great deal of dry heat manipulation to get it aligned.  Unfortunately, it popped a splinter.  When I have the time this winter, I am going to glue the splinter (not bad), sinew back the bow, and make it a deflex/reflex that should be an absolute screamer. 

I’ll post pics sometime around the 10th or 11th once I get the finish on and everything Buttoned up.

[stuckinthemud]

Well, it’s good news and bad news, got a few sessions on the bow this week, got a nice bend, gizmo showing even curves, drawing to 16” with no set, but draw weight has gone up not down, it’s pulling 80 at 16”!!! Really worried I’m not going to make the deadline

[ssrhythm]

FD pics.  Will post other pics when the finish is done.
;

[superdav95]

That’s looks sweet!  Well done sir.