Author Topic: 50 Lb Black Locust  (Read 2744 times)

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Offline M2A

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50 Lb Black Locust
« on: July 25, 2023, 09:14:59 pm »
Hi folks,
Finished this one up a month or 2 ago, seems like the simple things been my bottle neck these days, like finish work and taking pictures.

Got the idea of this bow from a couple I made my boys a few years ago. Both are locust, a little light at 40 lbs but very nice cast to them. I built those bows a bit more narrow than my usual 2" out of the fade to account for the lighter draw. When finishing up the one for my younger son I kept thinking I could get 50 lbs out of that piece if i wanted. So this was my attempt at what i'd consider a narrow design at about 1 5/8  out the fades with a lenght of 65" ntn. That all sounds fine and dandy until your 5" from full draw wondering when its going to crystal. I got lucky and got away with it this time.

Nice piece of wood! Not sure the pictures show off the color and grain.  Only knot is in the handle that kinda deflexed the inner limbs. Only heated in reflex in the outers. overlays are multiflora rose over American elm. That rose is real pretty stuff but still pretty small so one side on each tip still has a sliver of inner bark left on. I could have done without the elm but it sounded so much better in my head before i did it. So got that out of my system, going to make thinner/smaller overlays from here on. Whole stave had slight bow in it but figured I could adjust handle and tips to correct. I was wrong, late in tillering string was still a bit off the handle(arrow pass side) so I steamed and was able to make the correction, you can still see how I was trying to cheat the handle over to the arrow pass side.

Now I got one to match thier bows. Hope one day they will both be home at the same time so we can go shooting. A little twang in the release but very accurate. I'd still rather have 2" width and 66 ntn to work with but nice to see it can be done with less. Was on my own for F/D pics so tried out my go pro. Angle is a bit off on the one side but its all new to me and a work in progress. I bit different design than i been use to making so critique away.
Thanks, Mike                           

Offline M2A

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Re: 50 Lb Black Locust
« Reply #1 on: July 25, 2023, 09:21:51 pm »
blfd2023rs by Mike Allridge, on Flickr

blfd2023ls by Mike Allridge, on Flickr

IMG_5573 (2) by Mike Allridge, on Flickr

IMG_5572 by Mike Allridge, on Flickr

IMG_5574 by Mike Allridge, on Flickr

IMG_5577 by Mike Allridge, on Flickr

IMG_5575 by Mike Allridge, on Flickr

IMG_5576 by Mike Allridge, on Flickr

IMG_5578 by Mike Allridge, on Flickr

IMG_5579 by Mike Allridge, on Flickr

IMG_5581 by Mike Allridge, on Flickr

IMG_5582 by Mike Allridge, on Flickr

Just having some fun with this picture :)
blfd2023ho  (2) by Mike Allridge, on Flickr

Offline superdav95

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Re: 50 Lb Black Locust
« Reply #2 on: July 25, 2023, 11:00:45 pm »
Really cool bow mike!  Love the profile on this one.  Looks well balanced and a smooth shooter.  Well done indeed
Sticks and stones and other poky stabby things.

superdav95@gmail.com

Offline Pappy

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Re: 50 Lb Black Locust
« Reply #3 on: July 26, 2023, 06:58:57 am »
Very nice work, beautiful bow in all aspects. :)
 Pappy
Clarksville,Tennessee
TwinOaks Bowhunters
Life is Good

Offline bentstick54

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Re: 50 Lb Black Locust
« Reply #4 on: July 26, 2023, 08:30:41 am »
Very nice looking bow.

Offline Will B

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Re: 50 Lb Black Locust
« Reply #5 on: July 26, 2023, 01:16:47 pm »
Great looking bow, Mike. I really like the tips and the color and grain in a black locust selfbow. Nice!!

Offline M2A

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Re: 50 Lb Black Locust
« Reply #6 on: July 27, 2023, 06:39:01 am »
Thank you fellas.

One thing I forgot to mention before is that the back is trapped about 1/4" total. Pretty much been doing that with locust all the time now. Was going to try to trap this one more but chickened out after drawing the lines on with a pencil. 

Mike

Offline PaSteve

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Re: 50 Lb Black Locust
« Reply #7 on: July 27, 2023, 09:42:50 am »
Beautiful bow Mike. Looks like you have the intricacies of black locust pretty much figured out. Agree with Dave, that profile is very nice.
"It seems so much more obvious with bows than with other matters, that we are the guardians of the prize we seek." Dean Torges

Offline Pat B

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Re: 50 Lb Black Locust
« Reply #8 on: July 27, 2023, 10:05:30 am »
Really nice locust bow, Mike. Locust makes a good bow but it is susceptible to fretting. Heat treating the belly helps that some.
Make the most of all that comes and the least of all that goes!    Pat Brennan  Brevard, NC

Offline Selfbowman

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Re: 50 Lb Black Locust
« Reply #9 on: July 27, 2023, 08:08:56 pm »
Looks good Mike I like it.
Well I'll say!!  Osage is king!!

Offline bjrogg

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Re: 50 Lb Black Locust
« Reply #10 on: July 27, 2023, 09:10:01 pm »
Nice bow Mike.

I like the pictures with the go pro too.

I’ve made a few narrow HHB ones that turned out nice.

I think you did good with the profiles too.

Bjrogg
A hot cup of coffee and a beautiful sunrise

Offline M2A

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Re: 50 Lb Black Locust
« Reply #11 on: July 28, 2023, 07:33:10 am »
Thanks Steve.
Thank you Pat, Pretty much heat treat every bow. Locust is nice because its much faster than any white wood to achieve the color I want.
Thanks Arvin!
BJ, bought that go pro a few years ago after seeing the kids in our Scout troop making some good videos and getting nice pictures with them on the camp outs. Made my oldest son go with me to pic out a good model and get the right stuff. Lady at the register told my son to be careful and don't do anything crazy with it. He paused and than told her it was not for him but me :) She just shook her head at me. It would be nice to get some more accessories for it-all in time i guess. But Thanks.

Mike         

Offline Stixnstones

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Re: 50 Lb Black Locust
« Reply #12 on: July 28, 2023, 12:02:14 pm »
Real nice lookin bow, great work
DevilsBeachSelfbows

Offline M2A

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Re: 50 Lb Black Locust
« Reply #13 on: July 31, 2023, 07:38:53 am »
Thank you Stix.
Mike

Offline Juan Ant. Espinosa

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Re: 50 Lb Black Locust
« Reply #14 on: July 31, 2023, 02:05:48 pm »
Very nice bow.
No compression checks in that kind of wood and tipe of bow talks about an acurate job. Congratulations.
I wish more people sowing works with black locust.