Primitive Archer
Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: Hexrod on January 11, 2011, 11:28:02 pm
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I'm close to fiinshing my first bow, and this forum has been a big help - thought I'd post a few pictures of the current state of affairs.
(http://i891.photobucket.com/albums/ac111/Hexrod/bowunstrung1-11-11.jpg)
This is a bamboo-backed Ipe and hickory laminate, reflex/deflex. I make split bamboo flyrods as a hobby, so a bamboo-backed laminate seemed a natural starting place.
(http://i891.photobucket.com/albums/ac111/Hexrod/bowstrung1-11-11.jpg)
The grip is some burled white oak I found
(http://i891.photobucket.com/albums/ac111/Hexrod/bowgrip1-12-11.jpg)
I flamed the bamboo before glue-up, both to temper the bamboo, and for cosmetics, as we sometimes do in rod-making
(http://i891.photobucket.com/albums/ac111/Hexrod/Bowback1-12-11.jpg)
I steamed the pieces before gluing up, in an effort to help them hold their shape. In spite of that, I lost about 2 inches of reflex during tillering. The bow is now at 40# at 27 inches. I was aiming for 35-40#, so so far so good. (I'm a novice archer as well as bowyer, so massive bows are not yet for me - rotator cuff problems, no thanks, already been there!)
I haven't finished ( or shot) the bow yet, so input on the tiller would be welcome:
(http://i891.photobucket.com/albums/ac111/Hexrod/tiller1-11-11.jpg)
Just remember that I've never tillered a bow, never spoken with anyone who has... so the little I know about tillering I learned from you guys here! LOL
Thanks,
Lee
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I have no experiance in tillering reflex deflex here so cant help you on that, but I will say I think the bow looks good I especially like the grip and the flamed boo look. Hope someone here helps you out with the tiller good job and nice to have you here with us welcome
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From what the braced looks like this is a good full draw; this is an incredible result for a first try most of all!
You should not temper backing bamboo.
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I wish my first one looked that good!! FANTASTIC! Shoot it!
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Nice bow!
Is it possible to make a flyrod out of Hazel or something similar or is bamboo the only way?
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Great looking bow and really impressive for you first. :)
Pappy
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Great looking bow and really impressive for you first. :)
Pappy
Ditto!!!!!
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What they said, Beautiful.
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Hexrod,
Judging by the unbraced, braced and full draw pics.....quit workin on it and start shootin it !!! Seriously, that things a damned fine bow, and the symmetry couldn't be any better....oh ya, I allways been a sucker for a pair of "workin" recurves.
rich
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A real gem. Can't wait to see yuor second.
Jeff
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That is very nice ! Looks like you are a natural. Welcome to the website. ' Frank
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Beautiful job. Can't wait to see what you come up with when you get e few more under your belt. That handle wood is incredible, Danny
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Very nice bow and especially for your first. The tiller looks quite good.
If I may suggest ...using the ipe for the belly lam rather than the hickory is a better choice because of the incredable compression strength of the ipe. The hickory will make a fine center lam or even backing but is not the best choice for a belly lam...but obviously you handled the combo you used quite well.
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Absolutely amazing for a first bow. Well done, sir!
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I like it.
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it look's like you cut the nock grooves thru the boo back, you might want to glue on tip overlays, on my first boo bow I did like you andafter a while the string lifted a long sliver from the nock to the node. ended up pikeing the bow and added tip overlay's, couple a thousand shot's latter, no problem, any how that's a very nice bow
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Thanks for the kind words and especially for the constructive comments. As you all know, when a guy is starting out, not knowing what's going on, having a first effort come out may have as much to do with luck as skill :)
Medicinewheel - just so I learn, could you explain the thinking behind not tempering a bamboo back? Thanks.
Bubby - thanks for the observation on the nocks. Makes sense. My original plan was to cut up an antler shed I found and use 2 of the blunt points for overlays. Wanted to see if I was able to make a "shooter" before going that far. Another solution might be to wrap the tip, just under the nock, with some thread, sealed with varnish.
PatB - thanks for observations on woods - I'll look into ipe for a belly
TBod - yes, you can make fly rods out of wood. Before bamboo came into common use, that was the standard. Then as bamboo was being introduced, they made rods with wood butts and bamboo tips. Then all bamboo. There is a new-ish book by John Betts on making a flyrod out of wood. Check it out.
Thanks again, all!
lee
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Killer bow,nice work.
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their are several ways to do the tips in the archive section, I do mine similar to Gordons
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Thanks! I ordered the book just now, exiting.
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I shot the bow the other night, and it seems to shoot just fine. I'm not enough of an archer to analyze a bows behavior but a couple of guys at the range familiar with wood bows said it is light, fast, and smooth, with no handshock. Sounds good to me.
So I added antler-shed overlays at the tips
(http://i891.photobucket.com/albums/ac111/Hexrod/bowtip1-14-11.jpg)
And I put a couple coats of tru-oil on the bow - brought out the colors a bit
(http://i891.photobucket.com/albums/ac111/Hexrod/bowback1-14-11.jpg)
(http://i891.photobucket.com/albums/ac111/Hexrod/bowgrip1-14-11.jpg)
Thanks once again to this forum for sharing your knowledge.
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That's spectacular, one of the nicest, if not the nicest first bow I have ever seen. Excellent work
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beautiful bow, amazing job for your first bow. (If you'd put that ipe on the belly instead of in the centre it would have been even better!!!!...)
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very beautiful bow! Looks more like a 10th bow than a 1st! :) :) Adding those tip overlays should make it last for a long long time. Got it bookmarked for January Backed BOM contest! :)
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very beautiful bow! Looks more like a 10th bow than a 1st! :) :) Adding those tip overlays should make it last for a long long time. Got it bookmarked for January Backed BOM contest! :)
agreed, i cant believe this is a first, and i really hope to see more heh