Primitive Archer

Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: DEllis on March 05, 2011, 05:46:34 pm

Title: Birch longbow rebuild(not for BOM)
Post by: DEllis on March 05, 2011, 05:46:34 pm

I had built this birch longbow and it pulled 70# at 26 inches but fretted in a small section of the limb......so I put it in the corner and left it there. Well, as I am waiting for some wood to arrive and needed to keep my hands busy, I decided to redo this bow for friends to shoot, or as a loaner. Tillered it to 57# @29 inches......fret is not getting any worse and it has been shot several hundred times since, so we'll see if it survives. I never sanded it too nice, I scorched it while heat treating, and it is pretty crude but shoots nice. 69.5" NTN 1.25" wide tips are 3/8" wide.
The full draw pic looks weird, like the bottom limb is way shorter and not stiff enough, must be the camera angle. I am drawing it to 28 inch..........I max out at about 29"........the trials and tribulations of being a garden gnome ;D
I decided to try Timo's tennis racket handle wrap.......I used a piece of elk leather with a simple leather strike plate.
Darcy :)

Title: Re: Birch longbow rebuild(not for BOM)
Post by: Timo on March 06, 2011, 11:05:04 am

Sometimes cameras can make something look as it's not. I bet it shoots well. Did a good job on the handle wrap. ;)

Title: Re: Birch longbow rebuild(not for BOM)
Post by: Arrowind on March 06, 2011, 11:48:50 am

Nice.  I've been thinking about trying Birch. Glad to see it. 

Title: Re: Birch longbow rebuild(not for BOM)
Post by: sailordad on March 06, 2011, 11:54:35 am

very nice bow
especially considering the material of choice
i am impressed at those demensions that birch could pull that kind of weight
like i said nicely done  ;)

Title: Re: Birch longbow rebuild(not for BOM)
Post by: DEllis on March 06, 2011, 05:05:43 pm

Quote from: sailordad on March 06, 2011, 11:54:35 am

very nice bow
especially considering the material of choice
i am impressed at those demensions that birch could pull that kind of weight
like i said nicely done  ;)

Thanks guys,
I do not love birch, but it is availiable here in the north. It works best for me to make them narrow and longish.......it is very stiff wood but frets easy. If you make it wide it is really tough to tiller well as it gets too thin. It also seems to help a lot if you heat treat it.
Darcy :)

Title: Re: Birch longbow rebuild(not for BOM)
Post by: dbb on May 08, 2011, 02:47:55 pm

Nice longbow! And good information on birch as im also stuck with it living "up north" ;D

/Mikael

Title: Re: Birch longbow rebuild(not for BOM)
Post by: Arrowind on May 08, 2011, 03:01:09 pm

I was thinking of trying birch one day.  Nice to see your work.  And as others have said it's nice to hear about the details to shed some light on using birch for a bow. 
Good job!  Nice bow. 

Title: Re: Birch longbow rebuild(not for BOM)
Post by: hillbilly61 on May 08, 2011, 07:50:48 pm

I just learned something about Birch. Everything looks good about the bow, except 1 thing. That nasty white stuff ;D