Primitive Archer

Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: jimmy on July 14, 2012, 02:41:24 am

Title: maple board bow
Post by: jimmy on July 14, 2012, 02:41:24 am
This is one from a maple board.  It is 62" tip to tip, pulling 50# at 28".  The handle is 4" long, 1 1/8" at center, tapering to 1" at start of fades.  It is built up with leather and shaped to a smooth contour then wrapped with deer skin.  The fades are 2".  The limbs are 1 1/4" wide at fades with the last 14" tapering to 3/8" nocks.  The overlays are zebra wood.  I tempered the piss out of the handle/fade area twice, to ensure that it won't bend (or very little).  The limbs were lightly tempered with reflex, which was all lost but the bow stayed straight.  When unstrung after shooting it has 1/2" of set and no set when relaxed.  This bow is really fast, smooth, and accurate.  Honestly, it is very comparible to my osage bows.  Osage is still #1 in my opinion, but a good maple board sure makes a fine bow.  I would have no problem what so ever regularly shooting and hunting with this bow.  It is nothing spectacular, but I wanted to see how good I could do with board wood.  For me, maple seems to be the best.
Title: Re: maple board bow
Post by: jimmy on July 14, 2012, 02:43:58 am
More pics.
Title: Re: maple board bow
Post by: Pat B on July 14, 2012, 02:51:01 am
Excellent!  8)
Title: Re: maple board bow
Post by: half eye on July 14, 2012, 06:10:32 am
very nicely done
rich
Title: Re: maple board bow
Post by: bubby on July 14, 2012, 06:29:59 am
sweet, maple makes a good shooting bow, Bub
Title: Re: maple board bow
Post by: ksnow on July 14, 2012, 09:14:31 am
Very, very nice.  Like the dark spots from the heat treating.
Title: Re: maple board bow
Post by: lesken2011 on July 14, 2012, 10:33:54 am
Nice job, Jimmy. I like those tips too. I did a mollie-style maple backed with hickory. It took a little more set than yours, but I think I made it too narrow for that design (1.5"). Otherwise I enjoyed working with a maple board and will definitely use it again.
Title: Re: maple board bow
Post by: ErictheViking on July 14, 2012, 11:43:30 am
Very nice bow, looks like a nice shooter
Title: Re: maple board bow
Post by: Badger on July 14, 2012, 12:14:03 pm
  Goodjob on that one, I never pass on a good straight grained maple board.
Title: Re: maple board bow
Post by: Bowyer3 on July 14, 2012, 06:03:19 pm
Very nice.  Beautiful bow. 
Perry
Title: Re: maple board bow
Post by: KellyG on July 14, 2012, 06:21:27 pm
very nice!
Title: Re: maple board bow
Post by: rps3 on July 15, 2012, 06:16:43 pm
I like it, makes me want to give maple a shot.
Title: Re: maple board bow
Post by: H Rhodes on July 15, 2012, 06:20:27 pm
OUTSTANDING!
Title: Re: maple board bow
Post by: bow101 on July 15, 2012, 07:19:25 pm
Looks good. I'm thinking of making my next stick from Maple as well. Could you tell me what the thickness is.

cheers
Title: Re: maple board bow
Post by: Sidewinder on August 29, 2012, 11:47:17 am
Hey jimmy, I was searching for your newest creation and ran upon this post that I missed a while back. Good job on it too.
 I have seen this bow in person and it shoots real nice. From what I can see from the available board woods in our area, Maple is the best. It does'nt seem to take on moisture as bad as the pecan and hickory and for bow wood I think is superior to any of the oaks. Danny
Title: Re: maple board bow
Post by: Pappy on August 29, 2012, 12:30:49 pm
Now thats a beauty,very nice in all aspects. :)
   Pappy
Title: Re: maple board bow
Post by: jimmy on August 29, 2012, 12:50:16 pm
Thanks Danny and Pappy.  Making wood bows is all about being resourceful.  I suppose the lumber yard always has staves ready to go if a guy can't get his hands on a nice tree-split stave.  It is fun seeing what you can extract  from any stave.  This summer I "fell off the wagon" and went on a binge, this bow and four osage bows were the result.  I'm gravitating  to lighter weight, more efficient bows for shooting and hunting ( 48-50 pound range ).
   BY the way, Danny, I actually posted something I made ( a change from the usual lurking ), now it's your turn.
Title: Re: maple board bow
Post by: nlester on August 29, 2012, 01:50:58 pm
Nice work....that's a dandy!
Title: Re: maple board bow
Post by: Sidewinder on August 30, 2012, 12:12:29 pm
Did'nt you tell me the other night on the phone that you had posted another? I searched your posts and did'nt find anything>   Danny
Title: Re: maple board bow
Post by: VicNova on August 30, 2012, 12:18:22 pm
Cool bow
Title: Re: maple board bow
Post by: solodesperado81 on August 30, 2012, 12:35:08 pm
Nice Work!  I too have had good luck using maple w/ linen backing for English Longbows!
Beautiful tip work.