Primitive Archer
Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: 8up on September 18, 2007, 01:18:13 am
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Update !! This bow is now responsible for my first 2 trad kills a 7 point on sept 22 and another 7pt in velvet on the 24th ;D
Ok I started my first backed bow. Its Boo backed Ipe. Not knowing what I was doing I pulled advice from websights and then tried to apply it. Sanding the boo down was a bit of a chore and even though I was told to get it down to 1/8" and that I could even taper it to 1/16" at the tips. I got it to 1/8" on the tips and it was 1/4" and thought to myself this thing is aweful flimsy. So I stopped sanding. (maybe mistake # 1)
Now I floor tillered the Ipe and got it to around 45# (just guessing) I was told the perry reflex and the backing would add at least 20#. I glued it up and when it dried let me tell you it was like I never floor tilled. It was at about 90# lol. (mistake #2)
Now I was lucky enough to be able to use pappy's #49 rasp to remove another 1/8" of the Ipe. The cheaper rasps just weren't working, they tore the wood and splintered the edges. Everything was going good on the tillering board except that the Ipe is so dark it was hard to see the pencil marks from the tillering tool.
At about 24" I thought I heard something when exercising it on the board. I looked at the back and the belly and didn't see anything. (mistake #3) I continued to tiller it out to 26" (my draw length). It was 52#, I was shooting fo 50# so I was pleased. As I was taking it off the board my heart sank. (remember the noise I heard and dismissed) I saw daylight in between the boo and Ipe. The glue had failed from mid handle to about 4" past one fade. I was upset and ready to toss it in the trash out of anger. I had spent a solid week probably over 40hrs trying to get this bow ready so I could use it to kill my first deer with trad equipment.
Pappy suggested that I run some super glue in the opening and then either sinew it or wrap it with leather. I filled the gap with super glue until it dripped out the oppisite side and clamped it in the vise. After it was dry I tokk two 72" leather boot laces and soaked them in water. I laced them like you would a serving around the handle and let it dry. During the week I soaked the laced with repeated coats of super glue and then sanded it all smooth. I went out to Pappy's the following Saturday and put it on the tillering board only to find that my tiller was off. The fact that the Boo and Ipe had come apart had given me a false tiller you might say. I now had one limb to stiff at the fade and the other bending too much. I tried fixing the tiller and while its not perfect I was unwilling to lose more weight. I shot it and really liked it. At 44# it shoots harder than my 55# hickory.
While trying to stain the boo I got frustrated because the stain didn't want to dry. I took the stain rag and wiped the whole thing down with the walnut stain and laid it up for 24hrs. It dried but I had lost the light color of the oak accent strip in the handle and made the mesquite handle darker. (another mistake)
It seemed like everything "Went Wrong" When it was all said and done. I have a Boo backed Ipe bow thats 44# @ 26" Its 59" NtN 1 1/4" at the fades and 3/8" at the tips. It isn't what I had hoped for cosmetically (even though its my family's favorite) and it did come in under weight. It still a sweet shooter and my hardest hitting bow. Pappy shot it several times and was drilling the bullseye like it was one of his own. My last mistake was shooting it the first day I didn't spray any permanon on like Pappy tells me too. I got 37 ticks 1 which was carrying Lyme disease. I have a 6" bullseye on my stomach and they started me on meds today.
(http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j147/65whiteFastback/collage1.jpg)
(http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j147/65whiteFastback/collage2.jpg)
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Looks pretty good to me 8up. If my first backed bow turns out that nice I'll be ecstatic! :-) If it's not exactly what you want, there is always the next one!
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Nice job Ron,very sweet little bow,now go take some game with it.I shot this bow and it is a sweet shooter and very smooth.I don't do composit bows but this one made me at least think about it. ;)
Pappy
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Don't look to bad Ron, sounds like it was a learning experience for ya. Good luck with the Lyme meds.
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Ouch, sorry to hear about the ticks!!!!! Hope everything works out for you there. The bow looks good though.
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Turned out well. Good job. How about a side view unbraced?
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I like it - will try one myself one day. Durn parasites >:(
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Awesome! Fixing things that go wrong is definitely a part of bow making. Nice job. Jawge
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You done good, Ron. These ones you help along end up be the best. Way to stick to it! Pat
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Thanks for the kind words. I definitly learned a few things on this one. I wish I knew what caused the glue failure. Was it the glue? Was it the short handle? Was it because I left the boo too thick in the handle area?
I do have another boo/ipe planned for my next one. We caught the Lyme early so I will be fine.
Marc is this the view you wanted? If not tell me what you would like to see.
(http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j147/65whiteFastback/104_2227.jpg)
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Ron, nice bow! And good to hear you will be okay.
Pilots have a saying that any landing you walk away from is a good landing. :)
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Looks good to me, Ron. And an efficient 44# bow can shoot harder and faster than an inefficient 55#er. Should be plenty of weight for a deer bow. Great job correcting all the mishaps, looks like you wound up with a good'un in the end.
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No wonder it went wrong ,you are shooting it off the wrong side,I thought I told you that,
um kids they just don't listen. ??? ;D ;D ;D Glad you caught it in good time that spot was going to mess up your table. ;D Looks like it is still standing good and straight. :)See ya Sat.
Pappy
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With groups like this I will keep shooting it off the "wrong side"
(http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j147/65whiteFastback/Ipe15yds.jpg)
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Ron, Your bow came out real good! All that adversity will pay off on subsequent bows..Glad that you are going to get past the lyme problem..Scares me just thinking about that..
Rich
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Ron, all the trouble you had with "Went Wrong" will help you a lot in making your next bow I'm sure. We'll be asking your opinion before you know it!
I've never made a laminated bow, but did you clean off the surfaces with acetone prior to gluing. I'm not sure that's even a proper step, but would think the surface would need to be free of any oils prior to gluing. :)
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She turned out great, congrats, I hope the meds take care of the lymes disease, it's nasty stuff.
Pat yourself on the back ya did it!
VB
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Thanks VB
Greg that should have been a step as Ipe is oily. Its not mentioned is the build ups I read but the thought did actually cross my mind. I had not even given it a thought after it was glued up. Thanks for reminding me.
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Nice bow no set nothing wrong with a 90# bow :D marlon
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yes you should alway degrease with acetone before glue up, that was probally your problem. Looks like it came out nice for you in the long run anyways. Nice shooting on those deer. Hope I get a chance at one soon! 8)
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Heavybow thanks and your right nothing wrong with a 90# bow I could just short draw it to about 13" ;D
Ryano I think not degreasing it was part of the problem, I'm thinking that leaving the boo 1/4" in the middle was part of the problem. Next time I will get it to 1/8"