Primitive Archer
Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: Matt Heppe on August 29, 2012, 07:08:31 pm
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Here's my second effort at a bow. It is a red oak flatbow/longbow, 45# @ 28", 70" nock to nock. The first was also a red oak board bow, and while I was happy with the outcome I didn't like the arrow rest (which I placed too high) and it came out lighter than intended (30#) due to over-zealous use of the rasp. This bow shoots off the knuckle and came out dead on 45#. The tiller isn't perfect, as you will see, but I am very happy with it. It is backed with three layers of brown craft paper saturated with wood glue.
It is a great feeling to shoot a bow you made yourself. I will definitely be making many more. I hope to improve my bowmaking to the point where I feel confident in joining next year's bow trade.
I have some yew staves drying in the garage attic and am looking forward to my first stave-bow attempts.
(https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-z0sp0Vhvjn8/UD3rDUwoeII/AAAAAAAAA1A/AbDbUXn0m5k/s691/IMG_0639.jpg)
(https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-OcdaGirGTlA/UD3rBlC5_RI/AAAAAAAAA0w/84iqWgNEwKc/s691/IMG_0636.jpg)
(https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-XzvpWqzFBiU/UD3rAm9S8WI/AAAAAAAAA0o/lUPUVa8-bjg/s921/IMG_0635.jpg)
(https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-UemaxXmN1XQ/UD3rC-wcU8I/AAAAAAAAA04/SgNMC9nLk7g/s921/IMG_0638.JPG)
(https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-lC6DPD7vrOE/UD3rADXqm6I/AAAAAAAAA0g/hSwCMd_wHx8/s691/IMG_0634.jpg)
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Very nice bow! nice designs too ;) I also plan to join next years trade :laugh:
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Lookin' good.
sounds like you've learned a lot on that first one. I bet those Yew staves keep calling to you!
Del
(PS Check out my website and bowyers diary if you havn't seen 'em. Google Delsbows or Bowyers Diary. I post everything I do including my mistakes, I use a fair bit of Yew so there may be some useful stuff on there)
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Looks go to go these eyes!!! Nice art work :)
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Matt, there is nothing to be ashamed about on that bow! Yeehaw! Ya done goooood!
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Good job on your second matt...id say your ready for the trade now ;)
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Boy, you nailed the tiller. Very good bow and especially for being only your second bow.
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Great job,realy nice looking bow
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looks like a keeper, i like the artwork too.
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Nice job, Matt! I love the matching colors on the back of the bow and arrows. The bend is real nice too!! 8)
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AWESOME!
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Looks good to me! You'll find that you are your own worst critic. Good luck on #3!
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Good job on the bow. The tiller looks good and even. Be careful cutting nock grooves into the back of the bow. I bet you will love working with staves instead of boards. There just seems to be more "life" in a stave than a board. An easy way to get a rest exactly where you want it is to shape the handle and hold it where it feels comfortable. Make a mark right above your hand and then build up a rest out of layers of thick leather and superglue. You can cut and shape the leather any way you want once it sets up. A handle wrap covers it all up.
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Very nice finish work! Tiller looks good too.
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Very cool!love when the bow has tie with the arrows.... ;) one thing i feel you may want to watch out for is the corners, make shure to round em off good to help prevent the lifting of a splinter...the bend looks sweet! And if i have not done so before, Welcome! !!
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I'm not sure what you're seeing, but that tiller looks fine to me. It always puts a smile on my face when I see another new guy who's got the fever bad >:D To me, it sounds like you've got it!
I'm sure you'll pick up plenty by the time the next trade comes around. But experience really has nothing to do with it. Last year I signed up for my first bow swap with only 3 previous bows under my belt. I wasn't even sure if I should be entering, but I figured what the heck. 3 disasters and 4 attempts later I finally produced a shooter that went on to win BOM. I'm not trying to brag ::), just tryin to make a point - It's all about doing the best you can and pushing yourself outside your comfort zone. If you're a newbie, you might not even have a comfort zone, but that's just fine. No one here is going to tell you "That's not good enough for me", so I would encourage you to sign up for the next one.
I'm looking forward to seeing what else you come up with.
And welcome to the club :)
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Looks very good to me also,2nd or 22nd I would be happy with that. Nice job. :)
Pappy
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Thank you very much for all the positive comments.
I have to say that I've been amazed by the traditional archery community. It is one of the most helpful, encouraging groups of people I've ever run into.
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Thank you very much for all the positive comments.
I have to say that I've been amazed by the traditional archery community. It is one of the most helpful, encouraging groups of people I've ever run into.
Yeah, no wonder the rest of the modern world doesn't trust us! We are too wierd for them.
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that is a great second bow there bud. you should be proud.
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Nice bow! I love the look of the artwork and the grip looks great too. You do very nice work.
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Deadly tiller dude.
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That's a very nice bow, period. The " for a second bow" caveat does not apply to it. That is a great bow at any level. Well done! Josh
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Nice looking second bow. The only thing you did wrong was to cut your string nocks into the back of your limbs. You should consider adding a nock over lay to correct this mistake.
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Nice looking second bow. The only thing you did wrong was to cut your string nocks into the back of your limbs. You should consider adding a nock over lay to correct this mistake.
Correct me if I'm wrong, but I wouldn't necessarily call it a mistake. If the board was quartersawn (which it appears to be from the pics), I don't think it much matters if the nocks are filed into the back, because there's no growth ring being violated. I'm no expert, but I've never had a problem with doing that.
If I'm wrong and it wasn't a quartersawn board, then yes, tip overlays would be a good idea.
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It really doesn't matter wether its quartersawn, bias, plain, decrowned or single growth ring. When you cut nocks into the back, you violate the longitudinal grain(for lack of a better term) this is a potential problem. Especially when tillered to bend all the way to the tips putting that grain violation under tension strain. If it helps to create a mental image, think of wood grain as fibers. Sort of like a bundle of sinew. The fibers have to be unviolated to hold any tension. Otherwise, the only thing holding it together is the bond between the violated fibers and the unviolated fibers underneath. Josh
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Interesting theory - but one could also say that when a bow is bent, the longitudinal grain is being strained on the sides of the bow as well, just in a different direction. If that's the case, then couldn't a splinter lift just as easily from the edges where the sides meet the back?
I'm not trying to start an argument, just thinking outloud :) I just always thought that the growth ring violation was the issue with cutting knocks like that, and I've never had a failure from cutting knocks like that on a quartersawn board. Maybe I should change my ways :)
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I was modifying my post while you replied. The reason side nocks and overlays work is because it is neutral wood not under tension. Josh
By and by, I don't much care for arguments either. This is civil discussion a much preferred conversation medium. :D
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Nice bow, even nicer considering it's your second!
I love painted bow backs!!!