Primitive Archer

Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: RyanY on December 17, 2012, 04:11:40 pm

Title: My Ambush Bow
Post by: RyanY on December 17, 2012, 04:11:40 pm
Lots of talk about hickory in the past couple days. Here's an example of what a good piece will do. This is the bow I made in an attempt to follow the ambush bow challenge rules. Hickory, 58" ntn and 55#@28" after a 100 shot session. 4" handle with 1" fades, 2" wide at the fades with a convex taper to 3/8" nocks. Bloodwood and hickory overlays. This bow was interesting to make. After floor tillering it only needed minor corrections to get bending evenly and hardly took any set before heat treating. I wasn't happy with the tiller on the tree as it looked different from both sides but it hasn't broken down and looks ok in the pic. Now after 500 shots it retains over 2" of reflex and after a 100 shot session it'll have 1" of reflex after unstringing, very quickly going back to those 2 inches. The pics were taken after the last of those 500 shots. I'm quite impressed with this piece of wood and happy with how the bow came out. I wanted to do something to the wood so it wasn't so bright but haven't thought of a good solution yet and I also need to put a handle wrap on it. Otherwise I think it would make an excellent hunting bow. Let me know what you think. Thanks for looking!
(http://i327.photobucket.com/albums/k455/ryoon4690/IMG_1707_zpsb98edede.jpg)
(http://i327.photobucket.com/albums/k455/ryoon4690/IMG_1709_zps3ec6766b.jpg)
(http://i327.photobucket.com/albums/k455/ryoon4690/IMG_1710_zps44d2e398.jpg)
(http://i327.photobucket.com/albums/k455/ryoon4690/IMG_1712_zps9b86f319.jpg)
(http://i327.photobucket.com/albums/k455/ryoon4690/IMG_1715_zpsc49aeb80.jpg)
(http://i327.photobucket.com/albums/k455/ryoon4690/IMG_1716_zpsef22226d.jpg)
(http://i327.photobucket.com/albums/k455/ryoon4690/IMG_1714_zpse95e1345.jpg)
(http://i327.photobucket.com/albums/k455/ryoon4690/IMG_1713_zps1a3d90e0.jpg)
Title: Re: My Ambush Bow
Post by: steve b. on December 17, 2012, 04:19:35 pm
Son of a.......!  I don't know if the ambush challenge was a contest but I would have no chance against this bow.  It looks like someone fed a 2x4 into a programmed CNC machine and out came the perfect bow.  What's more frustrating is that I'm still working on the same bow I started 2 weeks ago and I know you built this in like 2 days?!
Really nice.
Title: Re: My Ambush Bow
Post by: Jodocus on December 17, 2012, 04:27:36 pm
Straight.  8)
Title: Re: My Ambush Bow
Post by: Will H on December 17, 2012, 04:41:21 pm
Nice bow  8)
Title: Re: My Ambush Bow
Post by: PEARL DRUMS on December 17, 2012, 04:42:06 pm
The tempering is key to the whole sha-bang. Nice work Sparty.
Title: Re: My Ambush Bow
Post by: Buckeye Guy on December 17, 2012, 04:50:19 pm
Hickory
The king ?!!!!
Good job and certainly so for a Michigander !!
Have fun and Merry Christmas !!
Guy
Title: Re: My Ambush Bow
Post by: rps3 on December 17, 2012, 04:50:54 pm
That is how it's done, glad I got to see this bow.

What do you use to keep your hickory dry during humid times of the year?
Title: Re: My Ambush Bow
Post by: Carson (CMB) on December 17, 2012, 04:56:56 pm
Looks like it wood make a very nice hunting bow. Nice work Ryan. 
Title: Re: My Ambush Bow
Post by: RyanY on December 17, 2012, 05:04:57 pm
Thanks for the kind words guys!

Steve b., I told myself I would shoot at least 500 arrows from this one before posting and I put a nice thick finish on it. If I had only shot a few arrows from it and put a coat of oil on it I would have posted it days ago.  ;D

Pearl Drums, The tempering is great. If I didn't temper it I would have wanted it to be at least 2.5" wide. Even at 2" I'm surprised it's retained this much reflex.

Buckeye Guy, I think we could call lots of woods kings. Go Green! Merry Christmas to you too.

rps3, If I feel like my hickory is too wet I have a large box with a space heater that I will put it in for a few days.
Title: Re: My Ambush Bow
Post by: gianluca100 on December 17, 2012, 05:39:10 pm
impressive bow, congrats!

how is the physical weight of the bow and how wide is it at midlimb?

regards,
gian-luca
Title: Re: My Ambush Bow
Post by: Wooden Spring on December 17, 2012, 05:39:54 pm
Cool, what is the thickness of your bow from the fades to the nocks?
Title: Re: My Ambush Bow
Post by: autologus on December 17, 2012, 05:55:09 pm
I really like it a lot.  The contrast on the overlays it great.

Grady
Title: Re: My Ambush Bow
Post by: RyanY on December 17, 2012, 05:56:21 pm
Thanks guys. Mid limb is just over 1 5/8" wide and the thickness tapers from 9/16", 1" out from the fade, to 5/16" at the knocks.
Title: Re: My Ambush Bow
Post by: Shaun on December 17, 2012, 05:58:52 pm
Very impressive. Great bend for a stiff handle shorty and amazing retention of reflex. Very well done and a serious setting of the bar for those taking the ambush challenge.
Title: Re: My Ambush Bow
Post by: bow101 on December 17, 2012, 06:05:20 pm
Nice unit ryoon~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ :)
Title: Re: My Ambush Bow
Post by: Dag on December 17, 2012, 06:15:44 pm
I love laminated tips like that! Looks very sharp man! Good job
Title: Re: My Ambush Bow
Post by: dwardo on December 17, 2012, 06:16:52 pm
Looks like every bot of that is working. Great tiller.

Title: Re: My Ambush Bow
Post by: Dvshunter on December 17, 2012, 06:22:53 pm
Cool bow. Ugly hat.

Nice work than.
Title: Re: My Ambush Bow
Post by: nativenoobowyer86 on December 17, 2012, 07:01:06 pm
great job Ryoon!  I have never really givin Hickory a chance, with the exception of backing strips.  But that beauty sure makes me wanna try :)
Title: Re: My Ambush Bow
Post by: Marc St Louis on December 17, 2012, 08:03:22 pm
Did a great job on that bow Ryan
Title: Re: My Ambush Bow
Post by: RyanY on December 17, 2012, 08:04:31 pm
Thanks guys! I really appreciate the comments and I hope it inspires some of you to see if you can beat the challenge.

Dag, The bit of bloodwood I had wasn't as thick as I wanted my overlays to be so I decided to add the hickory on top. Very easy to do if you have a belt sander to flatten the pieces.
Title: Re: My Ambush Bow
Post by: Will H on December 17, 2012, 08:45:39 pm
Again, real nice job on that piece of hick :) I think you've inspired me to try my hand at the challenge. I have a mildly snakey short stave of "kingwood" (aka Osage) that just might fit the bill nicely :)
Title: Re: My Ambush Bow
Post by: Zion on December 17, 2012, 08:49:13 pm
Very nice. That's the kind of bend i like to see. I would hunt with that!!
Title: Re: My Ambush Bow
Post by: Josh B on December 17, 2012, 08:54:34 pm
That's a sweet bit o' hickory that!  You got it working overtime and your tiller is real nice.  Nice work Ryan!  Josh
Title: Re: My Ambush Bow
Post by: LEGIONNAIRE on December 17, 2012, 10:01:57 pm
Those overlays are cool, good work ryoon!
Title: Re: My Ambush Bow
Post by: killir duck on December 17, 2012, 10:11:35 pm
that ones gonna be hard to beat!
Title: Re: My Ambush Bow
Post by: Josh Shuck on December 17, 2012, 10:20:40 pm
Sparty On!
Title: Re: My Ambush Bow
Post by: Badly Bent on December 17, 2012, 10:21:45 pm
 No doubt that bow would make a fine hunter. Smooth tiller, you really get the most out of your bow wood.
Title: Re: My Ambush Bow
Post by: Keenan on December 17, 2012, 11:34:32 pm
Now that is a perfect tiller! Well done Ryoon. Excellent canidate for the ambush challenge.  ;)
Title: Re: My Ambush Bow
Post by: RyanY on December 18, 2012, 01:09:25 am
Thanks guys! I really appreciate the comments.  :)

gianluca100, I forgot to answer in my previous reply so hopefully you see this but the bow is 18oz in mass.
Title: Re: My Ambush Bow
Post by: Pappy on December 18, 2012, 07:19:54 am
Nice work,beautiful Hickory stick. :)
   Pappy
Title: Re: My Ambush Bow
Post by: SLIMBOB on December 18, 2012, 08:56:19 am
Hard to top that.  Great profiles, braced and drawn.  Sweet.
Title: Re: My Ambush Bow
Post by: BowEd on December 18, 2012, 09:07:21 am
Gotta love that hickory.I do over here too.Super beautiful job on a hunt about anything anywhere you want bow.That should be a tough customer to beat at your contest.
Title: Re: My Ambush Bow
Post by: blackhawk on December 18, 2012, 09:39:37 am
Here s my constructive criticism in meeting all the requirements....

 . "It must be capable of staying braced for hours on end, day after hard hunting day, and not lose perceptible cast. The arrow you shoot in the early morning should strike the same mark in the late afternoon at a hunting distance"

Id be concerned with the hickory losing cast after being strung all day multiple days in a row in a more humid climate in a pack hunting situation. I guarantee you that bow wood lose some more cast after that scenario and your unstrung profile wood go to just straight at the very best.

And my number two concern wood be is it a smooth pulling bow out to 28"? Your string angle suggests you are hitting a wall at 28",and a bow that had even flipped tips,bent thru the hsndle,or a R/D design wood be smoother and more forgiving on release than a just reflexed straight side profile with a stiff handle.


Other than that it is a good candidate for an ambush type hunting bow,and its well made for its wood type and design.
Title: Re: My Ambush Bow
Post by: BowEd on December 18, 2012, 09:53:25 am
That depends on the quality of experienced judges out there......LOL.There's always room for improvement.......LOL.Leave it strung for 3 hours if you hav'nt yet,because 100 arrows in an hour easily done.Then take a look.Heat treating does slow absorbtion of moisture to a degree.
Title: Re: My Ambush Bow
Post by: bhenders on December 18, 2012, 10:25:23 am
GO GREEN!

Oh, and nice bow...
Title: Re: My Ambush Bow
Post by: Del the cat on December 18, 2012, 11:43:05 am
Woo, only just looked at this.
Wow that is one pretty bow, love those pyramid(ish) bows.
Bet she's quick too.
Del
(No quite so sure about the hat >:D as I expect you've got real hair unlike some of us old 'uns)
Title: Re: My Ambush Bow
Post by: BowEd on December 18, 2012, 11:56:21 am
I hear ya.Diddo on burning the hat.......LOL.
Title: Re: My Ambush Bow
Post by: Eric Krewson on December 18, 2012, 12:07:20 pm
Every now and then I see a tillering job that reminds me of the guy who was bar none at spot on tillering, the late DCM(David Mims). You nailed it on that bow, just like one of David's bows.
Title: Re: My Ambush Bow
Post by: rossfactor on December 18, 2012, 02:56:07 pm
That's a high compliment Eric! Mims definitely had the touch.

Gabe

Title: Re: My Ambush Bow
Post by: Patches on December 18, 2012, 03:21:03 pm
You are a bowmaking machine! Beautiful bow.
Title: Re: My Ambush Bow
Post by: RyanY on December 18, 2012, 08:18:42 pm
Thanks guys. I really appreciate it. But the hat is staying!  ;D

blackhawk, Surprisingly enough the bow pulls less than 3# of draw weight in the last few inches. Also, even after a 200 arrow session over several hours it still had reflex after unbracing not to mention how quickly it goes back to over 2". With as thick a finish as I put on this one I doubt that humidity would have a dramatic effect on this bow. With so much reflex, even if it were to end up straight or with a little string follow the bow would probably still be around 50# draw seeing that the 55# is after shooting 100 arrows over the course of almost two hours. In a hunting scenario with so many less pulls/shots, I'm sure it would retain good strength. If we can find time to meet up I'll try to bring it along.

Eric Krewson, I greatly appreciate the comparison. David made some amazing bows.
Title: Re: My Ambush Bow
Post by: blackhawk on December 18, 2012, 09:06:43 pm
 Im sure u realize I'm being "nitpicky"...n they are only small personal concerns in the grand scheme of things,and possible small improvements that could make it a wee tad better IMHO. If the ambush bows were to be judged as to who's is best it would need a panel of experienced bowyer hunters actually being able to see and shoot the bows in person. We know pictures don't tell the whole story to a bow. Hope we can meet up..if ya need a ride ill pick ya up..no problemo...jus lemme know.   ;)
Title: Re: My Ambush Bow
Post by: paulsemp on December 18, 2012, 09:23:53 pm
I think that your bow would stand up to the test just fine. Considering that most primitive people made their bows from white woods and lived off them and took them to war I think white woods have proven their potential over time. Even though some woods may do a little better and white woods may take some set or lose some cast I am sure that it at the end of the day would still be deadly.
Title: Re: My Ambush Bow
Post by: RyanY on December 18, 2012, 09:31:21 pm
blackhawk, I completely understand. When I saw the pics I was surprised that it wasn't stacking at the end of the draw. Any farther and I'm sure it would. And moisture is always a huge factor. I usually don't worry about having too much protection but for this one I made sure to put on a nice thick finish. I'll try and get to you soon about my plans in PA. I don't have to worry about work so we may stay longer.

paulsemp, Very true but I think the real challenge is to see if you can make a bow that is consistently excellent through time, conditions, and use.
Title: Re: My Ambush Bow
Post by: billy on December 18, 2012, 10:26:39 pm
Dude Hickory ROCKS brother, and you just proved why.  Fantastic BOW!!!!
Title: Re: My Ambush Bow
Post by: mikekeswick on December 20, 2012, 06:49:19 am
Another perfectly tillered bow.  :)
I can't find the other thread....but do you fancy taking up my challenge on making a recurve? 180fps,stiff handled,sharp recurves,unbacked etc.... ;)
Title: Re: My Ambush Bow
Post by: VicNova on December 20, 2012, 11:53:45 am
The bow looks great. I really love those overlays
Title: Re: My Ambush Bow
Post by: RyanY on December 21, 2012, 01:28:37 am
Thanks guys!

mikekeswick, I do have a deflex recurve in the works so we'll see when I get to it. I still have a few great staves left. We'll see if there's another recurve in there too.  ;)
Title: Re: My Ambush Bow
Post by: CedrikG on December 21, 2012, 06:52:12 am
this bow seem's to be absolute perfect to me
Title: Re: My Ambush Bow
Post by: coaster500 on December 21, 2012, 11:06:44 am
Very nice work !!!

Looks like you toasted the heck out oft hat one...  sure held bunch of reflex for a 58"er !!!

Tiller looks spot on  ;)
Title: Re: My Ambush Bow
Post by: PaulN/KS on December 22, 2012, 10:32:38 am
Another fine looking bow Ryan..!
Yep, nothing like a good piece of hickory. :D
Title: Re: My Ambush Bow
Post by: Cardboard_Duck on December 22, 2012, 10:56:33 am
All I can say is wow!! Nice one!
Title: Re: My Ambush Bow
Post by: RyanY on December 22, 2012, 11:17:57 am
Thanks guys! I really appreciate it!

Paul, except maybe a good piece of osage!  ;)