Primitive Archer

Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: cailean on February 06, 2013, 11:40:34 am

Title: First Successful Bow
Post by: cailean on February 06, 2013, 11:40:34 am
Hi Folks... First I'd like to thank all who answered my noob questions. This is my first bow that DIDN'T fail one way or another. Holmegaarde Style, Hickory self bow,[i cut the wood locally in SW Ontario], 70" ntn, 2" wide limbs, tip levers are 8" long. I tillered it to 58# @ 31", and after 500 arrows draw weight dropped to 52# @ 31", which was my target draw weight. this bow shoots dead flat @ 25yards using 580grain on average arrows.Back stop is 2 hot tub covers [ high density foam], penetration is 8" into them at that range. Any observations or comments are most welcome. Thanks for your time. Cailean
Title: Re: First Successful Bow
Post by: PEARL DRUMS on February 06, 2013, 11:46:38 am
Not too bad, your tiller is off a good bit. Those mid limbs need to have the same bend (nearly) as the area just off your fades. Your lower is in a little better shape than the upper.
Title: Re: First Successful Bow
Post by: RyanY on February 06, 2013, 11:48:46 am
Looks way better than my first bow! From what I see your lower limb is weaker than the upper limb although both seem to have the same bent shape. With the lack of bend in the outer limbs, all that wood is just excess mass that's not doing any work. If you were to build the same bow again I'd suggest starting the taper at mid limb towards the tips. The last 6-8" on just about every bow are non working and can be narrowed for optimization but even mass starting from mid limb should be considered with the front view profile matching. Anyways, that's still a good first bow. Congratulations!
Title: Re: First Successful Bow
Post by: Matt Heppe on February 06, 2013, 11:52:00 am
Nice looking bow! How did you finish it?

Nothing beats shooting a bow you made yourself. 
Title: Re: First Successful Bow
Post by: coaster500 on February 06, 2013, 11:53:45 am
For your first you got a shooter!!!! 

Congrats!!!

The next one is going to be better yet :)
Title: Re: First Successful Bow
Post by: koan on February 06, 2013, 11:57:10 am
Congrats on your 1st! Ranks right up there with your 1st girlfriend... You'll never forget her... But you cant wait to try another! ;D.... Brian
Title: Re: First Successful Bow
Post by: blackhawk on February 06, 2013, 11:58:01 am
Man if Ontario looks like that this time of year I'm moving there...lol  :laugh:

Congrats on your first shooter.....+1 to what pearl n Ryoon said.
Title: Re: First Successful Bow
Post by: cailean on February 06, 2013, 11:59:44 am
thanks for the input...i'm making another, out of Ironwood,of the same style( i like that holmegaard shape), it's bit longer and both limbs will be the same length. the finish is 12 coats of mixed orange oil and bee's wax with 15 coats of a paste floor wax on top of that.
Title: Re: First Successful Bow
Post by: Pappy on February 06, 2013, 12:01:26 pm
Maybe a few tweaks like has been mentioned ,but for a first shooter ,very well done. Much better than my first several attempts.Congrats. :)
   Pappy
Title: Re: First Successful Bow
Post by: Del the cat on February 06, 2013, 12:05:36 pm
Great job!
Congrats, I like the way you've pushed the limit a bit and got a small handle and V short fades... I don't like 8' long grips, but that's just me.
Del

BTW
You say it shoots 'flat' over 25 yards.
Just for the record, how far do you think an arrow (from a normal speed bow) drops over 10 yards?

You'll get a horrible shock when you find out!
I didn't believe it first time I read it and had to dredge the back of my mind for Newtons laws of motion.

Say the arrow is going at 150 fps.
So it covers the 10 yards (30) feet in 0.2 secs.
So the arrow has 0.2 secs to fall under the influence of gravity (distance=S, t=time, accelleration=a)
S=1/2 a t^2   (as initial downward velocity which is 0)
accelleration due top gravity is 32 fps^2
S= 1/2 x 32 x 0.2 x 0.2 = 0.64  (feet)
That's  7.68"  :o
Title: Re: First Successful Bow
Post by: richardzane on February 06, 2013, 12:08:29 pm
my first bows didn't survive THAT long!
i'm no pro bow builder by far but I think a scary hinge could develop on that lower limb since there is alot of "flat" below it.(and on the upper limb)
I'd retiller it to develop a graceful arc. i'd also round those sharp edges.
some do tend to build the widest part of their bow close to the handle,
but on a future bow? i'd suggest trying them four inches from the handle...IMO of course.
Title: Re: First Successful Bow
Post by: cailean on February 06, 2013, 12:12:52 pm
thanks del but math ain't my strong point...lol.... i'll take your word on the 7+ inch drop, but it hits where it's aimed...lol
 as for the weather these photo's were taken in the summer of 2012 just after i finished the bow, it's cold and snowy here now
Title: Re: First Successful Bow
Post by: Rcdeer on February 06, 2013, 12:19:36 pm
Good for you! well done!  those are the neatest bows I've shot so far..sadly mine broke...but was a pleasure to shoot an hunt with in one piece!  lol  good job!
Title: Re: First Successful Bow
Post by: Del the cat on February 06, 2013, 12:35:27 pm
... but it hits where it's aimed...lol
Yup that's the sort of bow I like  ;D
The days are just begining to lengthen again here, which is a great relief.
Del