Primitive Archer
Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: BryBow on August 22, 2013, 11:19:38 pm
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It was a sweet adventure. It started out at Bill Jackson's in Clearwater, Fl. My wife Penny and my daughter Ashley, joined me on a trip there so I could roam through all of the outdoor departments and dream a little. (you can google em and if you have never been then you should go).
Our first stop was the pistol department where my wife saw a crossbow hanging from the rafters and her heart was slain. With a big smile on her face she exclaimed "THAT WOULD BE FUN!" Hmmm I thought, guns were expensive enough without adding those darn things to the mix.
Two weeks later I took my daughter to a movie and after the movie decided to visit Dicks Sporting Goods for an ammo box. My safe was full. While looking over the ammo boxes, Ashley wandered off and then shortly after came tugging on my arm to come and look at something. She sure was excited. Kind of reminded me of the look in my wife's eyes when she saw that crossbow. In the back of the sporting goods department was an archery range and with a gleam in her eyes (just like my wife's) she asked if we could shoot. It turns out that Dicks only uses their range for tuning bows and such.
As I could not get any of my daughters to shoot a pistol at the range it got me to thinking that this archery thing may be just what the doctor ordered for my loved ones and I.
I have 3 girls and all the boys that have walked through the front door have enjoyed checking out my cool gun collection if you catch my drift. :-)
As I explored I found a thing called primitive archery. The more I read the more intrigued I became. I soon subscribed to PA magazine and the journey was on.
Poorfolks Bows took me to Home Depot where I found a pretty darn good straight grained red oak board. 3 months went by (long time I know) and I was just about finished with my first bow.
I had decided it was time to develop some friendships in this traditional and primitive bow thing so I googled some Florida archery organizations and found the TBOF (Traditional Bowhunters Of Florida) organization. You may have read a post from me several weeks ago titled Traditional Friendships. I sent an email to the President of the TBOF that mirrored my post. The President forwarded my email to the membership and my inbox overflowed with wish you wells, give me a call and just some darn friendly people wanting nothing more than to make a noob feel at home in this wonderful way of life.
Well... Just a couple of weeks ago the better half and I went to the TBOF fall shoot in Ocala, Fl.
I met some great people and a hardy and heart felt thank you goes out to them all for making my wife and I feel like we belonged and convinced us that we did.
While there we wandered into Big Jim's Bow Company tent. What an eye candy feast we had. Penny, knowing how my heart was beating a song of fellowship for this new found melody of stick, string, and arrow, talked me into buying one of Big Jim's Bows. She really had to twist my arm don't ya know.
The next day I was shooting my Big Jim Buffalo in the back yard. Thank you Big Jim for the beautiful bow. It's a real sweet shooter and everyone that sees it starts to drool in a split second.
Long story short... I Love It.
Oh yeah, the broken bow.
Tonight I finished the knocks and spun my own Flemish string and then strung her up. She was so pretty with her first attempt blemishes, her ugly black linen fabric backing and the two limbs that seemed tillerd to perfection (at least in my eyes). One limb was a little narrower than the other. She had her first smooth 100 grit sanding and the glued on rock cedar riser and knocks that came from a piece of wood off the bottom of the crystal river. That bow looked beautiful to me.
I worked her a bunch in the kitchen and got her out to my 28" draw. My wife and the girls had to have a pull or two. I was so excited because tomorrow after work I was headed to one of my new friends house to shoot some 3d's and I just knew that James would think she was as beautiful as my whole family did. James makes his own arrows and is a real craftsman from what I've seen but he has never thought about building his own bow. I knew this would convince him and then I would have a friend close by to share the joy of the build and the creation.
Time to see the final weight I thought as I headed to the tillering tree in the garage with my scale in hand.
Up on the tree she went and as I pulled her out to the 28" I heard a faint, high pitched popping sound and then a bang! Startled, I looked down and there she lay at my feet in two pieces. I heard in my mind the ancient of days singing a song about the love of true lore, the craftsman's hands and the beauty of a bow that was brought to life by the love of a father. Now I'm not comparing myself to our creator because there is only one and he is alive and well and sits on the throne where angels cry out day and night holy, holy, holy in worship of the one true God.
After all of that what can a man say? Well I'll tell ya.
I love that bow that I just strung up. The bow that my family was just as excited to see and thought she was as beautiful as I did.
I wouldn't trade my first bow for a million bucks. I built her and she taught me a lot. She taught me that there is joy in the work of the hands. That the joy obtained from such a pure endeavor is priceless. She taught me that there is joy in brokenness. You know, when something from the heart is broke often times healing can take place and with healing comes a renewed energy and a freshness of life. She's just what this ole boy needed and I'll show her off with pride in my eyes and a joy in my heart. James is going to get to see her tomorrow night and I'm glad because she means allot to me and I will treasure her for as long as I live.
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If you build wood bows you're going to break some - it doesn't matter how experienced you are. When I'm teaching someone to make a bow I tell them to try not to get to attached to the bow until we are pretty sure it will hold together. Of course no one ever takes that advice and when bows do break, someone is invariably heart-broken. That's just the way it is with wood bows...
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Glue it back together and treasure it forever
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Gordon,
Thank you for the advice Gordon. I have been a fan of your builds. You are a great craftsman. I would have to say that I am not heart broken.
Am I attached to my broken bow? Yes, and more so since it broke than when it was just coming together. I have grown fond of the saying "If you're not breakin, you're not makin.
My next build is going to be from one of your buildalongs Gordon.
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I have grown fond of the saying "If you're not breakin, you're not makin.
Then you are well on your way my friend. Enjoy the journey...
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I had a beautiful yew bow break on me just last week. Investigated the cause of the break(a knot under the tip overlay) learned from it and tossed it in the bin and started another.
Bows break. There is more wood out there. May not find a piece quite as nice, but you will learn what to look for.
Sorry for your loss
Better get back to work ;)
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Never seen a break like that before. That looks clean. Take down bow anyone?
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That is a crazily clean break. Maybe moisture content to low? Also, looks like your riser could have been a lot longer, I can't really see the thickness at the handle but you usually want to have the riser extend all the way out until your bow gets to its full width. Your riser looks like it could have been almost twice as long.
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No fades equals a break. Take that knowledge to your next bow.
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My thoughts exactly PD. Narrow and thin at the fades is no bueno. Gonna break right there every time.
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Good story,it happens,as Gordon said ,I always tell folks don't fall in love to soon,it only a piece of wood till it's been tested and sure to make it or it will break your heart. :) Sounds like you took it well and now it's time to move on to the next one. :)
Pappy
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I still get breaks too. Start another.
I recommend you model your first one after the build on my sites. If you want 40-45# rip the board to 1 3/8"... 1.5 in wide for 50-55#. If you do your part you will get that weight.
Anyway, let the handle bend, no glued on pieces and no narrowing of the handle is my advice. Straight grained boards are vitally important.
http://georgeandjoni.home.comcast.net/~georgeandjoni/boardbowbuildalong.html
Jawge
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welcome, very cool story, so let the therapy begin ;) ;) >:D
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Thanks Pappy and thanks everybody for all of the good advice.
George, now Ill never forget where this came from,
"If you ain't breakin' you ain't makin!"
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Someone,over at Trad Gang suggested I call her "Chopsticks". You could come away with that impression after looking at her.
Shooting tonight, tomorrow I'll build.
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I'd call no fades,lol,should look some thing like this
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Good pic bushy.
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Well you know bushy, I had more rock cedar riser to her before I lost my mind and cut off a 1/2 inch for looks. Who knows how much more I lost in the sanding. I guess you just can't make up your own rules as you go along.
Save a bow, read the instructions twice.
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Riser length alone isn't the answer Brybow. You see how the actual core of the bow is thicker under the handle at gently FADES to the limbs thickness? That's what got you, you didn't have those.
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Do you actually want to repair and recover this one? ...or are you more inclined to keep her as is for a memorial piece? If you want to recover this one, it could be done any of several ways. I'd think perhaps a long (3 -4 inch) scarf joint for each limb to a new handle riser. ...perhaps with Fiddler49 style wraps or ties to hold it all in place. It could be done, ...she could shoot again.
...or you could just invest the same energy into the next one.
Onebow
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I think for now I'll put her on my trophy wall. I'm ready to move on as I already have the next board ready to go. I do like the idea of coming back to her later and trying the scarf joints and the Fiddler49 wraps. Looks like a great learning process. I think I would be better served in building more bows to successful completion before attempting a repair of one that I'm not sure is completely sound.
Thanks for the reply Onebow. Lots to think about there.
Bryan