Primitive Archer

Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: TimPotter on October 02, 2013, 09:51:22 am

Title: White oak flat bow.
Post by: TimPotter on October 02, 2013, 09:51:22 am
I'm still working on this at the moment. It was hacked out of a hand's width log about 4 months ago, then I let it dry indoors. Last week I heat tempered the belly.
Then went back to work last night on it. I ended up scraping all the belly down again to bring it to tiller. Now it's so darn white. Time for stain-n-oil and some handle work.


Title: Re: White oak flat bow.
Post by: IdahoMatt on October 02, 2013, 09:56:45 am
Lookin good at brace where is the full draw :)
Title: Re: White oak flat bow.
Post by: mikekeswick on October 02, 2013, 09:58:31 am
Looking even better un-strung  ;)
Title: Re: White oak flat bow.
Post by: TimPotter on October 02, 2013, 10:01:07 am
Yes unstrung it goes pretty much to zero set. I'm still tweaking it a bit not 100% satisfied with the tiller. I took a video of me drawing it about and hour ago and not sure it's spot on yet, but very close. I thought I'd post full draw after the finish is on.  :)
Title: Re: White oak flat bow.
Post by: blackhawk on October 02, 2013, 10:01:34 am
Cool..looks like its taken minimal loss,and looks good unbraced yet to me ;) can't wait to see it all dolled up n bent over ;) ...you gave me motivation to grab a white oak staves out tof the shed last night(something I've been meaning to do but hadn't yet),and ill reduce mine down this week to further dry out
Title: Re: White oak flat bow.
Post by: TimPotter on October 02, 2013, 10:04:20 am
Here is the tiller test vid number 1.) I usually don't share these but I'm open for critique. I think I want to work more on the upper limb.

(http://i1186.photobucket.com/albums/z372/thimosabv2/th_100_1141.jpg) (http://i1186.photobucket.com/albums/z372/thimosabv2/100_1141.mp4)
Title: Re: White oak flat bow.
Post by: TimPotter on October 02, 2013, 10:06:04 am
Thanks Blackhawk. I have a elb sized white-oak sapling too I'm going to work on soon, but 1st you got me motivated to go harvest my crape-myrtle. >:D
Title: Re: White oak flat bow.
Post by: blackhawk on October 02, 2013, 10:13:07 am
Lol...if I had it around me I'd be cutting some n always keeping a few staves around too ;)  :laugh:

N dang it...my phone won't view photo bucket videos  >:(...I'll have to look on the PC after work  ::)
Title: Re: White oak flat bow.
Post by: adb on October 02, 2013, 11:00:12 am
Looking at your brace profile (assuming your bottom limb is on the right), and confirmed by your full draw, it looks to me like the middle of your bottom limb is very stiff. Your bottom limb is really only bending just below the fade.
Title: Re: White oak flat bow.
Post by: Weylin on October 02, 2013, 11:03:25 am
Looking at your brace profile (assuming your bottom limb is on the right), and confirmed by your full draw, it looks to me like the middle of your bottom limb is very stiff. Your bottom limb is really only bending just below the fade.

I see that too, for what it's worth.
Title: Re: White oak flat bow.
Post by: Joec123able on October 02, 2013, 11:10:40 am
Gotta love a bow with no string follow
Title: Re: White oak flat bow.
Post by: Josh B on October 02, 2013, 12:34:52 pm
Looking at your brace profile (assuming your bottom limb is on the right), and confirmed by your full draw, it looks to me like the middle of your bottom limb is very stiff. Your bottom limb is really only bending just below the fade.

I see that too, for what it's worth.

+1 more.  That being said, I like it!  The contrast of the white bow with the dark background in the video makes that bow look huge!  I know it's only a trick of the lighting, but it really jumps out at ya.  Josh
Title: Re: White oak flat bow.
Post by: adb on October 02, 2013, 01:43:28 pm
Gotta love a bow with no string follow

I know what you mean, but I actually like my bows to have a wee bit of set. Too much (>1" or so) will rob cast, but a bit of set is a good thing. It means that your limbs aren't overbuilt and carrying too much mass, and a bow with a bit of follow is actually sweeter in the hand to shoot and not as shocky. All else being equal, a bow with set will lose cast, but a loss of 5 fps is not a big deal in my book.
Title: Re: White oak flat bow.
Post by: Joec123able on October 02, 2013, 02:31:27 pm
Gotta love a bow with no string follow

I know what you mean, but I actually like my bows to have a wee bit of set. Too much (>1" or so) will rob cast, but a bit of set is a good thing. It means that your limbs aren't overbuilt and carrying too much mass, and a bow with a bit of follow is actually sweeter in the hand to shoot and not as shocky. All else being equal, a bow with set will lose cast, but a loss of 5 fps is not a big deal in my book.

I don't mind a tiny bit of follow either
Title: Re: White oak flat bow.
Post by: TimPotter on October 02, 2013, 02:59:02 pm
Thanks everyone. I went to work on the bottom limb and got that bending better then had to hit the upper limb a bit. Now I feel pretty good with the results. I'll have more pics latter.

I don't mind a bit of string-follow either. I have one elm elb with 2" of string-follow and I love the way it shoots. On this bow I just wanted to prove that white oak doesn't have to be on the bad list for wood that takes excessive set.

The specs are 66" L 2" at fades. 55# at 28". Maybe a wee bit lighter now after some tiller adjustments.
Title: Re: White oak flat bow.
Post by: adb on October 02, 2013, 03:05:34 pm
Better less draw weight than poorly tillered.
Title: Re: White oak flat bow.
Post by: TimPotter on October 02, 2013, 03:32:23 pm
Amen!!!!
Title: Re: White oak flat bow.
Post by: TimPotter on October 03, 2013, 10:04:29 am
Ok. So after round 1 of tiller adjustments I had my wife take this pic. The outer half of upper limb seemed a bit stiff still so back to the scrapping.

Title: Re: White oak flat bow.
Post by: TimPotter on October 03, 2013, 10:05:31 am
After more work this morning I'm now satisfied  to go on with the staining and finish.

Title: Re: White oak flat bow.
Post by: H Rhodes on October 03, 2013, 09:48:34 pm
Looks good to me.   White oak is good bow wood.
Title: Re: White oak flat bow.
Post by: TimPotter on October 04, 2013, 06:58:04 am
Thank you. :)
Title: Re: White oak flat bow.
Post by: CherokeeKC on October 04, 2013, 08:33:54 am
Nice!  Cant wait to see it finished!
Title: Re: White oak flat bow.
Post by: TimPotter on October 04, 2013, 08:41:01 am
Thanks!  I was just about to take the pics. This is one of the bows I'm taking for the weekend for a scout campout with my son. I'm also going to take an elm bow I'm working on and some rivercane and other arrow making gear.
Title: Re: White oak flat bow.
Post by: TimPotter on October 04, 2013, 09:02:55 am
Now finished, but still need some more oil rubbed in, the wood is THIRSTY. Handle is braided hemp stained brown. String follow still zero.


Title: Re: White oak flat bow.
Post by: BowEd on October 04, 2013, 09:36:01 am
Really nice job on that bow Tim.I should use oak more myself here too.There are Amish pallet wood sawmills all around me here and they cut up a heck of a lot of oak logs.Heck of a contrast between your belly and back.That unbraced profile is what everybodys' after.
Title: Re: White oak flat bow.
Post by: Pappy on October 04, 2013, 09:52:31 am
Good looking bow,very nice job. :)
 Pappy
Title: Re: White oak flat bow.
Post by: Hrothgar on October 04, 2013, 11:33:21 am
Good looking bow Tim. This may be the first white oak bow with zero string follow that I've seen!
Title: Re: White oak flat bow.
Post by: TimPotter on October 04, 2013, 01:39:29 pm
Thank you everyone. Next is to see how white-oak does as a narrow longbow. Albeit heavy longbow about 68"L
Title: Re: White oak flat bow.
Post by: TimPotter on October 07, 2013, 09:40:45 am
I shot this bow in quite a bit this weekend and the string follow still holds at zero. Really impressed now with this species of wood and look forward to harvesting more in the ear future.
Title: Re: White oak flat bow.
Post by: blackhawk on October 07, 2013, 10:22:01 am
Cool..looks like it turned out good for ya then :)
Title: Re: White oak flat bow.
Post by: SLIMBOB on October 07, 2013, 10:29:56 am
Nice.  Like that a bunch.
Title: Re: White oak flat bow.
Post by: TimPotter on October 07, 2013, 04:35:40 pm
Thank you. :)
Title: Re: White oak flat bow.
Post by: soy on October 07, 2013, 06:58:32 pm
I like it!!! ;)
Title: Re: White oak flat bow.
Post by: paoliguy on October 08, 2013, 06:09:47 pm
From what I've seen that's quite a feat with oak, nice work!
Title: Re: White oak flat bow.
Post by: Badly Bent on October 08, 2013, 07:02:49 pm
That bow turned out nice, fine work Tim.
Title: Re: White oak flat bow.
Post by: bubby on October 08, 2013, 08:02:57 pm
very nic tim, white oak gets a bad rap as far as i'm concerned I've had lots of luck with it with little to no set
Title: Re: White oak flat bow.
Post by: TimPotter on October 09, 2013, 08:34:34 am
Thank you for all the kind words.  I like this wood better than hickory and can see now where it would make an excellent backing for a high compression wood belly.