Primitive Archer
Main Discussion Area => English Warbow => Topic started by: WillS on February 06, 2014, 09:12:14 am
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Ok, so here's my first attempt at a bow over 100lbs in draw weight. It's been a bit of an adventure getting this thing finished, and I'm not 100% happy with it even now. The tiller I think could be better - the bottom limb could probably do with coming round just a bit more, but it's now quite a bit smaller than the other both in width and depth and I'm not convinced taking any more wood off will help. Somebody mentioned to me that there's a lot of force being pushed through bow limbs at these draw weights, and making one limb too thin is risky so I'm leaving it as it is. Plus as a few people mentioned with the reflex sitting about 8" from the nock it would be a mistake to try and get it to come round to match the other which is what I was trying to do to start with!
It's worth bearing in mind that the photograph of it on the tiller is not quite how it will appear in the hand. It's being pulled from dead centre, and the string is hooked dead centre, so the bending point in the hand will be an inch or two lower, making the stiff limb come round a bit more when it's being shot.
I won't be pulling it to 32" on the tiller as I think that's asking for trouble, but it will be shot to 32". It's just under 110lb at 28" so it will probably be around 125 at 32" which will settle a bit into 120lbs - more or less my goal from the start, although that changed a fair few times!
Anyway. Pics.
Got really lucky with the top nock, it had some beautiful character in it!
(http://i1202.photobucket.com/albums/bb363/Will_Sherman/Pacfic%20Yew%20Warbow%20120%20at%2032/Nock1_zps069018da.jpg) (http://s1202.photobucket.com/user/Will_Sherman/media/Pacfic%20Yew%20Warbow%20120%20at%2032/Nock1_zps069018da.jpg.html)
(http://i1202.photobucket.com/albums/bb363/Will_Sherman/Pacfic%20Yew%20Warbow%20120%20at%2032/Nock2_zps3f525ef9.jpg) (http://s1202.photobucket.com/user/Will_Sherman/media/Pacfic%20Yew%20Warbow%20120%20at%2032/Nock2_zps3f525ef9.jpg.html)
I left the cambium on wherever I could, as I love the look of it and I think it lends itself to the appearance of a tool or weapon, as compared to a display piece
(http://i1202.photobucket.com/albums/bb363/Will_Sherman/Pacfic%20Yew%20Warbow%20120%20at%2032/cmbim_zps4e818a86.jpg) (http://s1202.photobucket.com/user/Will_Sherman/media/Pacfic%20Yew%20Warbow%20120%20at%2032/cmbim_zps4e818a86.jpg.html)
This stave had almost no character whatsoever (which is another excuse I can't use for this taking so long and being less than perfect!) but here's about as "crazy" as it gets
(http://i1202.photobucket.com/albums/bb363/Will_Sherman/Pacfic%20Yew%20Warbow%20120%20at%2032/Character_zps1eff0430.jpg) (http://s1202.photobucket.com/user/Will_Sherman/media/Pacfic%20Yew%20Warbow%20120%20at%2032/Character_zps1eff0430.jpg.html)
Couple of pics of each limb (tricky to take, but you can sort of see the soft reflex that shouldn't have caused me so much trouble but did anyway...
(http://i1202.photobucket.com/albums/bb363/Will_Sherman/Pacfic%20Yew%20Warbow%20120%20at%2032/ReflexLimb_zps8e44ae83.jpg) (http://s1202.photobucket.com/user/Will_Sherman/media/Pacfic%20Yew%20Warbow%20120%20at%2032/ReflexLimb_zps8e44ae83.jpg.html)
And here's the limb that took the set (around 2" at this point, will probably rise to 3 or so after being shot in a bit)
(http://i1202.photobucket.com/albums/bb363/Will_Sherman/Pacfic%20Yew%20Warbow%20120%20at%2032/DeflexLimb_zps43188d11.jpg) (http://s1202.photobucket.com/user/Will_Sherman/media/Pacfic%20Yew%20Warbow%20120%20at%2032/DeflexLimb_zps43188d11.jpg.html)
Here's the unbraced shape - you can see the set it's taken up to where the reflex starts. The reflex was worse of course when I started but it's softened a bit now.
(http://i1202.photobucket.com/albums/bb363/Will_Sherman/Pacfic%20Yew%20Warbow%20120%20at%2032/IMAG0704_1_zps8a156634.jpg) (http://s1202.photobucket.com/user/Will_Sherman/media/Pacfic%20Yew%20Warbow%20120%20at%2032/IMAG0704_1_zps8a156634.jpg.html)
And here's the brace shape - pretty ugly but that's how it came out...
(http://i1202.photobucket.com/albums/bb363/Will_Sherman/Pacfic%20Yew%20Warbow%20120%20at%2032/Brace_zps1160fa93.jpg) (http://s1202.photobucket.com/user/Will_Sherman/media/Pacfic%20Yew%20Warbow%20120%20at%2032/Brace_zps1160fa93.jpg.html)
And of course the tiller at 28"
(http://i1202.photobucket.com/albums/bb363/Will_Sherman/Pacfic%20Yew%20Warbow%20120%20at%2032/Tiller_zps661d7f8b.jpg) (http://s1202.photobucket.com/user/Will_Sherman/media/Pacfic%20Yew%20Warbow%20120%20at%2032/Tiller_zps661d7f8b.jpg.html)
I'm calling a truce at this stage and I'm just gonna shoot the thing and enjoy it, and use the mistakes and lessons learned to motivate me on to the next, better one. Thanks to everybody who offered help either in PM or on the main forum - huge amount learned during the making of this, and I can't wait to apply them to the next warbow.
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That bow looks very good. Very well done.
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Wow, thanks so much Marc! Really appreciate that!
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Good work Will. Wise decision to know when to say when. The right limb, and I'm assuming it's the bottom, is a bit stiff, but it's reflexed so no big deal. It'll probably unfold at full draw a bit more. Go shoot it! Lovely tips, by the way.
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Thanks Adam. Without the help on here I don't think I would have known when to call it a day! I'd have kept ploughing through that stiff limb just because it didn't look the same as the other.
Glad the nocks look ok!
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Don't look bad at all! I say call it a bow, looks great.
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Good perseverence skills :laugh:
She looks fine... If you think the bow has been a pig to do, you have to ask what the stave thinks of you! >:D
But seriously. Well done, I think it reflects the unstrung shape correctly. :)
Del
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Thanks Del, for your comments and your help! I don't wanna know what the stave thinks of me, but I'm still convinced it never, ever wanted to become a bow!
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Looks great to me, Will. I think it's pretty smart to quit while you are ahead.
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Thanks mate!
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dang... nice bow.
good choice to call it,.
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Great bow Will
That brace height pic looks perfect for that stave and as you say, that lower limb will come around nicely when pulled by hand!
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Thanks Del, for your comments and your help! I don't wanna know what the stave thinks of me, but I'm still convinced it never, ever wanted to become a bow!
Several bows have run me thru the mill as this one did to you. In each case I came to love those bows deeply and each of them turned out to be good shooters. Maybe she was playing hard to get to see if you were good enough to wield her. Give her the benefit of the doubt for now...and call her "High Maintanance".
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I was gonna call her Susan Boyle due to the brace shape, but maybe you're right...
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The tiller suits the stave perfectly. You handled it like a champ :)
Susan Boyle? Don't be so hard on her man!
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I'm confused... don't you guys across the pond find Susan Boyle stunning, like we do?
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Her voice stops me in my tracks and takes my breath away. And I have been told she hasn't been spoiled by fame. Good for her!
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Great Job!
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Thanks Steve, I appreciate that mate!
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Apologies for dragging up an old thread, but I thought it would worth updating this with a quick video of the bow.in the hands of somebody who knows what they're doing!
I gave this bow to Ian Coote this weekend at the latest English Warbow Society shoot. For those who don't know, Ian is an exceptional bowyer who made (amongst many others) the 170# Italian yew that Joe Gibbs broke the world record for Livery arrow distance with this year. He seemed to enjoy shooting it, and was very complementary and generous with advice for the next one!
It was seriously hot for this shoot and slightly humid, so hard to tell exactly what the bow can really do, but it's pretty damn quick and made easy work of the longer marks at the rove.
Tiller isn't perfect, and its easy to see where it might need some adjusting, but in general it was good to see it shot properly!
Click the link to get it to play.
(http://i1202.photobucket.com/albums/bb363/Will_Sherman/th_VIDEO0042_zpsc18ace62.mp4) (http://i1202.photobucket.com/albums/bb363/Will_Sherman/VIDEO0042_zpsc18ace62.mp4)
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Nice one :)
Del
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That looks like a nice bow, dunno about Susan Boyle, more Fatima Whtbread shes that strong! Well done fella you should be proud, I would be with that.
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I stand corrected, sir. That bow must be called Susan Boyle...cuz she really can sing!
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Yea, I'd go along with Susan Boyle, I like the way she slings. ;)
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I like your bow Will. I have a similar in progress. :)
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Cheers dude! Much appreciated!
Are you gonna put up a thread or some pics of it? Always nice to see new warbows!
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Yes I will. Sooner. It's a perfect beast of Norwegian Yew. Taxus baccata. :)