Primitive Archer

Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: Shooter on December 23, 2007, 07:37:23 pm

Title: Rigid Recurve
Post by: Shooter on December 23, 2007, 07:37:23 pm
It's been fairly cold here lately so there's little time for building. Northern Canadian winters make it tough for building bows outdoors. Anyways, here are some pics of one I managed to finish just in time to go under a friend's tree on Tuesday.

Cotton backed hickory with canary bellies lashed with jute to purpleheart recurves and riser.
66" o/a
64 1/2" ntn
55#@26

Nocks

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Title: Re: Rigid Recurve
Post by: Shooter on December 23, 2007, 07:40:27 pm
bellies and backs

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Title: Re: Rigid Recurve
Post by: Shooter on December 23, 2007, 07:48:14 pm
Sorry for the really bad pics here. Had to work quickly in the cold so I couldn't set the camera up, and I noticed the full-draw is a little off center. Will try to get a better one before the 25th if possible.

unbraced, braced to 61/2" and drawn to 26"

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Title: Re: Rigid Recurve
Post by: Canerod on December 23, 2007, 07:50:39 pm
Nice!! I really like that one. I gotta learn to make bows. The itch is gettin' bad  ;D
Title: Re: Rigid Recurve
Post by: Ryano on December 23, 2007, 08:22:51 pm
Shooter, you really make some unique weapons, and that one is a beauty.  ;)
Do you feel any hand shock with those glued on static's?The reason I ask is I've never seen them used on a bow that long before.
Title: Re: Rigid Recurve
Post by: Jesse on December 23, 2007, 11:05:48 pm
That is a beauty. A lot of good woodworking on that one. How is the performance? I never shot a bow like that.
Title: Re: Rigid Recurve
Post by: whatareyadoin on December 23, 2007, 11:07:54 pm
once again I'm speachless, that is smooth.
Title: Re: Rigid Recurve
Post by: koan on December 23, 2007, 11:12:24 pm
Awesome!!!....Brian
Title: Re: Rigid Recurve
Post by: bootboy on December 23, 2007, 11:46:29 pm
I am speachless mate. that bow is amazing. I love coming here, just for this reason. Seeing everyones aweosme bows.
Title: Re: Rigid Recurve
Post by: Sidewinder on December 24, 2007, 01:28:28 am
Dude, those tips are off the charts. Way to go man. I love the gull wing look with talons .Makes a man think about possibilities.  I would be interested in the performance numbers and how too info. Danny
Title: Re: Rigid Recurve
Post by: rudderbows on December 24, 2007, 01:37:51 am
You gotta be kidding me, Breathtaking work!!  WOW!! Masterpiece ! One of a kind, Awesome, !!
Title: Re: Rigid Recurve
Post by: Shooter on December 24, 2007, 02:14:10 am
Thank you for the compliments. guys.

Ryan, it's got very smooth action with very minimal vibe. Nice draw with no stack, and plenty quick for a target bow.The bow-proper is finish tillered at 58" and then bobbed to 56" before the statics go on, and I tiller it as such until I can get the desired weight at a 24" draw. That's usually close enough that I don't lose any weight as I stretch the draw and deal with any twist that might occur after the statics are put on. It's taken me a while to work out the geometries to where everything works well together.

I'm fairly new to building strictly wooden bows and wanted to make all my own mistakes, so I got this design down pretty good now 8)

Bruce
Title: Re: Rigid Recurve
Post by: M-P on December 24, 2007, 02:41:24 am
That's a beutiful bow, but whats all that white stuff on the ground?   Ron
Title: Re: Rigid Recurve
Post by: DanaM on December 24, 2007, 06:50:29 am
I'm with the rest of the guys awesome bow, very unique
Title: Re: Rigid Recurve
Post by: Pappy on December 24, 2007, 07:08:32 am
Very nice bow.Tiller looks great. :)
   Pappy
Title: Re: Rigid Recurve
Post by: Auggie on December 24, 2007, 07:42:24 am
Killer bow! Gotta say Im  full of envy,your friend is fortunate to have a friend like you.
Title: Re: Rigid Recurve
Post by: Marc St Louis on December 24, 2007, 08:36:26 am
Nice bow. I also would have thought it would have some handshock with the siyahs as they look a bit bulky. Did you need the thread wrap for strength?
Title: Re: Rigid Recurve
Post by: George Tsoukalas on December 24, 2007, 09:39:13 am
That is an awesome bow. The tiller looks great and the workmanship is excellent. Jawge
Title: Re: Rigid Recurve
Post by: Hillbilly on December 24, 2007, 10:24:29 am
That's definitely a unique bow. I like it. My first though was also wondering about handshock with the big siyahas. Great job, that's pretty slick.
Title: Re: Rigid Recurve
Post by: mrmarch on December 24, 2007, 10:33:40 am
wow dude!!!!!!!
Title: Re: Rigid Recurve
Post by: FVR on December 24, 2007, 11:58:51 am
That is a beautiful bow.

Wow!
Title: Re: Rigid Recurve
Post by: tpoof on December 24, 2007, 12:02:33 pm
A very unusual and interesting bow! definately eye candy. thanks for sharing!  :o  ;D
Title: Re: Rigid Recurve
Post by: OldBow on December 24, 2007, 01:52:57 pm
Must be the cold that produced such a bow as this
as it produced human culture in the Northern Climes. 
Absolutely a pleasure to look at this bow.
 I'm in Denver but sent this on to my Missoula, MT computer for
 Definitely Backed Bow of the Month consideration.
What is canary wood?
Title: Re: Rigid Recurve
Post by: Shooter on December 24, 2007, 02:52:28 pm
Thank ya'll for your kind words.

re: handshock
Handshock was never really a problem with any of the rigid recurves I've built so far. The first couple had some but I found that the angle of the recurves can be adjusted to smooth it out. Also, the deflex smooths out the action a bit. It's a bit of a balancing act between those two aspects and the usual belly-to-back ratios, tapers, and limb length. Even though the bow is 66" o/a, there's only 18" of working limb.

Marc St Louis, I usually don't bind the limbs at the root. I just put that on to cover the cotton back in this case. The only other times I've done it was to hold down bolsters I add to the limbs to stiffen them up a bit after the bow is shot in. I put the smaller bindings on this one to move the 'center of percussion' up the limbs a bit.

Salut,
Bruce
Title: Re: Rigid Recurve
Post by: OldBow on December 24, 2007, 04:00:38 pm
So, this bow is described as hickory backed canary wood, right?
Title: Re: Rigid Recurve
Post by: Shooter on December 24, 2007, 04:04:41 pm
OldBow, yes.

Found this:
http://www.hobbithouseinc.com/personal/woodpics/canary.htm

Will post a pic of a human full drawing it...nice and warm-ish today
Title: Re: Rigid Recurve
Post by: Shooter on December 24, 2007, 05:02:56 pm
Rounded up a cameraman today who did a way better job than I can do.

first pic is relaxed and the third pic is after it's been well stretched and shot. And a full draw with yours truly.



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Title: Re: Rigid Recurve
Post by: Justin Snyder on December 24, 2007, 05:16:58 pm
Quote from: Shooter on December 24, 2007, 02:14:10 am
The bow-proper is finish tillered at 58" and then bobbed to 56" before the statics go on, and I tiller it as such until I can get the desired weight at a 24" draw.  Bruce
Cool looking bow.  I'm curious if it had so much deflex in the limbs when you started tillering.  It seems like adding the siyahas after the tillering would make it bend in a different area on the limb. I don't suppose you have pictures of what the tiller looked like before the siyahas were added. Justin
Title: Re: Rigid Recurve
Post by: Shooter on December 24, 2007, 05:23:34 pm
Hey, Justin

The bow starts out with about 2 1/2" of curved reflex. By the time I have it finish tillered, and before the recurves are mounted, the limbs are pretty much straight. After it's been well shot and tweaked, it's deflexed in the neighborhood of 7/8" - 1 1/4". This one's  about right in the middle.

I don't have any pics of the different stages. Maybe I'll chronicle the next one.

Bruce
Title: Re: Rigid Recurve
Post by: Minuteman on December 24, 2007, 06:56:04 pm
 I'd be afraid the handle section and the limbs would come apart without a backing going over the handle like in a conventional backed  bow. Guess its holding up though.
 What kinda glue did you use?
Title: Re: Rigid Recurve
Post by: Justin Snyder on December 24, 2007, 07:13:11 pm
Quote from: Shooter on December 24, 2007, 05:23:34 pm
Hey, Justin

The bow starts out with about 2 1/2" of curved reflex. By the time I have it finish tillered, and before the recurves are mounted, the limbs are pretty much straight. After it's been well shot and tweaked, it's deflexed in the neighborhood of 7/8" - 1 1/4". This one's  about right in the middle.

I don't have any pics of the different stages. Maybe I'll chronicle the next one.

Bruce
Unless my math is off that adds up to about 3 1/2" of set. Im curious how well the limbs will hold up since all the set seems to be in about 6" of each limb. Justin
Title: Re: Rigid Recurve
Post by: 1/2primitive on December 24, 2007, 09:15:13 pm
Wow, those are the wildest looking recurves I've seen, and it's purty too! Good job!
     Sean
Title: Re: Rigid Recurve
Post by: Shooter on December 24, 2007, 10:52:12 pm
Quote
Unless my math is off that adds up to about 3 1/2" of set. Im curious how well the limbs will hold up since all the set seems to be in about 6" of each limb

Nope, your math is fine. One of the rigid recurves I built last fall has well over 1000 shots and going strong. I shoot it on a regular basis as ongoing research. A friend has been shooting one I made this spring with at least as many shots through it. No complaints from him yet 8)




Title: Re: Rigid Recurve
Post by: Justin Snyder on December 24, 2007, 10:56:31 pm
That is great, that is why I asked. That is not the kind of luck I have.  :'( Justin
Title: Re: Rigid Recurve
Post by: Shooter on December 25, 2007, 01:13:29 am
Cool, Justin. The set isn't confined to any 6" of the limb though. The geometries and the tillering process set an easy path for the wood to do its thing. I don't ever expect any help from luck. ;D

Bruce
Title: Re: Rigid Recurve
Post by: Shooter on December 25, 2007, 01:22:18 am
Minuteman, I've had a lot of bows break on me, but I've never had a delamination off the riser or near it. TBIII is the way to go.
Title: Re: Rigid Recurve
Post by: mamba on December 25, 2007, 02:15:47 pm
aWSOME bow Shooter - awsome!
Title: Re: Rigid Recurve
Post by: venisonburger on December 25, 2007, 11:57:27 pm
Graceful, really a pretty bow. Excellent work
VB
Title: Re: Rigid Recurve
Post by: adb on December 26, 2007, 12:01:28 pm
Hey, Shooter
Nice bow! Where are you from?
Title: Re: Rigid Recurve
Post by: jwillis on December 27, 2007, 09:32:30 pm
This seems like a tough audience, but I really like it!  Awesome bow.
Title: Re: Rigid Recurve
Post by: Shooter on December 28, 2007, 08:04:42 pm
haha thanks, jwillis.

Not such a tough crowd, though. If folks wanna call me out or whatever, 'tis fine.

I'm just happy to show my work.  8)
Title: Re: Rigid Recurve
Post by: GregB on December 28, 2007, 10:27:07 pm
Definitely a very unique bow. Great finish work and good tiller as well.
Title: Re: Rigid Recurve
Post by: Justin Snyder on December 28, 2007, 10:36:55 pm
Quote from: jwillis on December 27, 2007, 09:32:30 pm
This seems like a tough audience, but I really like it!  Awesome bow.
We are a tough crowd, but we don't mean it critical or personal. Think of it as educational for all of us.  Justin
Title: Re: Rigid Recurve
Post by: Shooter on December 29, 2007, 04:58:15 pm
Yes yes...very educational for all of us.

I learned why this bow shouldn't work as well as it does...I think

Title: Re: Rigid Recurve
Post by: rudderbows on December 30, 2007, 04:47:48 am
Mind if i ask How thick is the handle in the middle from front to back.
Title: Re: Rigid Recurve
Post by: Shooter on December 31, 2007, 02:18:15 am
Rudderbows, I think it was you who said you were using canary for the limbs on some of your bows. (?) I've only been able to find a couple of dealers offering bows with canary. Not many people using it for anything but risers. Do you have pics of a finished bow?

I usually finish the handle section out to about the same thickness as my thumb on these ones. I got some pretty beefy digits though, so...

Are you gonna make one of these bows?