Primitive Archer
Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: Accipiter on March 16, 2014, 08:07:08 pm
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So, being fond of Ocean spray wood, but not able to find many long pieces of decent quality I decided to try a take-down design using short billets. As dropping $$$ on a sleeve was not appealing, I tried a method I saw elsewhere on the internet: http://paleoplanet69529.yuku.com/reply/303271/Re-Raw-Hide-Scarf-tube-take-down-red-oak-bow#.UyYnJoUXfPt (http://paleoplanet69529.yuku.com/reply/303271/Re-Raw-Hide-Scarf-tube-take-down-red-oak-bow#.UyYnJoUXfPt)
I know some people on this site have been wondering about this idea, so here are the results of my experiment, even it did come in way underweight :-\.
Since the ocean spray was only about 1/2" thick after I flattened it, the handle is 3 pieces of wood, laminated (poorly, but they dont seem to flex) using TB2. Two layers of ocean spray, bottom is oak.
(http://i.imgur.com/qR6qZrJ.jpg)
Each side of the laminated handle piece is cut and flattened to a slope of about 12 degrees. (1 1/4" deep by 5 1/2" long). Getting them to fit flush and flat was a little challenging, but not terrible. The holes I drilled through the middle after I was finished with the rawhide, about 1 1/2" apart. 1/4" bolts go through the holes as a backup to the rawhide sleeve. They also keep the alignment straight.
(http://i.imgur.com/DsftZVa.jpg)
As you can see, the handle is crazy ugly, slathered with yellow tightbond and not a graceful line to be found. That said, it was cheap and keeps the whole thing together well. Basically I wet-molded thin rawhide around the handle, when both halves were taped together in position. After it dried partially I took it off and removed the tape, then put the rawhide sleeve back on to dry fully. After that I drilled the bolt holes and then wrapped the whole thing in linen cord, set in more TB2. After drying, the setup is quite strong.
(http://i.imgur.com/fYRt5jJ.jpg)
(http://i.imgur.com/YyShPNG.jpg)
Brace is a bit uneven, but for whatever reason it seems to even out at full draw.
(http://i.imgur.com/4eDzo2Z.jpg)
Around 63" ntn, 1 3/16" at the widest. 30# @26". I toasted the belly a bit and left the bark on except for where I had to patch a hinge with some nettle fiber, which was another experiment. I haven't done a very fine tillering job here, or put on any finish. I don't think this one will see too much use, but it was a fun, and moderately successful experiment. I hope to make a 50 pounder with this design soon. I believe it would be safe with pretty high weights, although I might go for a slightly deeper handle.