Primitive Archer
Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: Blackcoyote on April 22, 2014, 10:16:10 am
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Finally finished up my 3rd bow...
Stave was a nice piece of hackberry I got in trade from Paul Semp at Marshall. After Marshall my wife said I HAD to build her a bow for the next shoot at Marshall. It's been an interesting journey since she's a recurve shooter and we had different visions for this bow...yup, she won out! :o
The specs: 60" ntn, #28 @ 24" stave had some natural deflex so I left it for some string follow. . As for the birch bark, I was thinking the thin outer layers on a dark stained bow...the wife wanted the inner bark and the bow left natural, so it pretty much glows in the dark! Good thing she only hunts rabbits! Tips ended up just a under 1/2", 8 coats of spar urethane later, cork shelf, elk hide handle, and seal fur rest.
Thanks to Pearl drums, Paulsemp, DGF, Badly bent...for all the help, encouragement, and "inspiration" to keep me moving.
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Momma has better form than you Drew! Just look at that draw elbow and anchor. Hell, Im jealous.
The bow turned out sweet, seeing that bark in person stirred my fire. I think I need to harvest some and add it to a upcoming build. Great work man.
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Looks like a shooter. Nice work Sir.
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Yuppers she's a natural minus the floating anchor...but we've been working on that!
No need to harvest any, I've got some strips cut already for ya...I'll drop them off next visit!
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Nice one drewster!!! ;)
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In the immortal words of Sir Elmer of the Fudd - - - "Doze Wabbits better wun fast..."
I really like the white bark with unstained wood. Pretty cool work...
OneBow
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Oh man, I really like the look of this one! Any particular kind of cork or will any champaign type cork work? Did you just kinda tap it into there after putting on the leather handle or glue it before wrapping the handle? I'd like to try a handle like that. If you have any details or links please share! thanks and great job!
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Very nice look to that bark.
Lady shootin' a bow :), what's not to like (unless you're the wabbit she's fixin' on :o)
Del
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I really like the BB backing. I think I gotta try that soon. Nice bow, and it's great to see the ladies showin' us the way!
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Nice one, Love the bark backing,really cool looking. She looks like she knows how to handle it also. :)
Pappy
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Got to love that bark backing!
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I've thought about the birch bark but afraid it would crack after repeated bending. Will this present itself after 1000 shots or so? Being a lighter weight the stress is not to much. What about a heavier bow with a 28" to 30" draw?
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Thanks guys - Slimbob, Blackhawk, Onebow, Del, Adb, paoliguy and Pappy!
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Oh man, I really like the look of this one! Any particular kind of cork or will any champaign type cork work? Did you just kinda tap it into there after putting on the leather handle or glue it before wrapping the handle? I'd like to try a handle like that. If you have any details or links please share! thanks and great job!
PAHunter - thanks
it was just some cork board I had laying around - I built it up to the thickness I wanted, shaped with sandpaper, then glued it on the handle....then I wrapped the handle.
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I've thought about the birch bark but afraid it would crack after repeated bending. Will this present itself after 1000 shots or so? Being a lighter weight the stress is not to much. What about a heavier bow with a 28" to 30" draw?
Dan, I'm not sure, I know others have used with shorter/heavier bows with normal draw lengths...it's not thick at all, I peeled the outer layers down after I cut the strips, then once the glue was dry I peeled down several more layers, then went over it with steel wool.
Being that I haven't made many bows and this was for my wife - I've shot a lot of arrows through to make sure everything was fine before giving it to her, and there are no cracks so it appears to be holding up very well.
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Nice job, I really like the birch bark backing!
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That is a fine looking bow! Chalk me up with the loving the birch bark crowd. Very classy! Josh
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that came out sweet, great third bow
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nice bow, good tiller...I really like the bark
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thanks Hrothgar, Gun Doc, bubby and dragonman! I appreciate all the kind words!
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looks good Drew! Now how about your boys do they have a wood bow yet?
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I really like that one. Makes it look like it was cut right from the tree.
Every historical bow I have seen has the bark running linearly or diagonally as it is wound around the bow like tape but I can see it holding up like that if it is good quality bark with no defects in it.
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Is that Birch bark backing made up of little pieces?
The trees in the background look like it would be difficult to get big pieces of bark off. Or is there another way?
There's not too much birch around here, but it would be cool to try.
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Nice work. It's fun to have a great shooting partner. Congrats on the third bow. Very nice work indeed :)
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This is a very nice bow. I wish I could get my wife into trad. Bows. I would like to build her one. But she can only shoot a compound bow...I know sham on me for using that word. Her elbows are dbl. jointed and when she draws a self bow they get in the way of the string alignment. And im sure the string would hurt like heck. :-\
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That backing sure turned out great. Fine looking bow.
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That's a fine looking bow the bark backing looks awesome.
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That's a great looking 3rd bow.... wish my third look half that good. Really like that bark backing....I'm planning on being at Marshall this year, hope we can find some time to talk bark backing. :)
DBar
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Nicely done Drew, thats a bow she can be proud to carry. Good call on her part to leave it all natural, I think it looks real nice like that and if she hunts the wabbits in the birch groves they'll never see her coming.
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I was just thinkin' Senor Coyote Negro... you should spring for an armguard and a glove for Senora Coyote Negro! ;)
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The backing! Beautiful 8) And it's wonderful you both enjoy archery together. My wife shot with me a while and was actually very good, then I started putting to much pressure on her she developed target panic and quit. I just should have let her enjoy herself...When we fish together she gets mad at me for watching her cork and telling her to pull now! ;D
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Paulie - Yes my oldest has an Osage bow I made him, and my youngest has a sweet osage "real bow" CK made him after Marshall last year!
PatM, that's interesting, any ideas where I can find some historical stuff like that? I'd love to do some research not to mention see how it was done!
Crogacht, the pieces I used were one piece for each limb, I cut it off the tree about 2" wide and it pops off in one solid piece several layers thick - this was off a tree that was cut down, not a standing live tree. The white birch in the pic was an area we cut down after the pics for habitat, they we dead standing trees. My parents place is loaded with birch!
Idahomatt - Thanks!
TimothyR - Thanks! it's all good at least she shoots! Might want to just build a lightweight bow for her to have around....maybe she'll surprise you and give it a try sometime!
hrhodes- thanks!
Trapper Rob - thanks! hope your trapping season went well!
Danz bar, Thanks, yes sir I should be there Thursday sometime!
Badly Bent, thanks....I've still got a lot to learn! Yes, she's a rabbit hunting machine even this year when the snow was up to her knees!
Adb, Senora Coyote Negro has an armguard and glove she was too busy chasing our boys through the woods to grab that stuff!
Burchett.donald - thanks! I've learned from her, to just give encouragement, and only offer help when she asks or I see her struggling...I also will drop what i'm doing if she wants to shoot, and enjoy what ever type of shooting she wants to do - whether it's aerials, targets, stump shooting or just flu flus and chasing an empty 2 liter bottle around the yard!