Primitive Archer

Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: Kviljo on September 05, 2006, 08:16:45 pm

Title: Unfinished Ash recurve -> need sinew? (pics)
Post by: Kviljo on September 05, 2006, 08:16:45 pm
(http://kviljo.no/bue/askrekurve2/IMG_9537.jpg)

58" ntn, and I'm looking for 50-60# @ 28". Do you think it would be possible to tiller it as a selfbow? The ash has pretty good rings, and it follows one ring on the back. I should probably back it with sinew, but I think it would be awesome as a selfbow 8)

http://kviljo.no/bue/askrekurve2/IMG_9515.jpg

http://kviljo.no/bue/askrekurve2/IMG_9510.jpg

http://kviljo.no/bue/askrekurve2/IMG_9535.jpg

http://kviljo.no/bue/askrekurve2/IMG_9541.jpg
Title: Re: Unfinished Ash recurve -> need sinew? (pics)
Post by: snedeker on September 05, 2006, 08:26:45 pm
Those are incredible curves.  I'm speechless.  the recurve boys (or girls) should come to the rescue soon.

Dave
Title: Re: Unfinished Ash recurve -> need sinew? (pics)
Post by: Justin Snyder on September 05, 2006, 08:31:04 pm
58" nock to nock minus 5" each end for recurves minus what appears to be a static handle, 6".  That sounds real short to me. If you pulled off 60# without backing or serious deflex I promise my vote for next month.  Justin
Title: Re: Unfinished Ash recurve -> need sinew? (pics)
Post by: Pappy on September 06, 2006, 09:34:13 am
I would say yes it needs sinew.That will be fun to tiller,especially get it braced for the first time.
Good luck.
  Pappy
Title: Re: Unfinished Ash recurve -> need sinew? (pics)
Post by: tom sawyer on September 06, 2006, 11:54:35 am
That'd be asking an awful lot of a piece of wood.  Sinew would certainly provide some insurance.  If those tips are going to be static I'd cut them shorter, if you can get them working a bit then that would be cool.
Title: Re: Unfinished Ash recurve -> need sinew? (pics)
Post by: Kviljo on September 06, 2006, 07:57:00 pm
Thanks for your thoughts :)

I was hoping I could get the recurves to coil out a bit, and then cut them so that they point precisely up and down at full draw. No point in wasting the energy on unnecessary weight.

Guess I will have to go safe and give it some sinew. After all it would be a shame to break it.
Title: Re: Unfinished Ash recurve -> need sinew? (pics)
Post by: Hillbilly on September 07, 2006, 07:38:20 pm
With the length, the species of wood, and the stress/shortening of the working limb area caused by the recurves,  I would also suggest sinewing it quite heavily. As a selfbow, if it doesn't break, I would expect the working limb areas to take a massive set by the time you reach your 28" drawlength.
Title: Re: Unfinished Ash recurve -> need sinew? (pics)
Post by: mullet on September 07, 2006, 09:04:00 pm
 I'll kinda go along with Hillbilly.I think you'll have a sinew bow with a little wood.Can't wait to see it finished.
Title: Re: Unfinished Ash recurve -> need sinew? (pics)
Post by: stickbow on September 09, 2006, 04:20:59 pm
Get the recurves working a little bit, maybe tiller it about a foot or so, do everything you can to get good tiller at this stage.

Then heat treat it a little and sinew it. That should make one amazing bow if it holds together. You have my vote too if it works.
Title: Re: Unfinished Ash recurve -> need sinew? (pics)
Post by: Kviljo on November 17, 2007, 08:34:18 pm
Remember this one?


It's been hanging on the wall for a loong time now, but I recently gave it an oak belly, and just finished the first layer of sinew.


(http://www.kviljo.no/bue/seneforsterking/1.jpg)

(http://www.kviljo.no/bue/seneforsterking/4.jpg)

Title: Re: Unfinished Ash recurve -> need sinew? (pics)
Post by: Justin Snyder on November 17, 2007, 09:20:31 pm
Looking great.  I don't know much about using oak.  I hope it doesn't fret easily. I am still anxiously waiting for the finished bow, keep us informed.  Justin
Title: Re: Unfinished Ash recurve -> need sinew? (pics)
Post by: Kviljo on November 17, 2007, 09:48:49 pm
I'm hoping it won't, but these pieces of oak are pretty dense so I think it will be okay. But I don't think I will go any higher than 50# at 27-28". The main issue is probably getting the recurves aligned and stable.

This is just the first layer of sinew, so I didn't tidy it up as much as I could have. Aming for three layers. That should be enough?

(http://www.kviljo.no/bue/seneforsterking/6.jpg)
Title: Re: Unfinished Ash recurve -> need sinew? (pics)
Post by: Coo-wah-chobee on November 17, 2007, 09:58:05 pm
.....................I would do 4..............bob
Title: Re: Unfinished Ash recurve -> need sinew? (pics)
Post by: Ryano on November 18, 2007, 01:13:09 am
Thats asking a lot of ash even with sinew on the back. :-\  I'm not a betting man but I'd be willing to bet thats going to fret like crazy it it doesn't brake first. :'( Sorry but Ive tried all kinds of radical white wood recurves and never had much luck with them. Why the oak on the belly? your going to end up scraping most of it off during tillering anyways.....not trying to sound like a pessimist, just sharring what my experiance is, trying to save you the heart brake. Sinew is a lot of work. ;)
Title: Re: Unfinished Ash recurve -> need sinew? (pics)
Post by: Badger on November 18, 2007, 01:42:13 am
Kvillo, nice work wether or not the bow makes it. I havent had the best of luck with ash in highly reflexed configurations. Maybe if you built it to the equivelent of about a 35# bow and let the sinew bring it up to 50#, limit the draw to 24' or 25" for flight arrows it might make a mean bow. There is a simple way you can check progress to see if the bow is breaking down or not. Once you brace the bow, or even if you are long stringing the bow. Just measure a point of draw say maybe at 14" or so and use this as a reference point, if increasing the draw length causes the draw weight at your reference point ot drop then you are over stressing the bow. Every time you take wood off tillering re-establish your new weight at a reference point. I have built many a highly reflexed bow that didnt break and even maintained reflex but got so soft in the belly they were worthless. I bet shortening up those curves a bit if you need to might could help also. Steve
Title: Re: Unfinished Ash recurve -> need sinew? (pics)
Post by: Kviljo on November 18, 2007, 06:23:29 am
Thanks guys!

That's the kind of tip I need. Before I added the oak belly, I took the ash core down do just 1,5 growthrings, so that alone is probably not more than 15-20#. I was kind of going for the hornbow-ratio of sinew-ash-horn/oak. Hoping I won't have to take away too much of the oak belly, because as you say, the ash probably won't be able to take the stress. So I'm kind of stuck with having to finish tillering it before the oak gets too thin. The bow has, in the meantime, undergone two stages as a selfbow, plus having a glass fiber back, so I'm prepared for the worst. I'll just have to finish it and see how it goes, and try to learn the most I can from it.