Primitive Archer
Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: TheDeltaFactor on March 07, 2016, 08:22:53 pm
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I have some nice rawhide but no board. I've looked through dozens if not hundreds of hickory boards and haven't seen one that I would make a self bow from. What kind of 'problem' hickory boards would still make a good shooter if backed with rawhide?
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Dont forget to check tje ax and sledge handle section too for good grain hickory. Ypu can splice or make a takedown with them with great results. Often they are high quality over boards.
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Rawhide doesn't make up for bad grain you still need to get the best board you can
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Rawhide doesn't make up for bad grain you still need to get the best board you can
What bubby said
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I had a really crap piece of yew I didn't want to waste, so I rawhide backed it. The bow split on the tiller tree, but the rawhide held it together and kept it from blowing up. Point being: rawhide want fix a problem, but it will lessen the impact.
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Bamboo can fix the problem though. Give that a try?
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Where abouts in the country are ya? I've got quite a few excellent grained hickory boards from last week
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With any board, I allow 2 run outs per limb as a maximum for 45-55#. That's for selfbows. Also, any boards with knots are rejected.
More on my site.
http://traditionalarchery101.com/
Jawge
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Where abouts in the country are ya? I've got quite a few excellent grained hickory boards from last week
I'm in southeast Michigan. I think every stack of lumber within 50 miles has already been picked through by bowyers! :-)
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With any board, I allow 2 run outs per limb as a maximum for 45-55#. That's for selfbows. Also, any boards with knots are rejected.
More on my site.
http://traditionalarchery101.com/
Jawge
Great information, and nice site, thank you! I'll just be patient and keep my eye out for a board at least as good as you described.
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Dont forget to check tje ax and sledge handle section too for good grain hickory. Ypu can splice or make a takedown with them with great results. Often they are high quality over boards.
I never would have thought of that, that's a great idea. Now that I'm thinking about it, are axe/sledge handles wide enough? Maybe you wouldn't make a wide flat bow with them...
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I have made several bows of them un backed and they do fine 40#@25. If I did a take down instead of a splice I could pull them further because splices use more available limb length than take down sleeves or bolt on risers.
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I have made several bows of them un backed and they do fine 40#@25. If I did a take down instead of a splice I could pull them further because splices use more available limb length than take down sleeves or bolt on risers.
Well, it's not the type of bow I first had in mind, but I like it. I'm going to start checking the axe handles as well as boards when I'm searching. Who knows, I might find something there first.
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Bummer, well swing through south east iowa and I'll hook u up haha
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Check the wheel barrel handles too. Make sure they are hickory first of course, but they often are.
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Check the wheel barrel handles too. Make sure they are hickory first of course, but they often are.
+1
I got a pair once thinking they were hickory and they turned out to be white oak. Still worked out pretty well. I'm just saying hickory isn't your only option.
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Pretty sure i have seen ash also. It works too.
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Also ash shovel handles. A bit narrow, but good for backings. The grain is usually very obvious, and it's easy to chase a ring if you want.
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If I was going to use sledge handles, would I flatten the back and belly, essentially making a board from them? Or leave the back rounded and just flatten the belly for thickness and tillering?
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Leave the back round as it is then just tiller the belly as usual.
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Leave the back round as it is then just tiller the belly as usual.
Great, thanks.