Primitive Archer
Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: Knotty on June 21, 2016, 11:44:21 am
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Hey everyone!
I found a place nearby that sells Purpleheart handles for a few types of tools ,
I've seen a couple selfbows made out of 100% purpleheart and I was wondering if it is usable ,
And the amounts of tension and compression it can take.
Since it's not a board I'm not really able to see the grain..
How would you deal with a handle to make a bow out of?
Flatten it?
Let me know !
Thank you all in advance 😉👍
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And they have a cut like this on one of the ends
http://www.dimedistribuidora.com.br/pagina/produtos/fotos_produtos/images/000013098.JPG
I hope that's not a problem?
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The grain is very swirly. It is hard as the back of my head, and it throws splinters like a porcupine. I have been advised to let it go. I have for the most part listened. It makes good accents.
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Thanks for your reply Jojo ,
But I really must try it , it only costs R$ 9 which is the equivalent to about $3,
VERY CHEAP.
I'm wondering if it can be sinew backed and if that cut on the end will bring any problems?
If anyone has any advice on how to proceed, please reply, it will be much appreciated.
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Did Jojo mention the stuff is hard? Somewhere the is a picture of him in a smoke filled garage as he destroys all his power tools trying to make a purple heart bow. I believe it also goes brown eventually in the sun. But then, I received a laminated bow in the trade last year with a purple heart core, and it is gorgeous.
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Bamboo backed maybe?
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Being hard isn't the problem, I got time to spend , I only study pretty much 😂
Boo backing is an idea.
Someone please answer if this cut at the end of the handle is a problem?
http://www.dimedistribuidora.com.br/pagina/produtos/fotos_produtos/images/000013098.JPG
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Technically if I want to back with Boo, I'll have to flatten one side of the handle and then apply the bamboo strip, how thick should it be?
Thanks guys!
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1/8" at the handle, tapering to 1/16" at the tip. Whether that slot is a problem depends on how it's oriented with the grain I would guess. You can always use two handles. Splice them and boo back. But I've only used PH for footing arrows so I know nothing about PH bows.
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Thanks for your kind replies DC!
If anybody else has any advice to give , it will be much appreciated!
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When you search the internet for purple heart self bows and find one (that is probably junk by now), there is a reason. Take that into consideration and don't try reinventing the wheel.
To appreciate advice is to heed it.
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@PEARL DRUMS , could you please explain yourself better?
Thank you!
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The world has seen millions of bows made in the last two decades and only one to be found of purple heart. Its not because nobody has thought of it, or bowyers are scared of it, or we don't know what we are missing out on. Its because its junk wood for self bows. It makes a nice grip or overlays. That's about it. Spend your time, money and energy on something worthwhile. I don't care how much of any of them you have, use it wisely.
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I made a maple backed purpleheart bow fot my wife, it's not a friendly wood hard on tools and pops splinters like porkypines
It also takes alot of effort to keep the purple color from fading. At the width you have there if you are dead set on trying it cut a strip from the center for a core in a trilam elb. Plenty of better woods for bows
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Thanks for the advice PEARL DRUMS ,
I totally respect your opinion as you're obviously alot more experienced than me.
I looked for PurpleHeart selfbows for one reason, if it works as a selfbow it has the ability to withstand tension and compression in the right way..
I've read a bit about it and it looks like it's good in tension but not in compression,
Since it's one of the most available materials I have at this moment,
I'd like to try making it backed with bamboo (Because it's not a stave so the grain is probably screwed)
And perhaps do a heat treatment on the belly to strengthen its compression abilities.
Thank you for your reply!
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@Bubby , alrighty I've seen that trilams are most probably the best ideas for this type of wood.
Plus , I'd really love to have some personal experience with the wood in question,
That's the reason for which I've created this thread.
Really appreciate all of your advices!
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Not good bow wood in most all respects. Since it is compression WEAK, backing it with Bamboo is a particularly bad idea. Bamboo is on the very HIGH end of tension STRONG backers. It will almost certainly over power your PH belly right away.
It is pretty stuff, ...but as you've no doubt heard said, "Pretty is as pretty does!". This is doubly true of functional things like bows. PH will not work functionally in a bow except in the most very odd-burger applications. Accent bits in a composite handle, tip overlays, or milled into ornamental beads to hang on the quiver, ...but tillered into a functional portion of the bow? - - - not smart without F-Glass. :-\ :o >:(
OneBow
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Alrighty! Thanks for the info @OneBowWonder !
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There ya go! Leave it as a shovel handle. I footed two arrows with it. One of them broke but I don't know that I could blame the wood.
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You live in Brazil, a well known source for Ipe. Why are you looking at anything else?
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Ipe is in the Amazon and not cheap to buy. He lives farther south. There is another Ipe that does grow where you are at, Isaia. It has purple or yellow flowers. We call it Tababui in Florida, I have a forth footer in my front yard. Brazilians called it Ipe when I was down there. Another tree worth trying is a mango or avocado.
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Eddie I'll have good access to Mango , not sure about Avocado I'll have to see.
It's probably full of Mango trees in the woods , I'll surely cut one with my uncle.
About the Ipe, the one that makes purple flowers is the best, but hard to find around here, it's easier to find in the northern part of Minas Gerais near Belo Horizonte etc..
But as soon as I go hunting I'll probably cut a few different types of trees to test on.
Thanks for the advices everyone!
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I grew up in the Philippines, which has a similar climate and environment to much of Brazil. I'm not certain that it is the same variety, but there was much Guava wood in the Philippines. This wood was used in bow building and has a reputation for being an excellent bow wood. I have never had the opportunity to use it yet though personally.
Also, though not native to Brazil, I know that there is both Breadfruit and Jackfruit trees planted there long ago. Both of these trees are cousins to Osage. I'm not at all certain as to the quality of the woods of these trees, ...but being as they are cousins of the Osage, (King of all Bow Woods), someone should try them out... :)
OneBow
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I agree , Guava is easy to find here, the hard part is finding straight not twisted staves.
Breadfruit trees, I saw a couple of them around here, I should be able to find them in the woods, we'll see!
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Its pretty much all been said, about the difficulties of purpleheart, and its pretty true. Murder on tools, not great in either tension or compression despite having a high density. The ones that I have seen work successfully were wide, flat limbed, even up to 3" for a pyramid bow. Backing of ash, maple, or thin hickory.
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I sent you a PM. I'd try the purple
heart if it's cheap. It is like Brazil's hickory. These guys are turning into wood snobs, ::), I'd try what you have. That's what Manny did when he made a bow out of Guava. And the guava bow I traded for was full of Chrysals.
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Just to show it can be done this is my wifes bow, maple and purpleheart, still in one piece after 2 years though she doesn't shoot much. Light weight pyramid bow(http://i623.photobucket.com/albums/tt320/bubncheryl/Mobile%20Uploads/Screenshot_2016-06-21-18-01-012_zpsllt4vy0h.jpg) (http://s623.photobucket.com/user/bubncheryl/media/Mobile%20Uploads/Screenshot_2016-06-21-18-01-012_zpsllt4vy0h.jpg.html)
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Funny how I managed to make a bow with it....a hickory backed elb 53#@28 and no extra set/weight....that is still shooting about 5 years later?? But then again it's just junk eh......Maybe if you don't understand what you are working with it might not work out??
Knotty - It may not be as easy to make a bow out of as osage but a functional bow is entirely plausible.
I would follow the design that Bubby has used above. A pyramid bow with a trapped backing. Thick rawhide would be a good backing. Cut up the slit at an angle to give yourself a thicker section at the other end. Use only the straightest grain.
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Read his original post, then spill your infinite wisdom upon us.
You could have stayed away and made a lot of people happy.
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Wow, Bub, . . . . . your grass looks alot more green than mine!! :o
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Guys , no need to argue, I'll try it anyway , and I'll follow the Pyramid design (If I have enough Width to do that)
Probably backed with boo. (Which I have easier access to).
@Bubby that bow looks beautiful, may I ask you what the limb thickness on that is, and what draw weight it came out with?
Thanks everyone!
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Knotty i think it is around 1-1/2" wide but it was a short draw low poundage bow. Only around 25#@ 26" if i remember
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Ah alright, thanks for your reply, appreciate it 👍
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Go atleast 1-3/4" wide i would think and get the belly 3/8" thick before glue up
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Do you think it could handle higher draw weights with bamboo backing?
I saw a guy here in Brazil that made one out of Purpleheart and backed it with denim , left him with a 50# bow.
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I've bamboo backed three purple heart bows and all of them developed terrible compression fissures even though the bows were 6ft and wide. If you back it, rawhide back it or use a softer wood like maple. Don't bamboo back it! In fact, I think rawhide would be about the only thing that wouldn't make it's compression issues worse.
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Alright thanks Limbit!
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Maplecwill work fine for a backer
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Don't have any Maple in Brazil, I'll have to use whatever I can get my hands on..