Primitive Archer

Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: Runs With Fire on May 10, 2017, 04:46:13 pm

Title: Greenhorn's First Project(with pictures)
Post by: Runs With Fire on May 10, 2017, 04:46:13 pm

Howdy to ya all.  This here is quite the nifty forum.  Kinda reminds me of going over to the campfire all the old timers are sitting round just to hear the stories.  There certainly is alot of handy information  here.
  I have just strung up my first homemade piece.  A basic maple sapling longbow.  The bow is sixty six inches end to end. About twenty seven pounds at twenty eight inches.  I put a slight recurve in the last ten inches of each limb. The grip, even thickness and diameter, eight inches either side of the center and tapered two inches to the limb thickness. I reckon the grip section will need to be changed in the future as it seems to me that a shorter grip section would allow a more simple and less agressive bend in the wood, as well as engaging more wood in the limb. 
       I still have to even the limbs a tich.  I am going to fabricate an "bow drawing jig" with a 2x4 and a rachet strap for that purpose.  I have a dozen more maples debarked  and drying as well as a hawthorn trunk I just sawed lengthwise for future proje

Title: Re: Greenhorn's First Project(with pictures)
Post by: Runs With Fire on May 10, 2017, 04:54:54 pm

I will make the grip shorter on the next one, nearer nine inches.  I see I need to work on evenly engaging more of each limb in the draw.

Title: Re: Greenhorn's First Project(with pictures)
Post by: bubby on May 10, 2017, 06:31:28 pm

Sounds like you are figuring it out, most go with a 4" grip and 2" fades giving a 8" riser, 9" will be just fine. And yes do get the limbs on the next bending evenly but good job getting a shooter😉

Title: Re: Greenhorn's First Project(with pictures)
Post by: DuBois on May 10, 2017, 06:47:39 pm

Welcome! Keep at it. Or maybe I should say "just try to stop now, bwaa hahahahaha"

Title: Re: Greenhorn's First Project(with pictures)
Post by: upstatenybowyer on May 10, 2017, 07:29:32 pm

Nice start.  :OK And welcome!  :)

Title: Re: Greenhorn's First Project(with pictures)
Post by: Eric Krewson on May 10, 2017, 08:09:08 pm

Don't know if you ever saw one of these but it will help you getting an even bend in your limbs.

http://tradgang.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=125;t=001047;p=0#000000

Title: Re: Greenhorn's First Project(with pictures)
Post by: BowEd on May 11, 2017, 10:14:05 am

The bug is crawling on ya and it seems it has bit ya by the amount of extra staves you've got.Sounds like your analyzing things correctly too.You'll get er!!!!Keep showing.

Title: Re: Greenhorn's First Project(with pictures)
Post by: Stick Bender on May 11, 2017, 04:13:27 pm

Welcome Good start and you got a shooter right out of the box maple is a great bow wood you have some nice staves to work with !

Title: Re: Greenhorn's First Project(with pictures)
Post by: aaron on May 12, 2017, 11:33:18 am

Good job on your first bow! It's hard for us to judge the evenness of the bend (tiller) without an unbraced profile. that is, a side view without the string.