Primitive Archer
Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: hoosierf on February 08, 2018, 09:44:54 pm
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I watch all the time, but haven't posted any of my bows. Figured it was complicated, but I'll give it a go.
67" TT
46# @ 28"
linen and faux snakeskin backed american elm harvested in Taylor county Wisconsin
Texas ebony, (IFIRC) tips and rest
Made for birthday gift for a Wisconsin native living in Oregon
Elm is tough to rough out, only hand tools on this one. The bow gained weight for about 10 days after I thought I was done tillering even though it had been cut and debarked for two years. It maxed at 53# but wanted 45# so I had to go through another round of tillering.
I'd move the flipped tips out 2-3" if I had it to do over and I'd wait to flip them after brace to make tillering easier. All things considered I'm happy with it. It didn't take much set and shoots very nicely.
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The 1st pic is stretched. Let’s try this.
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I’m not too good at this picture stuff.
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That looks like a fantastic bow well done! It looks like you toasted the heck out of the belly! :)
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Nice job Hoosierf, it does look like you did a good heavy toasting on the belly. That's probably what gained you the weight. You did a very nice job on the finish work to. Thanks for sharing. Now that you know how. We expect to see more.
Bjrogg
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Your transplanted Badger is going to be happy. Good for both of you.
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Nice looking bow. Your friend should be very happy with that. Elm is a great wood, but yes, very tough to work.
Kyle
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Great looking bow. Nice work!
Tattoo Dave
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Good looking bow sir!
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Nice work on your elm.Looks like a very good shooter to me.
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Looks great!
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like the belly toasting.
I am a Wisconsinite in Wisconsin, do I qualify for one of these? Or do I need to move to Oregon?
Nice job
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Nice :D
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That is some of the better looking faux snakeskin I have seen. Looks good! Why did you back it? Just for looks? Because if so, that worked. Good looking bow overall!
"Elm is tough to rough out, only hand tools on this one." Yes it is. Even worse when knotty or snakey. It really fights you, clogging rasps up after a few strokes, peeling up long slivers that twist if you hit against the grain, etc... but I LOVE the stuff otherwise! I have learned to mostly "chop" it to shape. I like my a machetes, farriers rasp, and a small, heavy knife I have, and to use big, sharp scrapers instead of the drawknife/ spokeshave combo, planes, and stuff like that. Esp if there are any knots or lumps. However, if you heat temper your belly, it acts different, and will take the spokeshave and rasps nicely.
"I'd move the flipped tips out 2-3" if I had it to do over and I'd wait to flip them after brace to make tillering easier."
This style is the main bow style I make, kind of by default due to wood availability. (Lot's of elm saplings where I live and less of everything else.) I do just what you said you'd do next time. I usually have some heat straightening to do before I can get past floor-tillering, so I count that as belly tempering. I get em very close on tiller and draw weight, say out to 26" draw or more. I usually have just about 1-1.25" set by then on a 66-70" bow. I flip the tips about 1" ahead of the handle, finish tiller, and maybe touch up the belly temper. Flipping almost finished tips is easier than narrowing and tillering flipped tips. It's too easy to create a thin spot where the reflex angle starts.
Welcome.
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great looking bow! I hope you will be posting your future creations as well.
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Good looking bow, I liked where you flipped the tips. Try a draw knife on the elm next time, I know what you are talking about with the interlocking grain and elm is tough anyway.
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Thanks everyone. I have to decide what’s next. I’ve got two or three Osage staves, some white ash, lots of buckthorn, about a barn full of ironwood, but I’m most excited about some beautiful yellow birch i cut during gun deer season. There’s probably six staves atleast in those logs. But it feels like I should let nature season the birch at least until mid summer. I have some well seasoned ironwood. I guess that’s probably the logical choice. I’ll post more. I just have to figure out how get a little higher resolution on the pics next time. I used my iPhone to resize them and there’s prob a better way on my desk top. My best and love this site.
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Jackpineboyz if you really want a bow i could hook you up. Message me, I’ve taken a shine to spotted cow!!
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Nice job on that one.
FWIW I've found when working elm it tends to prefer the drawknife in only one direction (hadn't paid attention to if its toward base or treetop). One way you get crazy tear-outs, the other direction works fine.