Primitive Archer
Main Discussion Area => English Warbow => Topic started by: backgardenbowyer on May 23, 2008, 11:13:18 am
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Hi,
I've got hold of a really nice piece of ipe decking from my local wood yard - the grain is straight along the length and flat ringed with no swirls or pins. I'm going to couple this with a backing strip cut from a reasonable piece of bamboo found at a garden centre.
My question is this - unfortunately my metric dimension Ipe blank is a miserly 19mm (0.75") thick and the boo backing is a fraction under 0.25" at the centre (why isn't anything 1" thick any more!). I've cut rough tapers on the ipe but left it 1.25" wide at the centre, the boom is flattened ready to glue but varies a lot in thickness.
Given a bow length of say 71" what kind of weight might I get out of this combination? I'm not looking for real war bow proportions here as at present I shoot a triple laminate 50#28" which I made for field archery. My aim is to make a sort of step up bow to shoot initially at about 65#28", but tillered to draw 29" or 30" as I grow into it. The bow is to be used for clout and roving marks this summer so needs to yield something like 220yds with a light arrow.
Is this over ambitious for the materials? I don't want to add a core laminate as a) I've enough trouble getting one good glue line without having to do two, and b) trying to keep it as simple and therefore authentic as possible.
The last time I made a bow from this combination it chrysalled in both limbs very quickly despite being only 51#28 with no obvious tillering faults. This will be my first attempt to make a true war bow tiller coming full compass.
Any comments - I need to get on with the project as it is a Holiday weekend here and in theory I should have the time. I'll try to post pics as the project proceeds.
Stan UK
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If your Ipe is good you have plenty of wood and boo there. I made a Ipe selfbow that was 69" NTN 3/4" wide and 5/8" deep at the handle and 3/8" side at the tips. It wound up 65#. If you back yours with boo, at 1 1/4" wide you could easily get over 100#. Justin
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With similar Ipe sizing to you I hit somewhere in the 110-130 range with only 1.5" of follow and the bow was 75" NTN. I think you are going to have lots of wood to remove.
Cheers,
Grant
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Stan,
If you want a 71" bow I'd lay it out so you get 1 1/8th+ through the middle after cutting. This isn't for poundage, but to keep the bow laterally stable. You will probably end up around an inch wide and hopefully won't have to shorten it unless you want to. Remember to keep the limb thickness well under the depth.
I'd also floor tiller the belly to where it feels like a 40# bow, or less since often these bows double in poundage with the bamboo glued on. For this one I wouldn't glue it up with more than an inch of reflex..
Keep the boo on the thin side as well, and make sure its even thickness on both sides with the crown going down the middle of the limbs...
When using Ipe, make sure when dry it sinks like a rock in water. Many lesser woods look like Ipe, and get sold as such...To Chrysall good Ipe takes some serious overpowering..
Rich
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Thanks for all you help guys. There's a whole lot of experience on this site :)
I decided to glue the bow up this evening. It's still about 1.25" wide at the handle but I'll take a bit off with the planer before I start to tiller. It's in a jig with about 2" reflex, so probably not more than 1" when I release the presure. Left it about 74" long for now as it always makes sense to start long and then pike it a bit. I've never been any good at getting boo backings even and am happy if I can just get them flat enough for a good glue line.
I haven't tested this wood in water, but it is hard, dark and dense, the hand plane just bounces off it - looks better than previous pieces I've had. I suspect "ipe" gets used as a generic trade name for wood of this type rather than for one species.
Here's a thought about bamboo backings - as light tips are an advantage and bamboo much lighter than Ipe woudn't it be a good idea if the backing was kept farily thick at the tips rather than thinner (which is the usual practice). I've seen a few yew bows where the sap wood just happened to be thicker at the tips and they shot fine. Any thoughts?
Stan
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Stan,
My fastest backed ipe bows have rather thick bamboo all the way to the overlays, and perhaps it helps at the tips as well, but they can be made so small with ipe and still be strong that I've always felt either way it's going to be light out there ..
I can see it working more like you mentioned on the yew selfbows, and similar woods..I too have fairly thick sapwood at the tips of my yew bow..
Tabebuia Ipe covers over 100 subspecies and I have seen Ipe which is almost blonde in color, and I have a couple Ipe bows which are mostly black..Todays Ipe bow has red limbs, and its performing quite well.. Density above color, but usually the darker woods seem to be heavier by a bit.
Rich
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Here's the stave clamped to my son's bunk bed (don't worry he's away for the summer!) it makes an excellent jig.
Rich - I've just tested an offcut from my Ipe - it sinks without hesitation, compared this with a piece left over from the last batch which just floats. So I'm now pretty confident in my materials - shame really: leaves me without excuses!
Stan
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Very creative Jig Stan, and it certainly looks stout enough..Lots of folks over the past decade have bought wood they thought was Ipe, and told me their bow blew, or was useless.
Well a little education, and many good bowyers have backed up what the Amazon natives knew for a long time, and like you just found out..When you get a good piece of ipe, the other woods feel much lighter...
On bows like these, its all about density, and straight grain helps as well..
Rich
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I made an ELB with very much those same dimensions a couple years ago, more like a warbow actually. It came out to about 130# @ 30"
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Well, this ipe passed the sinking test, and the glue up has been successful - just about my best glue line with boo to date. The backing is a bit thick - a full 1/4" at the tips, but I've reduced the stave to just a fraction over 1 1/8" wide at the centre, where it is a hair's breadth under 1" thick. This is obviously more than enough. Here it is off the jig cleaned up and with the belly beginning to be rounded. Less than 1" reflex. I'll leave it till tomorrow or Monday (weather permitting) to floor tiller just so the glue (extraphen - resorcinol) has a little more time to cure.
I'll keep the pics coming if you guys keep up the welcome and necessary advice!
Stan
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Looks like yer good for around 100#'s, Ideally these bows will gain a touch of reflex when removing belly wood, which means your net loss after shooting in remains at zero so it will go back to reflex when unstrung..Humidity permitting..Thick bamboo can suck up more moisture than thin bamboo..trade-offs..
Keep the pics coming..
Rich
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Looks like there is a good if big bow in there.
If it was me this is what I would do (others may do different).
Shape is on the back and belly using good sharp rasps ands files so it looks like a bow, giving it whatever profile you like. Make sure the tapers are good and even. Give it a fine finish with fine sanp paper or a very fine file.
Put temporary nocks on.
Use a long tiller string, accurate scales and pulley to pull no more than brace height and no more than final desired draw weight. Adjust as necessary to get a good even bend with somewhat stiff tips. I like to use a bowyers edge for this. A simple scraper is also good, used with the fine file. After each wood removal pull at least 20 times to exercise the bow and see what effect the wood removal has had. Keep a very close eye out for hinges and very stiff sections. At this stage don't worry about the draw weight, just go for good braced shape.
The bow will probably be way over the weight you want and trying to floor tillering it will feel like leaning against a tree, hence use of a long tillering string.
As soon as you feel the basic shape is about right put on a good thick and non-stretch tillering string. Non-stretch is very important as it is quite painfull when your monster bow and stretchy string traps your hand.
Pull the bow on the tiller a few inches 20 times or so and check the draw weight. This may be quite high. I once had an Ipe/Hickory bow pulling 120lbs at 3 inches (a little too much reflex!).
You now have two choices.
Finish the monster bow to the draw weight it wants to be.
Do a fairly large amount of wood removal, a lot of pulling until the bow pulls what you want at your draw length.
I have found that an Ipe bow like this can increase in reflex as you remove wood from the belly and the weight will stay high with a tendancy to develop hinges as parts of the bow do come to weight. Small amounts of wood removal can make a big difference so you may find yourself chasing hinges after hinges until eventually they even out, hopefully somewhere near your desired draw weight with a good shape, but maybe at 15 inches!
Now I like to go carefull, trying for an even amount of removal or each limb, and even off each side, exercising a lot each inch of increased draw, never pulling over the final draw weight. This is the stage at which you can bring the string over a little to the side you will shoot from. If the bow is made symetrically you can decide which way is up at the end and pretend the string lays off a little on purpose. I would be using the finse files and scraper, keeping the bow looking almost polished and ready to use as this help me go careful. Some may say this is too careful but I like to pull 50 times per inch. For me at least, it takes this kind of repetition for me to be able to see the effect of the wood removal. Sometimes it will take a fair amount of this to get the weight you want and the shape you want at the draw length you have got to. The frustrating thing is that you then need to pull it a little more, have to take off some more wood, pull it lots more times to get it to once again pull the final weight you want with the tiller shape you want but an inch further towards the draw length you want.
Now is the time you could get fed up and rush things and suddenly find you have a hinged underweight bow, or a broken bow.
From bitter experience I go slow and eventually find I have a bow that is about what I was after.
One big lesson I have learnt with Ipe is that a little wood makes a lot of bow, so very little less wood can make a much weaker bow. Changes can be sudden and unexpected to keep checking the variables.
Have fun making this one. Hope it works out good,
Mark in England
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Hi Mark - I think we met at SPTA St. George's Day shoot.
I'm not going for real war bow weight as I only shoot about 50lbs at present so this is a "step up" to give about 65-70lbs, to learn how to tiller a compass bow and give me something with which I can shoot roving marks. Started tillering today and I'm finding that the somewhat variable thickness of the the boo backing between different nodes makes it quite tricky. I think there may be a slight hinge developing on the right hand limb (nominally the bottom one but still time to change that) which you can see more easily in the pic of the bow at low brace height - so I won't draw it any further till I'm sure that is evened out. On the other hand it is definitely bending through the handle which is good as I'm aiming for that. Brace height is about 4" and the bow is drawn to a nominal 16", but when set at normal brace height at which the string is shorter I think it represents only a real draw of about 14". I'm finding it difficult to check the weight using this set up as I need both hands to pull the bow back on the tiller which is tricky using one of those bow scales designed to be used in a normal draw position. It's probably around 50-55lbs at this draw length. The tillering nocks are about 73" apart and though I intend the finished bow to be about 71" which should be plenty at the target weight.
If the weather holds off tomorrow I'll do some more. I've always found if you can get the tiller just right at normal brace height the rest is just patience and elbow grease.
Comments and advice very welcome.
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BGB,
Yes we did meet at the SPTA shoot.
Bow looks good.
One method I use for looking for hinges is a walky-talky stick. Have you tried this?
I made mine from an off cut or Ipe, about six inches long and an inch wide. I drilled a hole through the centre and screw in a bolt. I can run this along the belly of the braced bow and look at the arc of air between the bow and walky-talky stick. Where the bow is bending less the arc is less, where it is bending more or hinged the gap is greater. By screwing the bolt out slightly you cans get it to just touch the bow at the point of greatest bend (hinge). As you run the WTS along the bow it will rock on the bolt where the bend is less. This can be quite usefull for getting an even bend. Yours looks about spot on from what I can see. It is hard to see the shape against the background.
A pulley set up will be much easier to tiller with if you have somewhere to fit it. I have mine attached to the wall of my garden too shed, made with bits from B&Q. A bit of timber and ply, pulleys, ropes, a few carabiner type clips are easy and cheap to get hold of. The scales may take a bit more looking for. I started off with some simple cheap spring scales but these weren't accurate. I then got some heavy fishing scales with a clock type face from Ebay which were cheap, easier to read but not really accurate and broke. I and finally invested in a set of accurate commercial scales again off ebay. These are good and I know they are accurate up to 100kgs or 220lbs which should be enough!
Shame about the weather today. Home and can't do any bow making!
Have you heard of the ETAS Batsford shoot put on by Steve Stratton . Just got back from it. Weather was pants but great to see so many bow makers, warbows, primitive bows, people from as far away as Iceland and Sweden.
Mark in England
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Mark
I picked up something about a shot a Batford on this site - is there is talk of a war bow society as BLBS are changing their rules?
The weather is depressing. I shall have to stay indoors and make a string for the bow (15 strands of dacron B50 3x5 plies sound OK for up to 70lbs, or should it be 16 2x8?). I can usually get away with working on horn nocks in the kitchen if I keep the door open and extractor fan on. Strings and nocks are my least favourite part of bow making. I've been thinking abour fitting a bracket and pulley on the wall, but we don't own the house so it may not be a welcome addition. No part of our fence or the crumbling lawn mower shed are strong enough to cope.
My bow scale goes up to 90lbs which is fine for now, but its one of those you hook two fingers round and draw the bow, curiously I find I can pull less like this with the bow on the till than I can when holding the bow normally. As tillering progresses I also use the reflection in the French windows so I can feel how the bow draws as well as see it - but this is much less accurate measure.
Let me know if anyone posts pics of the Batsford event.
Stan
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Stan,
Some impressive shooting at Batsford on Saturday. A new record of 450 yards with a flight arrow and a laminated flight longbow. Also a very respectable distance equalling the record for standard arrow. I think a record for the military arrow. I was really annoyed to forget to take my camera!
Steve Stratton is setting up a British Warbow Society. I think the weight limited you must be ABOVE is 70lb (so it starts at 71lbs and goes up!). This will allow shooting by heavy bows that isn't apparently welcome eslewhere. I am sure that Steve will post some info. He was talking about a need for insurance in order to join nd he has an individual insurance cover arranged. I must make a heavier bow and join myself as I enjoy the kind of shooting they do.
My tiller tree is a lump of pressure treated 4x2 fixed to the wall with frame fixings. If I take it off I can easily fill the small holes in the wall and nothing shows. I made up a seat for the bow to sit on and give enough overhang out of plywood. A pulley is fitted to the 2x4 at the bottom. Really quite simple and quick to make. It does make tillering so much better, though it is still quite a work out. I think I need to make a new improved one soon to give myself room for a longer draw.
Bank Holiday weather is annoying for us back garden bowyers. If only I had a proper workshop!
Mark in Wet England
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Just to put the records straight, the flight shot was by Jeremy Spencer, he shot 432yds with a laminated bow of his own construction.
With regards the heavy bow society, it is not just me, there are a number of us putting this thing together, Mark Stretton, Jeremy Spencer, Alistair Aston, Nick Ashley, just to name a few, The idea is to form a society called the English Warbow Society, Once thibgs have been ironed out i will post more info.
Cheers
Steve
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Got a good couple of hours on the tiller after work today (only free evening this week), and it is pretty much there. The pic shows 26" draw but only because I lacked confidence to leave it long enough at 28" while I fiddled with the camera. I think it is 68lbs@28" - more of a wimp bow than a war bow but I can't pull it! When the nocks are fitted the finished length will be a little shorter, so allowing for some sanding and settling down I'm on for my target weight of 65-70lbs. I know it doesn't qualify as a warbow, but I'm getting there with the tiller and technique and it should give me a step up towards heavier bows.
Although I've gone for a fairly shallow D shape for safety (1 1/16" x 13/16" at the handle) it's a bit uncomfortalbe to hold and I'll have to add a small cork packer and some leather binding which spoils the clean traditional look. Never mind. The buffalo nocks are roughed out and with luck I could be testing it next weekend. Let's hope there are no disasters!
Comments always welcome - thanks for the advice.
Keep me posted about the warbow society.
Thanks
Stan
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Keep up the good work Stan. I hope to see you shoot it at the club shoot in two weeks time ;D ;D ;D
Cheerz, Bob
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Stan,Its the hazards of making a heavy skinny limbed bow..you either need a thick palm, or a little more padding. ;D I often use high density foam on the palm side then a leather wrap over it..Seems to work without messing with the girlie profile of the bow too much..
Looking good! If you put a clip on a rope, and a base pulley on your tiller assembly you can quickly take this shot without holding it at full draw for many seconds at a time..
Rich-
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Rich - one of the lessons of this build is that I need a better tiller arrangement for heavier bows! This tiller just leans against the wall and I stick my knee against it when pulling the bow. It's been fine so far with weights of 50lbs, but with this one my face ended up dangerous close to the whole arrangement when trying to pull heavy weights. It's ergonomically awful and frankly not very safe.
Bob - trouble is I'm a wimp and can't pull it to my full drawn length, I'm only really managing about 60lbs!
Hope to test shoot on Saturday and then put the nocks on and tweak things a little.
Stan
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I was able to test the bow yesterday at our field course - I always test before fitting nicks and making final adjustments. Despite being only about 65lbs at 28" its as muc as I can handle at the moment and the temporary handle bidning gave me a blister.
It seems to shoot much faster and harder than my field bow at short range but the results were disappointing when I tested it for distance - only about 180yds with field arrows (4" shield fletchings, 100gr points), this is only a few yards further than my 50lbs bow. Could it be that this is simply the limit for these arrows rather than the limit for the bow (ie the arrows won't go much further whatever you shot them from?).
What range should I expect with light arrows - I'm assuming it should do more the 200yds and was hoping for 220?
Horn nocks are now fitted and the bow has been shortened by about 3/4", so I've shaved some weight off the tips and outer limbs which looked a fraction stiff to me - I've seen some ipe bows with very delicate tips - its strong stuff! Hope to check it on the tiller and then test this afternoon - weather permiting.
Stan
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Stan,
How wide are the tips? Ipe can take a lot of stress but is heavy. Skinny tips will help.
Mark in England
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Tips are now a fraction under 1/2" just below the nocks - about 9/16" deep to keep them stiff. I tested the bow agian today with the horn nocks (and slightly narrowed tips) a very lazy shot of slightly less than 27" draw and a bit too shallow, with a 5" fletched arrow did just shy of 190yds - so we are getting there. It's slightly shorter with the horn nocks fitted - about 71" nock to nock and the weight has risen a touch - if I crank it back close to 29" its about 72lbs, but at my usual draw lenght ofr field shooting (just over 27") it is about 65lbs and as much as I can manage. Not quite a war bow but we are getting there.
I've just put a first layer of danish oil on the bow, which brings out the grain - and I can now see a hairline longitudinal crack about 1 1/2" long right in the middle of the bamboo running down from one nock. This was there before but I just thought it was just a mark on the boo. I'm thinking of drizzling a little super glue on it, but am hoping this is not serious as its right at the tip and right in the middle of the backing.
I'll get some picks posted as soon as I can. Maybe I can still take a little thickness off the tips
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Stan,You have too much wood on the outer limbs if your tips are that big, and it will keep your distance down..If a crack is running down the bamboo, superglue will usually get it,but it also means the bamboo got a little too dry at some point, but at the tips its not a big deal..
Rich
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HELP!
I've oiled the wood with Danish oil to bring out the grain and what looked like superficial blemishes on the bamboo backing now apear as cracks. There is one I previously spotted right at the tip which doens't look serious, but I can now see two more - one on the top of a node (again I wouldn't have thought this serious) but the one that is worrying me is mid limb and consists of a series of tiny cracks which together run for 4" or 5" in a slight diagonal. Somebody please tell me its not fatal!
The bamboo was the only piece I could get and had clearly stood in the weather a while. This is more than a bit disturbing as the ipe is some of the best I've seen.
As there is now oil in the cracks super glue may not be all that effective - I'll try to strip the finish with some acetone to begin with.
Stan :(
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HI Stan, are the cracks anything more than scratches? That is, do they run deep into the bamboo? I find that there is quite a bit of the waxy coat layer over the power fibres in the bamboo that I use, and certainly on the Holmegaard style bow which I made for Helene, the surface can be scraped quite a bit with no apparent ill effect.
//Bob
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Thanks Bob. I'd already scraped the waxy natural "varnish" off the boo which was quite scratched. These small cracks are under that surface. They are clearly not very deep and I've scraped a little more off and just about got rid of them without cutting through the power fibers.
Panic over - probably....
Spent a lot of time on this bow and would really hate to see it blow at this stage. I'm determined to have it finished next weekend.
Stan
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Stan,
Cracks that run down the bamboo don't seem to cause a problem. Cracks running across can be.
I have had similar problems with weathered bamboo. Even after that nasty noise (crack) and a splinter lifting and after Danish oil is put on all is not lost. I have bound a failry highly stressed bow with BYC450 at the point of the lift and the bow has carried on fine. Just keep an eye on it, run in some superglue and if it looks like that isn't working bind it.
Mark in England
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Thanks for the reassurance.
I've scraped a little deeper and the cracks have disappeared!
I'm detemined to have the bow finished this weekend but work does keep interfering with bowyery! A little more scraping to lose weight near the tips, then the handle binding and finish.
The temporary single loop flemish string I used for initial tesing slipped continually but it was really made for a much longer bow so the timber hitch went above the laid in par at the bottom. I really hate making double loop flemish strings and after four goes one evening this week (all of which were, the wrong length, twited the wrong way or had the wrong sized loops) I've made a better single loop with extra strands in the braided part at the bottom and hope this holds. (I'm uisng 2x7 strands, my attempt at 3x5 was like knitting a rubric's cube!). I'll also make a contnuous string tonight (14 strands with reinforced loops) so that at least I have someting whcih can't slip. Not made a continuous strong before but it looks easy peasey if you make a simple jig and have a serving tool
Picutes of finished item (or broken pieces!) promised this weekend.
Stan
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Stan, These bows really don't fall into the historical category :D, so I don't worry about using flemish styles on these bows. Endless low twist strings made from modern materials are my favorite since you can get a whole lot more speed from your bow, and it will shoot sweeter as well.
Rich-
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Personally I would not want to make another endless loop string. I find flemish strings so much easier.
I haven't got the trick of making double loop strings the right length so make single loop in linen or BYC450.
If the string is waxed and tied right there should be no slippage. I have to work hard to prise mine part to retie as with the wax they kind of weld themselves tegether.
When I did make endless loop strings I made a wooden jig. Serving is no problem with just a spool of serving thred. NO serving tool is needed.
Please post pics of the end result, not bits!
Best of luck.
Mark in England
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Attempt to make an endless loop was a complete failure my temporary jig for holding the string didn't give enough tension for the serving tool which proved a complete nuiscance. I'll stick with the 14 strand single loop I made earlier there are two extra strands in the laid in part for the timber hitch and lots of natural beeswas lets hope it works. Leather now on the handle and gluing, just a bit more oil and wax needed in due course...
I'm using Dacron B50. is it safe to use more modern materials and if so how many strands are needed?
Stan
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Stan, I know most folks use more, but on 70#'s I will use 10- 12 strands, usually of spectra or fast flight, or one of the other low stretch materials. B-50 stretches way too much to let these bows perform like they can. But if you make a ten strand endless and keep the twists in the string down under a dozen it will help.
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Stan,
I have used BYC 450plus for string on Ipe longbows and it works well.
This has a strand strength of something like 115lbs so you don't "need" much in terms of strength. An 8 strand string would be more than strong enough for your bow.
I like the guide given in TBB which talks about bow weight at 15 inches times 10 (or similar, I have to look it up each time!). The other basic guide would be 4 times bow strength at full draw. Both of these give a string that is safe and durable for the bow.
As the modern materials are so strong I feel there can be a danger of the string really being too strong for the bow. If 16 strands or so are used the string would be strong enough for a 460lb bow. As many people with a 50lb bow may make such a string you can see how a string can be too strong, the equivalent of using a rope!
Mark in England
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Well here we are - the finished thing! Huge thanks to all for the advice and encouragemnt this has been a difficult build for me. Shot the bow again this morning and lost three arrows in the long grass testing for distance :(. It still doesn't seem to shoot very far, not more than 190yds as far as I can tell but this is with 27" arrows and poor technique from me. The bow is pulling about 65lbs at my normal 27" draw length but will go over 70lbs if I crank it back so jsut beginning to enter warbow teritorry, but I'm finding this a big step up from my 50lbs fileld bow and struggling with the weight. Part of me wants to scrape a bit more and go down to 60lbs.
IMHO choclate brown ipe and golden bamboo is a very attractive combination in any bow.
How does the tiller look? I think the pic. slightly distorts it, but the out 1/3 of the top limb may be a bit stiff. It could have changed a bit now the bow is shot in, maybe I should put it back on the tillering stick and check it out.
Stan
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bgb, i think that's a pretty cool bow...i really like the look of bamboo
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Stan, Tiller looks good, and you should feel proud, I know a good loose at 31" will send the arrows much farther. 27" arrows mean you got that distance on a 26" draw and that is real good. I'm usually shooting 33" arrows out of that style bow..
Rich
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Stan,
Tiller looks good from what I can see.
I use a quite dfferent draw when shooting roving and longer distances from heavier bows than I do for lighter bows in the woods. I think I would hurt myself if I didn't.
The aim is not so much to get the string back to anchor somewhere on the face, but to use the whole body, be kind of in the bow, with shoulders and arms in line. For me I think this leads to my drawing arm/hand being lower.
Do you go on any roving shoots? May be worth going to one of the Fraternity of St George shoots. Good fun and you could see how your bow can do with long arrows when you really give it some.
Mark in England
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Mark - I joined BLBS for insurance and made the bow specifically to go the St. George's shoots - will certainly be at the one in July - are you going?
I now need to make some go-further arrows - probably not true flight arrows as they are a bit fiddly. I was thinking of 2 1/2 parabolic fletchings and 70g points, probably about 29" (don't think I can manage more than that). Normally I shoot 5/16" 40-45lbs spine 27 1/2" with 100g point and 4" fletch shield - pretty standard for field, and these come out of hte new bow fine at a short draw lenght, but with a very small "click" against the bow when fully drawn. So maybe I should go up a spine and get some 45-50. I want to avouid 11/32" if possible as this will add weight.
Perhaps I should go to Carol's and try a few out.
Stan
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Stan,
Yes, I'll probably be at the next Fraternity of St George shoot. NFAS insurance is Ok as well.
It isn't a bad idea to make the arrows full length. Your draw length probably will increase and sometimes the arrows hits a stone at these shoots and the end reaks off.
If you are touching on 65lbs then the bow may need 50-55 spine arrows. Trying out a range at Carol's is a good idea.
I'll be the guy driving a beat up old silver Volvo estate, probably with a huge silver top box on it. Might see you there.
I hope to have a new Bamboo/Ipe bow of my own.
Mark
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Stan,
Yes, I'll probably be at the next Fraternity of St George shoot. NFAS insurance is Ok as well.
It isn't a bad idea to make the arrows full length. Your draw length probably will increase and sometimes the arrows hits a stone at these shoots and the end reaks off.
If you are touching on 65lbs then the bow may need 50-55 spine arrows. Trying out a range at Carol's is a good idea.
I'll be the guy driving a beat up old silver Volvo estate, probably with a huge silver top box on it. Might see you there.
I hope to have a new Bamboo/Ipe bow of my own.
Mark
Hey Mark, NFAS insurance is only any good for NFAS shoots as is the BLBS Insurance, if the shoot isn't an official BLBS or NFAS shoot then you will not be insured. :(
S
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Fraternity of St George site says their shoots do take place under BLBS auspicies and insurance, but not I think NFAS (which only covers field archery).
More importantly close inspection showed the the cracks have reappeared in the bamboo backing following the last testing. I've scraped down a bit further and smeared super glue over the area. If they come back again then I'll have to apply some kind of binding which will really spoil the look of the bow. These things are sent to try us.
I'm really not sure how far I want to draw the bow with this backing and it is only 71" nock to nock. Hoping to get down to Carol's one night this week to try some shafts - up to now I've found 40-45 work with every bow weight I've tried, but this is exponentially more powerfull and I want longer shafts. 50-55s are I think only in 11/32 which means more weight.
Experiment is needed!
Stan
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NFAS insurance does or at least can cover organised roving shoots. This is not all that well defined but this is taken from the NFAS website.
"The words "under the auspices of the NFAS" mean organised by NFAS Members and NFAS Rules. Practice shooting can, therefore, be covered. Freelance roving and hunting are not covered. However, roving clouts and indoor practice are covered provided appropriate safety rules are observed. In ALL circumstances all reasonable precautions must be taken."
I have shot with the Fraternity listing NFAS as my insurance a number of times.
Stan, Don't keep scraping the bamboo. You won't have any left! I had a reflex deflex bamboo backed bow where the bamboo lifted and I backed it with silk. I am not sure how BLBS would view this on one of their offical shoots though.
Mark in England