Primitive Archer

Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: Marc St Louis on June 25, 2008, 04:14:57 pm

Title: Bamboo backed Rosewood Bow
Post by: Marc St Louis on June 25, 2008, 04:14:57 pm
This is a bow I just made for a fellow in WY. He was looking for a short bow to take on a hunting trip to hunt Bears in Canada this Fall.  He was also looking for a bow that would resist humid conditions. I showed him some of the bows on my site and he chose an R/D design in Rosewood with a Bamboo backing.  This Rosewood comes from SA and is quiet an attractive wood with dark and light streaks in it.  It's also a very oily wood.  The bow is just over 59" long with limbs 1 1/8" wide tapering to 1/4" nocks.  The bow pulls 55# @ 27".  I glued in just over 3" of reflex in the bow and it has kept about 1" of that.  I've shot the bow a few times and it shoots quite well with good speed.  Should do the trick for Bears and whatever else he wants to hunt.  Here's a few pictures

(https://i.imgur.com/abyul4n.jpg)

(https://i.imgur.com/1HkcPxI.jpg)

(https://i.imgur.com/LBjAC91.jpg)

(https://i.imgur.com/OzhEXAZ.jpg)
Title: Re: Bamboo backed Rosewood Bow
Post by: John K on June 25, 2008, 04:21:05 pm
Looks great Mark ! I really like the tips !
Title: Re: Bamboo backed Rosewood Bow
Post by: Badger on June 25, 2008, 04:22:25 pm
  Looks like it was perfectly executed Mark.  Can't say enough, outstanding all the way around! Steve
Title: Re: Bamboo backed Rosewood Bow
Post by: jwillis on June 25, 2008, 04:32:50 pm
Great job, Marc.  Gotta love rosewood.  Jim
Title: Re: Bamboo backed Rosewood Bow
Post by: Hillbilly on June 25, 2008, 05:39:24 pm
Wicked looking bow Marc, and purty, too.
Title: Re: Bamboo backed Rosewood Bow
Post by: medicinewheel on June 25, 2008, 06:01:59 pm

great bow with superb tiller (as always on your bows)!
is that endless string made of fastflight??
frank
Title: Re: Bamboo backed Rosewood Bow
Post by: Marc St Louis on June 25, 2008, 06:28:06 pm
That is a FF string Frank.

The handle on this bow is Walnut, White Ash, Bloodwood and Rosewood
Title: Re: Bamboo backed Rosewood Bow
Post by: mullet on June 25, 2008, 07:44:44 pm
  I like it Marc, it looks fast and sleek. That wood combination really looks good together. Being that short does it bend in the handle at all?
Title: Re: Bamboo backed Rosewood Bow
Post by: adb on June 25, 2008, 08:37:52 pm
Oh, Man!! That's a beauty! Excellent work on a challenging design. A short R/D is a hard bow to get right, but you've nailed it, as usual. Nice wood. Is rosewood kinda like ipe? Where do you get it?
Title: Re: Bamboo backed Rosewood Bow
Post by: Marc St Louis on June 25, 2008, 09:14:52 pm
It's a stiff handle bow Eddie.  There are 4 laminations in the handle and there is also a power lam between the Bamboo and the Rosewood.

Rosewood is not quite as dense as Ipe.  It does have high compression strength but is a bit brittle in tension. Makes an excellent combination with Bamboo.  I got this wood from A & M woods in southern Ontario.  Price is a bit high but worth it to me.
Title: Re: Bamboo backed Rosewood Bow
Post by: Kegan on June 25, 2008, 10:38:28 pm
Wow!!! Marc, that's not fair, you make it all look much too easy ;D!
Title: Re: Bamboo backed Rosewood Bow
Post by: Marc St Louis on June 26, 2008, 08:28:58 am
Well it's not easy but it's not that hard either  :).
Title: Re: Bamboo backed Rosewood Bow
Post by: bobnewboy on June 26, 2008, 11:22:19 am
Time for a dumb question - what is a power lam exactly?  Can they be made of different woods to the back/belly, or should they match up somehow?

Thanks, Bob
Title: Re: Bamboo backed Rosewood Bow
Post by: OldBow on June 26, 2008, 12:17:08 pm
Typical High Quality Bow from Marc.
Serious candidate for June Laminate Bow of the Month.
Title: Re: Bamboo backed Rosewood Bow
Post by: Marc St Louis on June 26, 2008, 12:18:46 pm
Bob
It a thin lamination that goes between the backing and core or it can go between the core and handle, I prefer the former.  It job is to stiffen the handle area so that it does not flex.  It can be any wood you want to use
Title: Re: Bamboo backed Rosewood Bow
Post by: snedeker on June 26, 2008, 03:18:38 pm
Looks perfect.  the rosewood is really beautiful.  terrific profile.

Dave
Title: Re: Bamboo backed Rosewood Bow
Post by: stonecarver on June 26, 2008, 04:20:21 pm
Great bows come from greay bowyers,
like you :)
Title: Re: Bamboo backed Rosewood Bow
Post by: Marc St Louis on June 26, 2008, 09:14:51 pm
Thanks guys

This bow by the way has a shallow D section belly.

I've been making deflex bows like this for many years.  I remember thinking when I started making them with the deflex right in the handle, others at the time were putting the deflex in the limbs right after the fades that those making them that way were wasting a big part of the working limbs.  Consequently they had to make their bows longer.
Title: Re: Bamboo backed Rosewood Bow
Post by: radius on June 26, 2008, 09:21:20 pm
This is a bow I just made for a fellow in WY. He was looking for a short bow to take on a hunting trip to hunt Bears in Canada this Fall.  He was also looking for a bow that would resist humid conditions. I showed him some of the bows on my site and he chose an R/D design in Rosewood with a Bamboo backing.  This Rosewood comes from SA and is quiet an attractive wood with dark and light streaks in it.  It's also a very oily wood.  The bow is just over 59" long with limbs 1 1/8" wide tapering to 1/4" nocks.  The bow pulls 55# @ 27".  I glued in just over 3" of reflex in the bow and it has kept about 1" of that.  I've shot the bow a few times and it shoots quite well with good speed.  Should do the trick for Bears and whatever else he wants to hunt.  Here's a few pictures






i looked for your site...where is it?
Title: Re: Bamboo backed Rosewood Bow
Post by: Dano on June 26, 2008, 09:29:35 pm
DUH!


marc.stoneflake.net/
Title: Re: Bamboo backed Rosewood Bow
Post by: Badger on June 26, 2008, 09:46:44 pm
Mark, I think there is an advantage to deflexing them in the handle, especially on the shorter ones. I coppied a little recurve that mullet did recently and just love the way it shoots 58" long. Steve
Title: Re: Bamboo backed Rosewood Bow
Post by: Marc St Louis on June 26, 2008, 11:26:46 pm
Steve
I frankly don't know why some of these other professional bowyers weren't doing that from the start.  Makes much more sense

Radius
If you check my profile you will find the link to my site.
Title: Re: Bamboo backed Rosewood Bow
Post by: david w. on June 26, 2008, 11:46:30 pm
mark is a bow god :)  I love your bows
Title: Re: Bamboo backed Rosewood Bow
Post by: Far East Archer on June 27, 2008, 12:02:54 am
Lovely bow Marc! :)
You do fine work, especially with these little demons  >:D

We get some rosewood here but it comes in really small pieces and I know what you talk about when you say expensive. Very nice wood though! Its all I use for tip overlays etc  :)

Again, nice bow sir!
Take care,
Alex
Title: Re: Bamboo backed Rosewood Bow
Post by: Justin Snyder on June 27, 2008, 01:00:53 am
Sweet little bow Marc.  If it doesn't do the job on bear it isn't the bows fault.  Justin
Title: Re: Bamboo backed Rosewood Bow
Post by: Ryano on June 27, 2008, 10:56:45 am
Nice bow Marc. Did you do any chrono testing? Looks like a screamer..... >:D
Title: Re: Bamboo backed Rosewood Bow
Post by: radius on June 27, 2008, 11:32:16 am
Marc,

Thanks, I started checking out your site.  Nice mocassins...

I see on your recurves you often include a string bridge...is that an add-on piece?  Or do you just carefully carve it into the wood of the limb?
Title: Re: Bamboo backed Rosewood Bow
Post by: radius on June 27, 2008, 11:39:00 am
also, do you use the term Duoflex interchangeably with deflex/recurve or r/d?
Title: Re: Bamboo backed Rosewood Bow
Post by: Marc St Louis on June 27, 2008, 01:03:51 pm
Thanks guys.

No I didn't chronograph it Ryan.  I know it's fast.  If I chronograph it I may not want to part with it  :)

Radius. The bridge was an add on piece with many of the recurves I made several years ago but some of them were carved in.  The duoflex is based on a bow that Wiilcox made and is not a static recurve, like my other recurves.  A very hard bow to tiller out
Title: Re: Bamboo backed Rosewood Bow
Post by: Badger on June 27, 2008, 01:28:08 pm
   Mark, one reason I liked the deflexed handle is that I can make my limb a bit straighter and it seemed easier to tiller out. Steve
Title: Re: Bamboo backed Rosewood Bow
Post by: mullet on June 27, 2008, 01:35:41 pm
  Steve, it's no wonder you liked that design in my bow to. Marc did the glue up on it also.
Title: Re: Bamboo backed Rosewood Bow
Post by: Badger on June 27, 2008, 01:44:10 pm
   I glued mine up with only about 1/2" reflex, finished at zero. Love the way it shoots. It is now my go to bow. Steve
Title: Re: Bamboo backed Rosewood Bow
Post by: Rich Saffold on June 27, 2008, 02:32:47 pm
Obviously fast, and beautiful.. ;D..
Title: Re: Bamboo backed Rosewood Bow
Post by: Marc St Louis on June 28, 2008, 02:45:09 pm
Thanks Guys. 

The Rosewood makes for a beautifull looking bow
Title: Re: Bamboo backed Rosewood Bow
Post by: Cromm on July 03, 2008, 11:39:01 am
Hi, Now that looks like a winner to me!!!!
I sure do fear for them bears!!!!!
Thanks for showing the great work.
Steve.
Title: Re: Bamboo backed Rosewood Bow
Post by: Wolf Watcher on July 04, 2008, 10:07:01 am
Marc:  :) :) :) :) I am a knapper and a hunter and have only made some recurves in a high school where I taught.  I have never had a bow like this rosewood boo backed bow you made for me.  I think it is beautiful and it will be great to hunt with it.  It would be an honor to have a bow that was Bow Of the Month.  I have two deer tags, two elk tags for here at home and am going to Canada for bear and moose so will really put the bow to the test.  Have never been a great archer, but have harvested lots of game with a bow.  Will at least look like a bow hunter on my horse with this bow.  Thanks for making me such a beautiful bow!!   ;D ;D ;D  Watcher
Title: Re: Bamboo backed Rosewood Bow
Post by: DanaM on July 04, 2008, 11:38:07 am
Dang Joe that sure is a pretty bow Marc made ya :) Hope you have a sucessful season eh.