Author Topic: Piking maple pyramid bow  (Read 7719 times)

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Offline StickandString88

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Piking maple pyramid bow
« on: January 09, 2010, 01:09:51 pm »
I just helped my cousin complete a maple pyramid bow ( 72 inches long, 35@28, 1.75 at the fades tapering to 3/8 at the nocks).  He is dead set on getting it up to hunting weight. >:D At least we have some length to work with!  What would you guys suggest for getting it there?  I have been thinking about taking it down to 68" and toasting the belly.

Offline DanaM

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Re: Piking maple pyramid bow
« Reply #1 on: January 09, 2010, 01:20:10 pm »
Depends on his draw length
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Offline adb

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Re: Piking maple pyramid bow
« Reply #2 on: January 09, 2010, 01:41:04 pm »
It's 72", I'd pike it.

Offline Pat B

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Re: Piking maple pyramid bow
« Reply #3 on: January 09, 2010, 01:52:37 pm »
Your best bet is to leave this one as is and mark it up as experience. Start over and build the bow he wants. It is possible to shorten this bow and toast the belly to raise the draw weight but generally for a bow that has already been "stressed" you won't achieve the bow you want.
Make the most of all that comes and the least of all that goes!    Pat Brennan  Brevard, NC

Offline Jude

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Re: Piking maple pyramid bow
« Reply #4 on: January 09, 2010, 03:28:46 pm »
Could pike it to 68" and back it with sinew.
"Not all those that wander are lost."--Tolkien
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Offline El Destructo

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Re: Piking maple pyramid bow
« Reply #5 on: January 09, 2010, 03:49:19 pm »
A thin Hickory Backing would probably suffice...and then re-tiller it...but I am with PatB...leave it alone and build another one and chalk it up to Experience....Pyramid Bows are too easy to make ...to justify spending the time in backing this one...unless you just want the Practice........
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Offline StickandString88

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Re: Piking maple pyramid bow
« Reply #6 on: January 09, 2010, 07:36:23 pm »
Thanks for the advice guys, I will probably just end up leaving it the way it is.  I know a couple of kids that would love to have the bow.

Offline Pat B

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Re: Piking maple pyramid bow
« Reply #7 on: January 09, 2010, 07:39:05 pm »
 8)
Make the most of all that comes and the least of all that goes!    Pat Brennan  Brevard, NC

Offline Jude

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Re: Piking maple pyramid bow
« Reply #8 on: January 10, 2010, 05:07:04 am »
A thin Hickory Backing would probably suffice...and then re-tiller it...but I am with PatB...leave it alone and build another one and chalk it up to Experience....Pyramid Bows are too easy to make ...to justify spending the time in backing this one...unless you just want the Practice........

Good point. :)
"Not all those that wander are lost."--Tolkien
"If at first you don't succeed, get a bigger hammer."--Benoit

Offline StickandString88

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Re: Piking maple pyramid bow
« Reply #9 on: January 11, 2010, 12:45:10 am »
I took Pat's advice and just built another one.  My cousin wanted a heavy hunting bow, so I grabbed another board and went to work.  The new one tillered out to somewhere around 65-70@28, which is by far the heaviest bow I have made so far. I think that is the max poundage I would consider for an unbacked maple board bow.  The board I used was really dense, so I am hoping that it will hold up to the strain in the long run. 

Offline Dane

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Re: Piking maple pyramid bow
« Reply #10 on: January 11, 2010, 07:52:31 am »
Could we see the new bow? That was fast work, one day!

Dane
Greenfield, Western Massachusetts

Offline StickandString88

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Re: Piking maple pyramid bow
« Reply #11 on: January 11, 2010, 10:00:28 am »
I will try to get you some pictures when all the finishing work is done.

Offline NTProf

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Re: Piking maple pyramid bow
« Reply #12 on: January 11, 2010, 10:21:37 am »
Yes. I would love to see pictures. I am looking for a maple board to try a maple pyramid bow.

Offline El Destructo

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Re: Piking maple pyramid bow
« Reply #13 on: January 11, 2010, 10:26:26 am »
Yeah....you are pushing the realm with Maple...thats a lot of poundage without backing it....JMO....and I have built a lot of Maple Bows from Boards...I sure hope that the Grain is running perfectly........ :P
As a species we're fundamentally insane. Put more than two of us in a room, we pick sides and start dreaming up ways to kill one another.Why do you think we invented politics and religion.
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Offline StickandString88

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Re: Piking maple pyramid bow
« Reply #14 on: January 11, 2010, 02:00:08 pm »
Good Point El Destructo......  That is exactly what I told my cousin, but he insisted that we leave it as is.  He's a little crazy. >:D It has pretty straight grain, but has a run off or two. If I was making it for myself, I would definitely back it and take a little poundage off. 

NTProf, I think you will like maple in the pyramid design.  If you get your width tapers fairly even, they about tiller themselves.  I basically just floor tiller them, pull them to 10" on the long string/fine tune tiller, brace them at 3", exercise/scrape out to target weight, brace them at 5 to 6 inches and continue to final draw weight.  The hardest part for me is not getting too impatient or wild when roughing them out on the bandsaw.