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Author Topic: 48" Red Oak (first self bow)  (Read 13887 times)

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Offline aznboi3644

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48" Red Oak (first self bow)
« on: March 13, 2010, 09:42:17 pm »
This is a 48" little bow that I saw laying on the lumber shelf at Menards.  1.25" wide 4 inch handle. 2 inch fades. 1 1/2" at the fades straight tapering to half inch nocks.  I'm not sure about the weight but its not much...around 30lbs at 24".  I added a cable backing to see if it would raise the draw weight and just to see if I could do it.  The bow will still draw back to 24" without the cable backing.  Shoots pretty sweet and very smooth with no stack at all.  I still haven't made some arrows for it but with some incorrectly spined arrows its still pretty accurate.  I would be confident taking small game withing 20 yards.

Took me only 4-5 hours total.  No tillering tree just with a mirror and some hand tools.  Tiller isn't perfect but I said it was good enough.  Set is only 1.75" just unbraced and settles to around 1 1/4" after a couple hours.

I learned A LOT from making this bow...I had my doubts on how far I could pull this back without it exploding in my face...but my confidence has gone up with red oak.  I think I have enough confidence to try a hunting weight board bow.  Thanks everyone for your wealth of knowledge...I've learned so much from this place.

sorry about the crappy web cam pics...i don't have the camera chord atm.



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Offline Barrage

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Re: 48" Red Oak (first self bow)
« Reply #1 on: March 13, 2010, 10:38:42 pm »
Looks great.  Grats on the first one! :)
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Offline George Tsoukalas

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Re: 48" Red Oak (first self bow)
« Reply #2 on: March 13, 2010, 10:39:56 pm »
Tiller is excellent. Very nicely done. Jawge
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Lombard

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Re: 48" Red Oak (first self bow)
« Reply #3 on: March 13, 2010, 11:37:54 pm »
Congratulations, looks like a fine little bow. I like working with Red Oak, well I actually like working with any wood that makes decent bows.  ;)
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Offline Josh

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Re: 48" Red Oak (first self bow)
« Reply #4 on: March 14, 2010, 12:25:02 am »
cool bow man tiller is great on it. red oak rocks, doesn't it?
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Offline Pat B

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Re: 48" Red Oak (first self bow)
« Reply #5 on: March 14, 2010, 01:08:48 pm »
You did a very nice job on this bow and being your first makes even more special. The tiller looks right on!
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Offline OldBow

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Re: 48" Red Oak (first self bow)
« Reply #6 on: March 14, 2010, 02:33:26 pm »
Grea little riparian deer hunting bow. Nice work. Bookmarked, too, for BOM
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Offline aznboi3644

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Re: 48" Red Oak (first self bow)
« Reply #7 on: March 14, 2010, 05:09:45 pm »
Thanks guys...I really like working with red oak now...I took a few more pics for you guys...front profile with the cable backing.

I took the tie on nocks on both sides on the back for the bow string and another tie on nock on the belly side to hold the cable backing.







and a final better full draw shot...I was very surprised to get 24 inchs of draw from this 48" board without it breaking.  I must have done something right in selecting the right grain board.



enjoy everyone
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Offline medicinewheel

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Re: 48" Red Oak (first self bow)
« Reply #8 on: March 14, 2010, 06:41:31 pm »
That's some serious bend in that little piece of wood!
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Offline KenH

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Re: 48" Red Oak (first self bow)
« Reply #9 on: March 14, 2010, 06:53:15 pm »
Nice job!  And great technique for cable backing.  Gotta love those short bows!
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Offline Pennhawk

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Re: 48" Red Oak (first self bow)
« Reply #10 on: March 14, 2010, 07:25:16 pm »
Nice looking bow, good job.
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Offline Dauntless

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Re: 48" Red Oak (first self bow)
« Reply #11 on: March 14, 2010, 11:55:09 pm »
I love it man, good job.  I tiller with a mirror and hand tools too.
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Offline Pappy

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Re: 48" Red Oak (first self bow)
« Reply #12 on: March 15, 2010, 08:23:59 am »
Cool little bow,nice work. :)
   Pappy
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Offline Parnell

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Re: 48" Red Oak (first self bow)
« Reply #13 on: March 15, 2010, 09:05:01 am »
Very cool little bow.  I'd made a 48" maple board self bow about a year ago and was shooting it again last night but with an arrow that I'd made much shorter than my normal 30" - this arrow is 26-27" and the draw is about 23-24".  I couldn't believe how well it was shooting and with great arrow velocity.  It's got me wanting to make another now, as I think the old bow won't last long.  It was one of my first and I didn't quite yet have the hang of tillering so it developed chrysles.  I think I'd tagged it "beet stained d bow" or something. 

What did you use for the cable backing?

Cool bow.  Great job.
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Offline aznboi3644

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Re: 48" Red Oak (first self bow)
« Reply #14 on: March 15, 2010, 01:14:19 pm »
The cable backing is nylon trot line...I braided it and looped it once around on the back...so its only 6 strands...I still need to redo the cable backing...I didn't quite tie off the ends rights.  I just need to find a way so I can twist the crap out of the cable.

I am thinking of trying an artificial sinew cable to match the bow string.

I liked making this bow so much I went out and got me another 4 foot board...gonna make one for my little sister now.  Shes 16 and I got her into bows :)
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