Ash warbow in process. Strenght on braceheight? (updated)

[fusizoli]

I'm working on my first real warbow from ash. Someone sad before "nucleal" ash, so this is that type
(made some fine bows from this log before)

About 72 ntn, 1.4 or 35mm wide and hair less 1 or 24.5mm deep at the center 16x16mm before the tips.

The horn tips are roughly finished (sidenock) so I could start to tiller it with short string. I couldn't brace it yet, but pull it with long string to about braceheight (6) where is about 75# now. So I could pull it there with just two hands  , I'm a bit broke down

I like to make it 120-130#

I'm still too primitive yet so haven't got just body scale, and pull it with hand and leg or any kind I could do....

Where is the braced weight start on this bows? Stupid nube questin I know :lol, but have to know on this first baby

Here is a pic before the tips made. Now the tiller looking much better....

[Del the cat]

The draw weight at brace is always relatively low due to the huge leverage of the straight string, in fact the first inch or so of draw will be hard to measure accurately.
It should be extermely difficult to get the string onto a warbow weight bow without a stringer.
Even a 75 lb bow is a bit of a struggle to get the string on push pull style.
Bathroom scales and a notched stick will do for rough measurement of draw weight.
Not sure why the tips are recurved on a Warbow?
Looking good though 
Del

[fusizoli]

Thanks Del!

First of all, the form schould looking strange, but this is not a MR. replica 

 One tip had natural reflex, the gripp is natural deflexed so I just correct the other tip to reflex. The form is mostly natural!
It made from the compression side from a tree.

I have several 75-90# strongbows and could handle tham, but this is a different storry.

On this one the baraced weight will higher than a straight bow shure. Will see but I think arround 30-35# schould be ok.

But I'm not not an expert in this weight so thats why ask it first

Other wise it is an experiment to know how my wood handle this weight.

[medicinewheel]

Can't wait to see this one finished!!!

[Del the cat]

Cheers, I know what you mean, I seem to find most staves have one limb with natural reflex and one with natural deflex , I tend to have the deflex as the lower limb unless I steam the m to match like you have done..
Maybe a useful comparison figure would be pondage at 10 or 12" draw, rather than than tring to measure the tension at brace height.
I'm looking forward to seeing it at full draw.
Del

[adb]

If I was you, I'd get rid of that long string, and get your bow to a low brace height of 3-4", otherwise you'll come in way under draw weight. Your limbs are bending evenly, and enough for a low brace.

[fusizoli]

Ok.  I haven't got FF so made a flemish 20 ply B50 string, doubled at the loops. Try to pre strech it but the bow made a better job. It strech the 20ply like rubber, after I ve been strech the string with my bodyweight for minutes....
Than the first baraceing opened to near zero 

I ve used a stringer, but without a helper hand it was useless. It was a family project


Other wise it looking good. Takes some set after some short draw( from about 1.5 braceheight to 10), but the wood not heat treated.

I think I will go a little more further with long string, because it still too strong at baraceheight. Will report after few days.

[fusizoli]

So here is some update.

The bow is bending nicely and I feel myself a sick old man. Couldn't draw it more than 27. Have to work on my body a bit, now I'm not enough for this shure after few weeks in influence.
The bow weight is 33.5OZ, 72 NTN and some weight data. Braced 5 from back, on 10- 22# 20- 65# 27- I feel it 85# I hope it will hit the 100# at 31.
The wood was not heat treated, will see how much stringfollow it takes from 1.5 reflex. The string is ( 20ply B50 nightmare) still on.
Here is some pics.
How is the tiller looking?

[Pat B]

Nice brace profile and the tiller looks good in the drawn pic. I don't often see reflexed war bows although I've seen drawings in a few books with reflexed tips. Are the tips supposed to open up at full draw or remain static?
  I built a 95#@30" yew war bow a few years ago but could only pull yo about 15".    I gave it to the guy that gave the stave in the first place. He can pull it. 

[fusizoli]

Thanks Pat!
Nidrinr made a very simillar bow from elm about a half year before. His one was stronger arround 130#. He is an expert in warbows, not like me

It has a working reflex on the tips. At full draw it will be near straight. I'm a bit hesitate to pull it with leg and hand  to full draw yet.

The bow is unstrung after several "full draw to me now 28" and sweeten for few hours and it takes a half of stringfollow and after an hour 1/4. It take all over about 2 of set without heat treat the most of the limbs. I think it is good from my ash on this weight isn't it?

[Pat B]

I've had problems making 40# ash flat bows so I'd say you were doing good with this bow for sure. 

[}|{opukc]

With reflex tips and working handle would not  be a problem with crysals in the tips, but I think this will cause stringfollow in middle part. In my bow grip is very hard and it back a lot of tips.
The bow looks great. I can not wait you to finish it.

George

[bobnewboy]

Hi Fusizoli, authentic or not, I think that bow has a wonderful braced and drawn profile.  Chris Boyton (a top class professional English bowyer) has made warbows with recurved tips, and recurved tips do make appearances in paintings of the period, so I think its fine.  Great in fact ! 

[fusizoli]

Yes George it takes set in the middle section, but it gave the bow a nice unstrung arc Anyway it had a natural deflex in the grip area.

I'happy to find ash like this. With this thicknes and weight it looking a warbow material to me

Thanks Bob the nice comment!

[medicinewheel]

Looks good!