hickory recurve design?'s

[tronman]

I guess I should introduce myself my name is Eric. I lurk frequently here but do not post much. Really need a digital camera I guess. I have made about 20 bows but never a recurve. I have very straight hickory stave with no twist and I am planning to make a hickory recurve for my next project. Its going to be 64 inches long, five inch handle, two inch fades, 2 inches wide to mid-limb, and tapering it to half inch tips. Is this an over built design? Any suggestions welcome. 

[HickoryBill]

Talk to Blackhawk on this site.....He has a really sweet hickory recurve.... I've shot it and its awesome!!! Hopefully  he'll chime in soon.

[blackhawk]

Thanks for nominating me buddy..lol ....and bill shoots that bow better than me 

Here's the link to that bow to give ya some ideas. It s 62" ntn 48lbs@26"

 http://www.primitivearcher.com/smf/index.php?topic=25879.0

Im away from home right now,when I get back home later today ill get you all the specific dimensions on it,and if you need a photo of my recurve jig,ill take one and tell ya how I made it.

I think you can start your fade dimension a lil narrower like an 13/4"-1 7/8" and gently taper from there to the start of your curves.

[blackhawk]

Duh...im a dummy...I have one uploaded on photobucket already.

Here's my recurve jig. I re designed it a lil since I used it on the hickory. I traced an arc from a 6" diameter circle onto a 2x6,and have a metal strap with a bolt run thru it to hold the tip of the bow when I bend it,and I do it all in one swooping bend. I boil to recurve my tips,especially with hickory and in my opinion the only way to bend deep static tips with hickory is to boil it. Get your tips down to 5/8" thick and at least an inch wide and boil them for st least 45mins-1 hour with hickory. Use a metal banding strap on the belly when you bend it to hold the splinters down n shell be just fine. Then put your clamps on as shown with this yew stave.

 

[Gordon]

Nice jig blackhawk. As you are forming the curve, do you hold the other end of the strap against the limb with your hand or do you clamp it to the limb in advance?

[Shaun]

I have had best luck by leaving the tip  too thick and planning to loose some to raised splinters during the bending process. If you leave it 5/8" thick it will still bend and you will have 1/4" to remove after bending. All the splinter damage will be in this removed material.

[tronman]

Blackhawk-Thanks for the hints and the link. This is exactly what looking and hoping to see. Your dimensions for this bow would be great. Again much appreciated.

Eric

[blackhawk]

Thanks Gordon...with the banding strap on the belly I just stick it in in with the tip,and I hold onto it freehanded with the bow,and as I start bending its wedged in there(which holds it) and it takes all the tension as you bend keeping any splinters from lifting. The band is much like a bow backing holding and taking all the tension keeping splinters at bay.

[JW_Halverson]

Somewhere I remember seeing someone had used a length of old seatbelt to hold down splinters when bending. 

[blackhawk]

Ok Eric...here's the dimensions on mine...

4" handle,2" fades,aprrox 19" of working limb,and 7" long static recurve tips.

Width at the fades is 1 7/8" and gently tapers from there to 1" where the recurves begin,then to half inch nocks. I waited to narrow my tips till I knew where the string tracking was.

My handle is 1 1/8" wide,and 1 3/4" deep.

Some words of wisdom....make sure you have everything prepped and ready to go when you take the bow out of the pot,and make sure the jig in the vise is close by the pot. Do a dry run(but don't actually try to bend it..duh)and make sure everything will go smoothly. Because you need to work as fast and efficiently as possible before it cools down(it cools fast)and then it wont want to bend. It should just mush over easily if its ready to bend. If your grunting and forcing it then its not ready and stick it back in the pot.I also have a helper when I bend it(my wonderful wife),and I do the bend and she just puts those two clamps down,which don't have to be cranked cus it'll dent the wood,just snug enough to hold it in place. Once in place and clamped wait 24to hours to remove it from the jig with hickory,otherwise your recurves will want to pull out. I set a lil fan that blows on it for those 24 hours to cool it and remove some moisture. I also shellac the whole tips,back,belly,and sides,which helps keeps the abuse on the wood lower and keeps a lot of moisture from entering the wood. I then wait several days(at least 3)before I start bending it and tillering it to let the moisture content restabilize.



And I think that's about it and covers it...lol...now im outta breath