Watch a noob build a bow! sapwood black locust real time report. DONE!

[Jodocus]

Hi all,

So it spent about three weeks drying, the last one inside the (not heated) house. I guess it's pretty dry now, or at least much dryer than before. Whenever it was sunny and windy, and it often was, I also put it in a cozy, warm place outside. It lost quite some weight, and retained an inch of set.

I weakened the top limb (right side) somewhat, but it still bends less, as far as I can judge. The problem is that the two knots, which have grown very thickly, keep a lot of lenght from bending. It now pulls 17 inches at 35 pounds, the goal is 26. Looking at the bow, I kinda doubt it can bend that far.

What still worries me is the twist. can I work this out by tillering?

[H Rhodes]

I wouldn't worry about the twist too much, as long as it is tracking through the handle okay and it isn't trying to twist in your hand.  What weight are you shooting for?  It looks like it is coming along good. 

[Jodocus]

Well, I'm nor sure about the weight. I guess 30 pounds is enough. It is a short bow, 44 inches unbraced, minus maybe 8 inches for these knots that won't bend. So I'll be glad to get it back to 26 inches at all without it breaking. Also, it already has taken about 1 1/2 inches of set, and it looks like it will become more.

[Jodocus]

excuse me, the lenght is 54 inches. I'm metric, these number look just like numbers to me. 1.38 m.

[PEARL DRUMS]

Be very careful with that twist. Statics really should line right up or you risk the bow flipping on itself while drawing it.

[Jodocus]

The first time I bent this thing it flip-jumped from the tillering tree onto my head. It does not turn anymore now, but the string will not "roll up" onto the recurves If they shear out too far. The problem had been present from the beginning, Iposted a pic where you can see the bends it the stave (again, below). The bow does twist, but even more it shears sideways. The little twist it has is to the same side on both limbs

I managed to better it some today. I tillered mostly by reducing width from the right side (blue arrow in the pics). I tiller so very slowly that sometimes I think i hallucinate some change while in fact everything looks just like the last time I bent it. Back at 21 inches with 34 pounds now. That I could measure.

could not take any pics, the camera battery was empty.

[Jodocus]

ALMOST THERE! 

24 inches, two more to go. Weight is still at 35 pounds. The bow is 1 1/5 wide and 3/5 deep at the center and 3/5 wide and 2/5 deep at the tips now. it took about 2 inches of set, I expected worse. Thanks Darksoul for the warning about moisture, that was really due. That upper limb is very reluctant to bend around the knots. It is already so thin, though, that I fear it might go really suddenly.

I almost ruined it today when removing width from the lower curve on the WRONG side  The kids had been soring my nerves all afternoon (you can see one swinging in the background and the remnants of one that seems to have exploded right behind the tillering tree). I had plannes to remove the last bit of twist on the lower limb by moving the nock point towards the stronger side. Now I'll have to find another way, probably more side tillering, it responded well to that. And a bit of twisting to help right up that curve at full draw. It has not responded at all to this, though. I still have 5 pounds to sacrifice to corrections.

But I'll call it a day now, or I'd probably kill it for good.

[George Tsoukalas]

That is a nice tiller! Jawge

[H Rhodes]

Start shooting that bad boy.  Final scraping, cleaning up your rasp/tool marks, and final sanding may take some  pounds off of your draw weight.  You are just about finished and it looks great.  I think you are gonna like it!

[stickbender]

Hi all.

 I like this piece of wood. For a moment I was sorry to have curved the tips. That was when it flipped on the tillering tree as I pulled it the first time and it jumped down on my head, ouch  It's got three major knots and a couple of smaller ones. 

 The "Bow", or your head?   Nice build along.  I like the first picture also, with ol "Ferdinand" the Bull, in the pasture.  I guess it is a bull, could be wrong.  There was a pasture down here in Jupiter Fla. that had Charolais (shar-lay) cows, and big ol bull in it, and it had a big sign above a posted sign, that read, "Our bull can make the hundred fifty yards across this pasture in 7.5 seconds, can you?"   You are coming along quite well so far, looks like you may have a very nice bow.  But on the next ones, listen to these guys, go slow, and hold your horses   It is difficult to wait, but listen to these guys, they have a ton of knowledge, and a ton of experience, with broken screw ups to point back to, and they are trying to keep you from having a kindling pile as big as their first attempts.  You have done quite admirably with this bow, considering it is only your second bow or so.  I do believe that they can answer any of your questions, and can give you a lot of tips, and solid advice, but all in all despite being rambunctious, it looks good!   So you must have the Bowyer's spirit in you.   Get yourself a couple of good cabinet scrapers also, for those close grains, and touchy tillerings.     And as far as giving us something to laugh at, nope, no one here started out making perfect bows, or having none of their bows break.  Thanks for posting this.  I get to learn from other peoples mistakes, and tips, and solutions to their problems, and one day, I might attempt making a bow again.

                                                Wayne

                                                   

                                                   

[Jodocus]

DONE!

 

It's been a while, is was off working, quarreled some with my wife and then went out some days with the dwarves. It wasn't such a good time, after all, but it's ups and downs, no need to complain. Wayne: That's a cow. Those are highland cattle, not sure wheter there are such cows in the US, they came into use here after milk lost its subsidies and meat became more important. The bull is pretty fearsome, really, he has horns about 30 inches long and nice treadlocks. I am qute afraid of bulls, since as a kid I saw my uncle being pierced and treampled by one. Thank god he survived.

So I'm done with the bow. And I am really pleased with it. I got out almost all of the twist, real proud of that. It bends nicely, and it did not take much more set. The knots I was so afraid of in the beginning I could work in. I was hoping to keep some of the real dark heartwood. This I could not, the bow got thinner than I thought. Only around the knots it is still visible. So l even like them now. They also help the see where to grip the bow and which side is up.

Thank you all for the help and interest, really.

[Jodocus]

Oh, I forgot: it pulls exactly 35 pounds at 26 inches. 

[toomanyknots]

That was a very nice build. Very nice job! The recurves are great.

[stickbender]

     Excellent job!  Turned out very nice!  So you have Yew trees in Switzerland?
Elm? Oak? Maple?  Ok, the bull was a cow.   Wasn't sure, from the picture, just taking a guess.  Yeah, a bull has extreme power, and the neck muscles are extraordinarily strong.   I am glad that your uncle survived the attack.  We have some Highland cattle here in the U.S., I don't know how well established they are, but I know there are some in Montana, down near Townsend.  yes, quite a set of horns on them, almost like a Texas longhorn, which we have down here in Florida also.  A bull is nothing to take for granted, and they can be quite agile, especially a Brahma bull !   Your bow is very nice, and you did an excellent job, despite all the interruptions and family matters.   So how does it shoot?  Any hand shock?  The tiller looks great!  So when are you going to make another one?  Do you do any flint knapping?  Is there a viable source of Flint, or chert, chalchedony, or any other form of knapable rock in Switzer land?
Switzerland is absolutely beautiful.  I never got to visit there, but took a train through it on the way, to Berlin, and back to Italy.  Absolutely beautiful!  What
kind of tree is that, your son is swinging on?

                                                           Wayne

[LJB]

Allright, this bow is realy nice
I thought Black Locust sappwood was not good for making bows, looks like thats just not true!
Lets harvest some sapplings!

What kind of tree is that, your son is swinging on?

Looks like Chestnut to me (Aesculus hippocastaneum).....