My first bow build along. (red oak D bow)

[lenador]

See this is where I'm getting confused. The mite u read the less I know. I've read that if the handle doesn't bend through the handle until full draw is just called a working handle and not a bending handle. Also, jawges board bow covers the typical board bow which mine is no linger a board bow I feel. With chased rings its more of a natural stave.

[JoJoDapyro]

Don't over think it. The wood will tell you what it wants to be. It looks good so far. Are you going for a non bending handle?

[IdahoMatt]

Rich (half eye) had a great build along that helped me with d bows as did Gordon.  They are in the howto section.  Rich made marks equal spaces from the center to the tips about 6-8" the used a sander (I use a scraper with a sharp bur) and you sand down from handle to tipI think 10 times (don't quote me but check it out) then move to the next mark closer to the tip and repeat.  The idea is you are getting a slight taper. By the end of removal the either side of the handle would have about 10 sanding strokes and the tip end would have more like 80 or so.  Rough numbers and I prob butchered explaining this so go check it out.  I'll try and find it and post a link.

[lenador]

I'm going for a bend through the handle design. I guess I'm not afraid to just wing it but what I fear is that I'll be able to produce a nice working bow but it will have a low draw weight. I'm not afraid to completely fail just to create something unusable for my self. DNR requires 40 lb draw or more here for hunting.

[IdahoMatt]

I couldn't find the build along  .  If some can please post 

[JoJoDapyro]

There are ways to up a draw weight if it comes in low. Just go slow, check the progress a lot. My first bow I checked the tiller about 500 times. By my fourth I may have only checked it about 10. My first 3 were red oak.

[lenador]

After a little researching of what I want I've come that the Cherokee style bow is what I'm shooting for. Diamond style nocks. No taper in the width. As long as I can get at least 40# at 26-27" I'll be happy.

[lebhuntfish]

If that is what you want to try and make you should consider at least tapering the last 12" of the tips. That will help reduce the hand shock when the arrow is released. Just taper it to about 1/2" knocks. You can shape the tips how ever you want to when you're done. Red oak in my experience likes to be a little wider and the limb thickness on a,  let's say,  a 40lb bow is thicker than one would think. JMO, Patrick

[J05H]

I think a Cherokee style bow is a good fit for that stave. But you should know that Cherokee bows do have a gradual width taper. The taper may be less than with other types of bows but it is there. If you were to make a bow with no width taper at all, then the excess mass at the limb tips would render it extremely sluggish.

It kind of sounds like your getting too caught up in your research. That's understandable seeing as this is your first bow, but one thing to keep in mind is it's just a piece of wood. You can't learn everything about making bows without actually making some bows, and your gonna make some mistakes. I guess what I'm trying to say is just go for it already. If your first bow doesn't turn out just how you want or it breaks, you accept it and learn from it. Try to figure out what your mistake was and once you do move on to the next one. Your failures, when properly examined, will teach you far more than anyone on here can.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying that you shouldn't do any more research. I'm just say that at some point you just have to dive in. In the meantime, I recommend you get a copy The Bowyer's Bible Vol. 1 if you can.

[lenador]

I agree with you guys. I just need to go for it and learn from it. Especially with the internet you learn that almost no body agrees and everyone has thier own way.

[J05H]

Its true that we all have our own opinions and unique perspectives, but I think that's the beauty of it all. You ask a question and you get several different ideas. Each will have its own merits and drawbacks but you get to decide which one you want to try, and if you don't like it you can try another. You'll mix and match elements picked up from others until one day you'll be offering newcomers your own unique perspective and ideas.

Remember this is a hobby. Don't get hung up on getting it perfect the first time out, and just have some fun. And above all, don't get discouraged.

[lenador]

So I jumped in and tapered the side from center to tip very slightly. I rough sanded the entire thing and gave it some floor tillering checks. I got both side feeling even but it felt very stiff. So I measured it and found that with about 4" from the back if the bow to where the string would run its pulling 50lbs. So I'm assuming I need to entirely thin the whole thing down.

Also I found that bow to have it own little kink about 6" below the center. Makes it look goofy when looking at the tiller.

[lenador]

I took some thickness off the belly and cut the nocks. I made a make shift rig to check the tiller. The last 15" or so towards the tips need to bendy more. Most of the bend is still coming through the middle section.


The distance between the lines is about 8" and its pulling 50lbs so I need to vet those tips flexing. Once I get them flexing I'll go from there.

[bushboy]

Yeah,don't touch the. Handle area.if you have a store bought bow you could flex it on the floor to get an idea of what a floor tiller should look like.i get my tips bending and work my way towards the handle.more bend at midlimb and less towards the handle.if the wood takes set at the handle it will equal a boatload at the tips.try to keep the set just shy or the mid limbs.also I would shorten up that string to where it's a little struggle to get on,it will give a more accurate reading.good luck!

[bubbles]

Keep in mind you're using a VERY long string which will also give you a false sense of your tiller picture.  Try to make your long string just long enough to slip over the nocks.