Hazel dimensions

[Lucasade]

So I thought I should get off my backside and start making bows rather than just talking about it...

I've got a hazel stave that I cut at a client's house which was about 4" diameter and 82" long. I'm hoping to get about 70lbs from it. Unfortunately due to laziness (didn't seal it) I had to cut 7" off one end because it cracked really badly after I split the log.



Anyway it's now 75" long and reduced down to the central pith the whole length which I'm going to use as the centreline to mark it out. I found a thread on Paleoplanet where the poster made a 75-90lb bow using 1 1/2" width at the centre tapering to 1" at 6" from the tips then tapering to 1/2" tips. I'm thinking because I've lost a lot of length I should go wider to compensate so I've measured it out 2" at the centre tapering to 1 1/2" at 6" from the tips. Does this make sense or will it now be too wide?

[Del the cat]

Depends what draw length you want...
If you want 32" I think you will struggle with the bow that short.
I'd expect to be 40mm wide minimum.
Del

[Lucasade]

I was worried about that. Would 30" draw be achievable?
And are you saying 40mm as far out on the limbs as possible or would 6" taper to the nocks work?

[Del the cat]

I was worried about that. Would 30" draw be achievable?
And are you saying 40mm as far out on the limbs as possible or would 6" taper to the nocks work?

I meant 40mm at the grip and for about say 10" either side then tapeing to about 20mm at the tips initially.
The tips are then tapered and narrowed to 1/2" once the bow is coming back say 24" and the horn nocks fitted.
I've not made a Hazel warbow yet... I had one well on the way but the wood was iffy and it sanapped at about 80# at 26" 
http://bowyersdiary.blogspot.co.uk/2015/01/two-bows-primitive-yew-and-hazel-warbow.html
Del

[Lucasade]

Okay that makes sense, thank you.

I saw you're having a run of bad luck lately - at least you tell us about it so we can learn too!

[mikekeswick]

If you get a good stave hazel is very good bow wood. I once made a too short 'test' bow out of it and have repeatedly pulled it an inch or two too far and it still springs straight back into an inch of reflex....and it is kept in the garage because I never shoot it!

[mikekeswick]

It was well heat treated.

[Lucasade]

This one's going to be heat treated if it gets that far 

I took the width down to Del's dimensions this evening. Tomorrow I'll reduce the thickness towards where it needs to be (which I'll figure out sometime) then put it on top of my wardrobe to finish seasoning. I'll try and put a photo up tomorrow so you can all tell me where I've gone wrong...

[Lucasade]

Here's pictures - first marked up:



And nearly all reduced:



After strapping the Workmate to the kitchen wall the drawknife works much better, but my wife isn't happy about the damage to the paintwork!

Anyway, all feedback welcome. 

[Del the cat]

Looking good, I think you can ignore any twist with Hazel (and a bit of run off) as its so homogeneous.
If you make a shave horse you won't regret it. It's so much easier than trying to use a workmate.
Del

[Lucasade]

Shave horse is on my to do list, when I can scavenge the bits together.

[WillS]

This might be a stupid question....

Are you going to turn it over later? As in, have you marked out the belly of the bow so you can follow the pith when shaping, or are you intending on that pith line being the back of the bow?

I've never seen anybody rough a bow out from the belly side, that's all!

[Del the cat]

Its easier to draw on a clean white sawn surface than on shiny Hazel bark...

[WillS]

Surely the best option is to strip the bark, and lay out the profile on what will be the back? 

You can get all sorts of pins and stuff on the back that you can't see from the belly, which often need a rejiggle of the profile to avoid or centre them.  Last thing you want with white woods is to cut out the final width profile, flip it over and find a load of dodgy pins on the edge of the bow.

I am speaking from the perspective of ash and holly having never worked with hazel, but I assume it's similar?

[Del the cat]

Best thing you can do with the back is leave it alone... the bark will pop off in it's own good time.
The knots in Hazel are few and fine.
IF you have a big knot, you just go and cut another bit as it's so plentiful... use the first bit for something smaller or experimental or firewood.
Del