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Author Topic: My first selfbow*update*/question for yew  (Read 4807 times)

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Offline Oakenshield

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My first selfbow*update*/question for yew
« on: April 17, 2015, 01:12:58 pm »
Hey guys long time lurker, first time poster. I just finished tillerihg (at least I think) my first bow. It started out at 64 in long and ended up coming down to 56" because of problems here and there. I planned on making a plain Osage bow but wasn't happy with m ability to chase a grain (they were violated pretty bad) so I salvaged the stave by backing it with some local bamboo. The bamboo I used was a little over 1/8"in thick after I processed it. So I flattens the back of the stave the best I could and glued it up with titebond III and let it cute for a few days. After I got the bow to the shape I wanted I tried my hand at tip overlays and I screwed that up rushing the process and lost a few more inches on each side. So all said and done I'm left with a 56 1/2in bamboo backed Osage bow that comfortably draws to 28 inches. I'm not sure of the weight but it feels stronger than my wife's 35 lb bow for sure, I'm guessing around 45 lbs, but don't quote me on that (I need to buy a proper scale). The tillerihg is far from perfect but I'm comfortable with it for now. Still needs some sanding up too before any finishing. Very open to any critisizm and pointers.

*update*
So just in case anyone was curious she's still alive and shooting. I put a few hundred arrows through it and I like it so far. I got a cheap luggage scale from wallyworld and its pulling 45# @28", give or take a pound. I'm pretty new to prim/trad archery and I was unaware how much set you can induce from holding draw for too long, so I'm blaming the 3.5 in of set on that. the fact the the wood was only a few months cured might have had an impact. I'll post some pics of my first primitive river cane arrows and dogwood field points in a new reply, it won't let me in add them to this one.

P.S. Ive acquired a stave of pacific yew and was wondering how Thick I should leave the sapwood. I'm going to do my best to follow a growth ring, but in the case that I do violate it, what is a good sapwood thickness to keep it from popin in my face. Thanks ahead uh time guys, I really appreciate it. Hopefully I get a chance to meet some of you fine folk at the Classic!
« Last Edit: April 29, 2015, 10:56:08 pm by Oakenshield »
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Online Pat B

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Re: My first selfbow
« Reply #1 on: April 17, 2015, 01:15:44 pm »
That'll work!   ;)
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Make the most of all that comes and the least of all that goes!    Pat Brennan  Brevard, NC

Offline alwayslookin

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Re: My first selfbow
« Reply #2 on: April 17, 2015, 01:23:13 pm »
Looks pretty good to me. I'd say if anything maybe it's bending too much out of the middle hard to tell from that picture though.
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Offline Oakenshield

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Re: My first selfbow
« Reply #3 on: April 17, 2015, 01:36:42 pm »
Thanks Pat! And I see that too now that you say something, AL. Should I taper the putter limbs more? Idk if I wanna risk loosing draw weight. Do tall think it looks sturdy enough to hold up?
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Offline PAHunter

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Re: My first selfbow
« Reply #4 on: April 17, 2015, 01:41:34 pm »
Looks great for your first bow and sounds like it was a great learning experience!  Now get out and shoot that thing!
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Offline paco664

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Re: My first selfbow
« Reply #5 on: April 17, 2015, 01:42:06 pm »
You can buy a luggage scale pretty cheap..
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Offline Floridabowyer

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Re: My first selfbow
« Reply #6 on: April 17, 2015, 01:45:18 pm »
That sure looks like a nice bow to me!
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Offline Oakenshield

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Re: My first selfbow
« Reply #7 on: April 17, 2015, 02:04:37 pm »
Thanks for all the feedback guys! I guess I did better than I thought, It shoots like a dream. I'm gunna look into grabbing a luggage scale and I'll post the draw weight. Here's a pic of the elk sinew string I made for it. First go at that too, it's pretty nerve racking pulling that string back the first few times but I think she'll hold up.
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Offline Floridabowyer

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Re: My first selfbow
« Reply #8 on: April 17, 2015, 02:26:49 pm »
Thats a really nice sinew string! I built one last week in hopes to use on a juniper bow. Followed a few vids by Jackcrafty.
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Offline PEARL DRUMS

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Re: My first selfbow
« Reply #9 on: April 17, 2015, 02:35:28 pm »
Just the fact your first stayed together is a quite a feat, nice job. Id say you could get the center 12" of each limb bending a good bit more, providing its a straight bow unbraced.
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Offline Oakenshield

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Re: My first selfbow
« Reply #10 on: April 17, 2015, 08:14:32 pm »
Thanks Floridabowyer! One thing I notice is the stretch tho. The brace height when I first strung it up was at 8 in to account for stretch. After a handful of arrows I checked it again and it already went down to 5 in, Just a heads-up I bet juniper ales a pretty bow, I got a dogwood stave curing up now for my next bow.

Pearldrums: haha that's what I was thinking I'm pretty happy I hadn't broken it yet I put about 50 arrows through it today and it feels awesome.

P.S. What is a good brace height for a 56" bow? I have it set at 7in now.
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Offline George Tsoukalas

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Re: My first selfbow
« Reply #11 on: April 17, 2015, 08:27:25 pm »
Well, that's great! Congratulations! Jawge
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Offline Floridabowyer

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Re: My first selfbow
« Reply #12 on: April 17, 2015, 08:50:53 pm »
Good to know about the stretch on the string. I'll keep an eye on mine when i get to use it. Can't wait to see that dogwood bow! As far as brace height goes I'm not really sure although I have a tendency to brace mine lower around 5 1/2 -6. Again I'm not sure but will follow this post to see what the experts say as thats a question I have too. Got a feeling its based on where the string tracks the handle (paradox).
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Offline Marc St Louis

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Re: My first selfbow
« Reply #13 on: April 17, 2015, 08:55:12 pm »
Very nice.  One thing that others failed to mention is that it is not a selfbow because it is backed with bamboo
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Offline hedgeapple

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Re: My first selfbow
« Reply #14 on: April 18, 2015, 12:38:27 am »
heck of a nice bow, especially for your first on.  Way to stay with it. 
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Dave   Richmond, KY
26" draw
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