My First Miniature Longbow

[jaxenro]

This is number 4

Number 1 was Mahogany far too brittle

Number 2 I snapped the limb stupidly bending it unevenly to string it

Number 3 snapped at a pin knot in the wood

But I learned something from each one. It isn't like snapping a big one the cost expense in the  wood is minimal and time to make one also minimal. I can shape one out with a plane, sand to 100 grit, and get it on the tiller in under an hour.

[Dictionary]

Do you use these bows to terrorize coworkers when in meetings?

[jaxenro]

Was thinking of mouse hunting

[DC]

I'm sure you could take a rat with one of those

[jaxenro]

I'm sure you could take a rat with one of those

Depends if it's the elected kind

[WillS]

You're making the classic mistake of squashing the circle to fit the tiller shape, instead of adjusting the tiller to match a circle.  You can use an ellipse instead of a circle depending on your final goal, but don't force a shape to fit a bad tiller.

At the moment, you've got hinges in both midlimbs, and the tips are way too stiff.  The middle is bending unevenly, which is why it's leaning to one side.  If you get that braced to a full brace height you're going to make the bow fold up midlimb, and it will probably fail again.  Work on the middle section to relieve stress in those two hinges and then get it to brace height to see what the tips are doing. 

Use a full circle (or slight ellipse) and scale it up or down to fit the tiller shape, instead of squashing it until it sort of looks right.

[jaxenro]

Ok thanks - think I understand what your saying which is why I posted the picture so someone could tell me where I am wrong

[jaxenro]

Another one on the tiller

This one is walnut backed by oak with a layer of very thin silk ribbon in between

tips are "ebonized" walnut

I left the limbs a lot thicker seems a lot sturdier

[Knotty]

Oak backed Walnut should do a mighty fine bow, if the tiller's spot on, it should work great, all you need now is elbow grease and good luck!

[Dictionary]

Do you make normal sized bows as well?

[jaxenro]

I made two a half dozen years ago but after moving a few times and downsizing, losing some tools, and the rest when I restarted I just wanted to try miniatures

[jaxenro]

I am trying to learn how to do this. I took some off the outer limbs to get them bending more but based on the latest photo what needs to be done next?

[jaxenro]

To my eye the left limb where the arrow shows is too straight?

[WillS]

All of the bend is in the middle.  The tips and midlimbs aren't doing anything. 

[jaxenro]

That's what I thought I keep taking it from the tips and middle trying to keep it even and get more bend