Author Topic: Snakey hackberry stave Updated pics (Read 3907 times)

LeightonM · « **on:** February 20, 2017, 07:17:48 pm »

I cut this hackberry at christmas time and got it roughed out today. I want to try to make a bow that is center shot or close to it. I'm shooting for 62" ntn and pulling 50-60# at 26" Am I crazy? I've never worked with hackberry before. Any pointers? I'm thinking heat treated belly maybe?

upstatenybowyer · « **Reply #1 on:** February 20, 2017, 10:52:01 pm »

Never worked with hackberry either but I think I remember reading that it does like a toasted belly. Good luck

Redhand · « **Reply #2 on:** February 21, 2017, 08:52:09 am »

It looks like that stave has a lot of twist to me.

BowEd · « **Reply #3 on:** February 21, 2017, 09:00:05 am »

Things like the width/whether it has a high crown or flat back would matter to me for the dimensions your asking the wood to do.Design of course too.

PEARL DRUMS · « **Reply #4 on:** February 21, 2017, 10:04:49 am »

Heat treat the belly, you have to on hackberry IMO. I like your NTN length. Keep all the width you can. It should make a fine bow.

Pappy · « **Reply #5 on:** February 21, 2017, 11:06:48 am »

Hackberry makes a good bow, light physical weight, heat treat it as was said and it also work well with dry heat so you can get out the kinks you don't want. It should make what you are looking for. Looks like the handle area is off set so center or close to center shot should be easy, you just need to figure which will be your top lime to make the off set work for you.

Pappy

LeightonM · « **Reply #6 on:** February 21, 2017, 12:41:18 pm »

thanks for the input guys!

LeightonM · « **Reply #7 on:** May 26, 2017, 06:18:30 pm »

Update: I have this almost to full draw. What do you all think of the tiller?

BowEd · « **Reply #8 on:** May 26, 2017, 06:26:09 pm »

Pretty darn sweet LeightonM.Your second pic shows a slight negative tiller.Could be a propeller there too.It could use a smidgen more bend midlimb top limb,but not much.Working pretty close right out of the fades but the resting profile says it's all ok.Still pretty darn sweet.Hope the center shot worked out for ya.

Pat B · « **Reply #9 on:** May 26, 2017, 07:13:52 pm »

Very nice tiller.

DuBois · « **Reply #10 on:** May 26, 2017, 11:21:53 pm »

For some reason the first pic looks like it is bending too much out at the fades but the second pic looks real good. Cameras are funny sometimes; especially with a challenging snake like that one. Very nice work and thanks for showing it!

upstatenybowyer · « **Reply #11 on:** May 27, 2017, 06:38:28 pm »

It looks good to me. I wouldn't do a whole lot more to it, maybe just a tweak as Beadman suggested. When I say tweak I mean literally 2 or 3 scrapes. Did you heat treat it yet?

Bob W. · « **Reply #12 on:** May 27, 2017, 07:00:14 pm »

Full draw looks great, nice job on that snakey Hackberry stave LeightonM!

LeightonM · « **Reply #13 on:** May 27, 2017, 08:54:09 pm »

thanks guys.
yes I heat treated it before i pulled it much past 15 inches.

make-n-break · « **Reply #14 on:** May 28, 2017, 12:30:34 pm »

Good thing you he treated it. It's a must. Takes Hackberry from so-so to extra snappy in my opinion. I just posted one this week that was 60" long and 50@28. It's a real sweet shooter. Don't beat yourself up over a little bit of permanent set with a short hackberry. Your FD looks silky smooth. Nice work!

Primitive Archer