Help me work this stave please.

[JWMALONE]

Hello Guys. So I have this perfect hickory stave I got from Pat, he only lives 4 hours away so I cant screw it up. Its 65 inches long and I want an Eastern Woodland style bow, its in there just gota get it out. Ive never worked a stave before so this is what I've done so far. I found dead center length and width on the back, marked it then put a plumb bob and line on there and marked a line down the center. From that line I measured out to the edges and marked two lines making it 1 3/4 inches wide. Then clamped it down and used a hand plane to square up the sides.  Next I used a tri square to mark a line one inch up from the back down both sides. Took the handle area down to 1 3/8 with mallet chisel and a rasp. next move is to take the rest of the belly down to the one inch line. This will leave me a fairly square stave 1 3/4 inches wide and one inches thick, handle area being 1 3/8 thick. Now those dimensions are way thicker and wider than finished dimensions but gives me plenty of room for errors. I done it this way to insure that I know exactly how much wood is between the back and belly. Finished dimensions should be some were around 1 1/4-3/8 wide tapering to 3/4ish  tips with diamond nocks. 3/4ish thick in handle tapering to what ever at the tip. Shooting for#55@28 Am I on the right track here guys? How would you proceed?

[timmyd]

I like to keep hickory min of 1.75" wide. 1.5" is getting on the narrow side for hickory. Hickory likes to take a lot of set if not dried to around 6% as well. but, if that is what you have build a bow out of it. Sometimes we mistake optimum stave dimensions for necessities and overlook some wood because its not "perfect". Looking forward to seeing what you create.

[willie]

I like to keep hickory min of 1.75" wide. 1.5" is getting on the narrow side for hickory.

yes, I agree if you keep that weight and draw length goal.

reduce either and you can go narrower. most NA bows are not more that 1.25 wide, although the english warbow guys often
go 1.5+, but with a longer bow.  allow extra depth at the handle if you decide to narrow it some.

a good reference is
Encyclopedia of Native American Bows, Arrows & Quivers: volume 1, Northeast, southeast, and midwest

[k-hat]

I'd say start working that thickness down and get to floor tillering.  If it's gonna be bendy, then if you keep the full length (more of a native warbow), then you can go narrower, but you may want the width either way.  Wider and thinner is typically better for whitewoods  performance-wise and set-wise, you have to find your balance between authentic NA style and the wood's natural strengths.  Getting her bending now I think is a good way to start getting a handle and what to go for.

[JWMALONE]

Hey Guys, had to work for real today so only had an hour to work o my stave. Got it close to an  inch thick along the limb areas and about 1 3/8 in the handle area with a draw knife and a rasp. Width is still 1 3/4 not going to touch that for awhile. Looks like I have plenty of options at this point so I will ponder my next course of action. Feel free to chime in. There is a Creek bow in the TBB2 on page 53 that is hickory, 66 inches long 1 1/8th wide at grip 1 1/16 mid limb and 5/8 at the tips. The thickness  would be determined by the stave during the tillering proces  of course.  But the overall layout sound interesting. What do think?

[burchett.donald]

JW,
      Looks like the perfect candidate for your stave and a new adventure tilllering a bendy with slightly flipped tips...I think the small amount of deflex in the bow may have been string follow, maybe not...Like the diamond nocks...You can follow front profile dimensions, but your limb thickness may vary due to your chosen draw weight as you stated... It's Hickory also and by Native American's who were known to be in Carolina...
      Tillering a bendy will be a different journey...You may have done them already...Now you have me really interested Sir...Cool idea 
                                                                                                                               Don

    Here's a picture...
     
                                                                                                     

[JWMALONE]

Thanks Don, I'm really excited by this one myself. With an almost parallel shape to mid limb then 5/8 tips its basically an ALB design in a way. Its a d bow not stiff in the handle but pretty close. Less mass in the outer limb area slight recurve, I would think its a darn fine shooter. This will be my first d bow.  I found a scrap piece of pine  that was 3/4 by 1 1/8 doesn't feel to bad in the hand but I would like to round it off some got to think about that. I'm sure our ancestors didn't shoot bows that were totally uncomfortable.  I have anther project today but in between coats of paint might be able to get the stave reduced down a lil more.

[Pat B]

John, start getting her bending but leave the center stiffer for the time being. Post pics as you go.
 

[JWMALONE]

Will do Pat. Came in for lunch, hard to work on other stuff with that stave staring at me. Not much time in between coats so figured I clean my shop, never had a mess in there like it is now. Plumb embarrassing it is, or as grandma would say "Scandalous and a Damn Shame it is".

[JWMALONE]

Got her worked down to 3/4 in the limb area still over an inch in the handle area. Floor tiller is getting closer but not yet. It might bend an 1/8 of an inch if I tried. #255 ?? Be a heck of a war bow.

[JWMALONE]

Well she is fairly flat and 3/4 at the limbs over an inch in the handle. Maybe start working on profile but leaving a little extra for wiggle room later. It has a tad natural deflex but wont touch that yet. I was reading another post so thinking first low brace or so before trying to heat anything out or in so I can do it all in one shot, whatever "all" is. What do you think so far.

[JWMALONE]

Well got the profile cut out. I went 1 1/4 wide mid limb to mid limb and 3/4 to the tips. Still to thick to bend will start that next.

[burchett.donald]

    Looks good JW...Love Native American replicas...Enjoying this one
                                                                                                              Don

[JWMALONE]

Thanks Don, don't know if it will be a dad ringer , but it will fit the basic description the sketch artist made. If not I will fabricate enough evidence to convince a jury of primitive archers. lol

[JWMALONE]

Ok guys need to start scraping and floor tillering, I know to leave the handle area stiff and get the limbs bending but were do I start the belly taper? What are some dimensions for a d bow so I can get an idea of how they are tillered. I need a starting point.