Author Topic: Curly BBO build along  (Read 30395 times)

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Offline backgardenbowyer

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Re: Curly BBO build along
« Reply #15 on: August 01, 2009, 02:06:52 pm »
Bob,

That is looking absolutley lovely - I really hope this all holds up and works out it's going to be such a wonderful bow.  Thanks for sharing this innovative build with us.

Had a bit of a disaster yesterday myself - the ipe and hickory I'd laminated and almost completely tiller delaminated completely - the backing broke in the process but the ipe belly wood is unscathed and I've backed it again with bamboo today.  There were a number of contributing actors bue mainly I'd prepared the ipe glue surface with a finishing sander that someone gave me - it doesn't work! merely polishes the wood.  Can't beat a good oldfashioned scarper and hand held sanding block for getting a good surface.  Hope your osage glue line sticks, I hear osage can be an oily beggar to glue too.

Stan

Offline JustAim

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Re: Curly BBO build along
« Reply #16 on: August 01, 2009, 05:18:32 pm »
Looking Good Bob! That bow is coming along real nice! Awesome Job.

Offline bobnewboy

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Re: Curly BBO build along
« Reply #17 on: August 02, 2009, 02:30:23 pm »
Hi Guys,

Thanks for the comments.

Today I got a little time to get some more work done on the bow.  I cant remember who on here coined the phrase, but it is so true - a little osage makes for a lotta bow.  I have been scraping like its going out of fashion!  :o  It is obvious how much has been removed from the limbs when you see the handle area picture below.

Anyway, after what has seemed like a lifetime of scraping, the bow is now up to the full drawlength and just a little over weight - currently 56lb @ 28".  Final sanding and shooting in should ensure that it drops to the 50lb @28" I was looking for.  Physically, the bow is much lighter in the hand, and I havent narrowed the handle area nor the limb tips yet.  The tips are still wide and quite thick when compared to the rest of the limbs, and so I feel that I should be able trim them down a bit narrower, which should help keep any hand shock down and tip speed up. 

The glue line between the main belly piece and the handle thickening piece is a little disappointing, but hey, I need the practice.  Purple glue on yellow osage is kinda obvious, but this contrast should reduce in time as the osage darkens.  Also of course a handle wrap will help disguise that line...... :-[

I forgot to mention before, but this is the shortest bow I've made so far - 63" from limb tip to limb tip when unstrung.  And boy is it ever bending at 28" draw.  :o

Pics to follow below...
« Last Edit: August 02, 2009, 02:38:06 pm by bobnewboy »
"The Englishman takes great pride in his liberty. He values this gift more than all the joys of life, and would sacrifice everything to retain it. The populace would have you understand there is no country in the world where such perfect freedom can be enjoyed, as in England!" Frenchman, London 1719

Offline bobnewboy

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Re: Curly BBO build along
« Reply #18 on: August 02, 2009, 02:33:04 pm »
One of the limb tips at tillering - no overlay as yet.  I'll maybe use a creamy coloured horn slice...Note the grain orientation, and the tiny knot cut through here at this end.


[attachment deleted by admin]
"The Englishman takes great pride in his liberty. He values this gift more than all the joys of life, and would sacrifice everything to retain it. The populace would have you understand there is no country in the world where such perfect freedom can be enjoyed, as in England!" Frenchman, London 1719

Offline bobnewboy

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Re: Curly BBO build along
« Reply #19 on: August 02, 2009, 02:34:41 pm »
Side profile of the bow now

[attachment deleted by admin]
"The Englishman takes great pride in his liberty. He values this gift more than all the joys of life, and would sacrifice everything to retain it. The populace would have you understand there is no country in the world where such perfect freedom can be enjoyed, as in England!" Frenchman, London 1719

Offline bobnewboy

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Re: Curly BBO build along
« Reply #20 on: August 02, 2009, 02:37:36 pm »
The handle section, including a thick glue line, and a centre mark made with a sharpie.  You can see how much wood has come out of the limb thickness.

[attachment deleted by admin]
"The Englishman takes great pride in his liberty. He values this gift more than all the joys of life, and would sacrifice everything to retain it. The populace would have you understand there is no country in the world where such perfect freedom can be enjoyed, as in England!" Frenchman, London 1719

Offline bobnewboy

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Re: Curly BBO build along
« Reply #21 on: August 02, 2009, 02:42:13 pm »
Full draw on the pulley tiller - 56lb at 28", sorry about the poor picture quality - i have a west facing back garden..

[attachment deleted by admin]
« Last Edit: August 02, 2009, 03:02:37 pm by bobnewboy »
"The Englishman takes great pride in his liberty. He values this gift more than all the joys of life, and would sacrifice everything to retain it. The populace would have you understand there is no country in the world where such perfect freedom can be enjoyed, as in England!" Frenchman, London 1719

Offline bobnewboy

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Re: Curly BBO build along
« Reply #22 on: August 02, 2009, 03:00:03 pm »
Bow at a more realistic brace height, around 7.5"

[attachment deleted by admin]
"The Englishman takes great pride in his liberty. He values this gift more than all the joys of life, and would sacrifice everything to retain it. The populace would have you understand there is no country in the world where such perfect freedom can be enjoyed, as in England!" Frenchman, London 1719

Offline bobnewboy

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Re: Curly BBO build along
« Reply #23 on: August 02, 2009, 03:08:54 pm »
The attached file is an experiment.  In fact it makes me a bit queasy to watch it, but you can see which parts of the limbs are taking the work.


[attachment deleted by admin]
"The Englishman takes great pride in his liberty. He values this gift more than all the joys of life, and would sacrifice everything to retain it. The populace would have you understand there is no country in the world where such perfect freedom can be enjoyed, as in England!" Frenchman, London 1719

Offline Timo

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Re: Curly BBO build along
« Reply #24 on: August 02, 2009, 06:55:08 pm »
I wouldn't jack with that tiller anymore....Lovely arc. ;)

Offline backgardenbowyer

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Re: Curly BBO build along
« Reply #25 on: August 04, 2009, 07:35:52 pm »
Bob it's looking really good.  Usually people only seem to attempt that degree of recurve with sinew backing (about which I know nothing!)  To have kept all that lovely recurve in through heat treatment and gluing is a great piece of bowyery.  Looking forward to seeing this one in the flesh.

Stan

radius

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Re: Curly BBO build along
« Reply #26 on: August 11, 2009, 08:41:00 pm »
dude, that bow is sweet...i only wish i could make em that well...

Offline bobnewboy

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Re: Curly BBO build along
« Reply #27 on: August 13, 2009, 08:49:40 am »
Thanks guys.  Unfortunately work has been putting a squeeze on any time I've been able to spend on the bow, but in my idle moments (i.e when I should be sleeping) I've added charolais (spelling?) cow horn nock overlays (so pale, amost translucent), and made the first attempt at some handle shaping.  I'm none too happy with the handle shape right now, but I have managed to shoot a few arrows out of the bow in my backyard, with the huge tillering string, and it seems good so far.  No noise either, but that may be dampened by the thickness of the 25-strand B50 tillering string.

As an aisde, what kind of brace height do you all think I should be using?  Remember that this is a BBO recurve with a deflexed handle.  I dont want to go too high and shorten the bow's life unnecessarily, but I dont want it too low either......I'd be grateful for those who have made and shot this kind of bow to give a little brace height feedback  :-\

Its my birthday tomorrow, so I have a whole days leave booked to be away from the office (yippee!).  I am hoping to get up late and make one of my usually skinny strings (3 skeins x3 ply BCY450Plus), and serve it.  Our club (The Company of Sixty) has a friendly field shoot on Saturday, so I may take it along to shoot a round with it for fun.  Kinda depends upon the weather, as the bow has no finish of any kind and I wouldnt want to risk it getting damp.  Stan, are you coming along to this one?  I'd be glad of your opinions re tillering, draw weight and brace height too.

Thanks again all, keep up the inspirational ideas!
"The Englishman takes great pride in his liberty. He values this gift more than all the joys of life, and would sacrifice everything to retain it. The populace would have you understand there is no country in the world where such perfect freedom can be enjoyed, as in England!" Frenchman, London 1719

Offline Del the cat

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Re: Curly BBO build along
« Reply #28 on: August 13, 2009, 01:47:18 pm »
Great thread & pics.
V pretty bow.
Del
Health warning, these posts may contain traces of nut.

Offline bobnewboy

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Re: Curly BBO build along
« Reply #29 on: August 15, 2009, 12:50:24 pm »
Hi All,

I've just come back from the friendly shoot today, having shot around 36 arrows out of the bow as it is, at the practice butts.  The re-checked draw weight is currently approx 55lbs at 28", and the bow appears to be good with no problems so far.  The arrow speed is excellent, possibly the fastest bow I've ever made.  Shots are also quiet with no 'ringing' in the bow after release.  Opinions differ as to the correct brace height at present, but it is looking like 7 - 8 inches will be best.  I will finalise that when the bow is fully finished and shot in.  Stan and some othe others who came along today also agreed that some wood could come out of the limb tips, whcih should further quieten the bow and reduce handshock, of which there is only a little.

I'll keep you posted with some more pictures as things progress.
"The Englishman takes great pride in his liberty. He values this gift more than all the joys of life, and would sacrifice everything to retain it. The populace would have you understand there is no country in the world where such perfect freedom can be enjoyed, as in England!" Frenchman, London 1719