holmegaard challenge--all bows finished...pics galore

[bigcountry]

Got a question.  Why do most homie builders not take material off the ends to drop mass?  I figured it would be better to remove just enough material off the tips to where its still barely stiff.

[Parnell]

Too much, too fast.  Had it braced and pulling to 18" heard the bad sound.  Knew it was on it's way. 

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[radius]

too much too soon, you say?

sorry to see that...could you see any defects in it from before?  was there a knot there?   Looks like it broke in the middle of a decent section of wood...


Here's a few pics of my first one, finished up ...  i wet sanded it with tung oil to 600 grit, and then applied 3 coats of tru-oil.











I've got #2 and #3 underway as well...both have been reduced, heat-tempered, and partially tillered on the long string.

[radius]

Got a question.  Why do most homie builders not take material off the ends to drop mass?  I figured it would be better to remove just enough material off the tips to where its still barely stiff.

For me, bowmaking is as much about aesthetics as functionality.  Don't matter to me if the arrow flies 180fps or 160.  Either way, it's gonna hit.


What?  You don't like it???/

[TBod]

Nice!

The growth rings are running horizontal on your bow in the first pict right? The other narrow brown stuff going in different directions, what are those?
Are they present in all ring-poruse woods?

I don't see them in Birch, Maple, Hazel..diffuse-porouse woods.

[Parnell]

I was aiming for 50 lbs. and using a spring scale to monitor my tension.  It was bending nice and even, not over weight,  when I heard a tick.

Still have the other two.  We'll see.

[radius]

Nice!

The growth rings are running horizontal on your bow in the first pict right? The other narrow brown stuff going in different directions, what are those?
Are they present in all ring-poruse woods?

I don't see them in Birch, Maple, Hazel..diffuse-porouse woods.

oak has what i think are called "medullary rays" (could be wrong)  they run at right angles to the grain, i.e., radiate out from the pith.  Again, i could be wrong. 

[radius]

here's a pic of me holding it at full draw...

[radius]

Okay, so that one is done and on the display rack, but ...


#3 (shortest lever, narrowest limbs)




#2 (1:1 ratio, mid-width limbs)




Ive got #3 tillered down to about 40# at 26, and i think i'm going to have to leave it at 40#....i'll take it to 28", but i have decided that this wood needs to be wider than 1.5" to handle 50#, even with this longest-bending limb design.  I had it pulling 40# @ 18", tried for 19", and heard a crack.  I searched the back everywhere for signs of a crack and could not find one.  Dubiously, i set it on the tree and pulled it to 18" a good 50 times.  Then i saw the crack, next time i took it down.  But, this being quarter sawn wood, i just scraped down past the crack, and it seemed all good.  I tillered off the back, cleaning up some of the skip-planing a little better and reducing the thickness of the limbs.  Got it pulling 40# @26", tried for 27", heard a little crack.  I might even take this one down to 35#... Going to continue, tillering off the back again and then rounding the belly.  It will be what it will be. 

FUNNY how the bow with the shortest bending limb held up better than the one with the longest bending limb, and i guess the key is the width.  We'll see how the middle one turns out.


The middle one, i tillered fast, using the rasp alot.  I'm trying to get my time down, especially on these easy boards with no knots or weird wiggles.  Once i got it to 20 or wherever it is, i heat treated it again.

Here's the simple plywood jig (hole cut with a holesaw used primarily for installing door handles, 2.125")  and the homemade "varnish"

[Parnell]

#2's full draw looks wicked!  Man!

[TBod]

Clever jig!!

[Del the cat]

Hey, Radius, I hugely admire and respect the work and thought you have put into this project.
I eagerly await the final conclusions.
Respect dude....
When is the movie coming out and who will play the lead?
Del

[radius]

Hey, Radius, I hugely admire and respect the work and thought you have put into this project.
I eagerly await the final conclusions.
Respect dude....
When is the movie coming out and who will play the lead?
Del

Thanks Del!  I'm closing in on it. 

#2 is finished.  I left some of the burn marks on the belly, and tillered off the back.   The shape is not exactly perfect, but as Parnell will probably remind me, perfect isn't the goal.  Great is the goal!  And i think that i've achieved that.  As for the movie, the casting couch is in the back if you wanna come to tryouts!   




#3 is not completed yet...I've got it pulling to 28" but i heard the crack again.  Same spot.  I've got some CA in it, and i'm thinking of just backing it with silk and then giving it away to a friend's kid.  It'll be maybe 35# when i'm done.  I think that this is the least of the designs.  With that much bending limb, might as well just bend the rest of it too, and go for a longbow. 

#1 i love, its long levers are like weapons in themselves.  #2 is also a great design, smooth draw, reaches 50# easily.  I will work with these two designs again, keeping the width as i did here (if using white oak...sure would like to try some elm).  I won't make the design like #3 again, though. 

#1 is out on display at a local shop, the Fernwood Square Store in Victoria BC...but here's a pic of the other two spooning.










Now let's see some action, Parnell! 

[Parnell]

I've been slacking on these since the first bust!  Been finishing up a couple others - one for a birthday gift soon.  I'll get back on it this weekend!  Great looking pictures!

[radius]

i need to recant my judgement about the short-levered bow.  Although with its narrow limbs it can't store as much potential energy, its 38# @ 26" shoots pretty damn fast and is a very easy draw!  I've got it all shaped...today will sand and finish it.

Next  project: 

I bought another board of this material, scrounged a piece of 2x8 from a jobsite near here, and created a recurve form with a different curve at each end.  Measured the staves at 66" (huge for a recurve, i think), 60", and 54"...we shall see...