my first shooter

[tetaxidermy]

I just got my first board bow to work, broke 3 red oak boards tried some walnut that I had sawed and planed from a log. It worked, I am amazed. Now for some questions, handle length how long on a 68" flat bow m y handle feels to long I put a 10"  on it. Next one I ended up with a twist when braced on one limb how do you correct for that I tried but ended up with a 30# bow where I wanted about 50# still with the twist. Now for my last question what I really want to build is a 60# to 70# long bow for hunting what wood would be the best, board? or stave? Thanks in advance for help.

[denny]

well it looks like I am the first to comment. So here it goes, I like ash for longbows, but I am not sure if this is what you are speaking of as the long bow is a great bow on the ground but up a tree is another thing.Handles usually : I start by finding the middle and three on each side, if I cut a handle i only go about 1/2 inch to the center and 1 1/2in up from the center line.You can make it 8 inches then taper the fadeouts and you will loose 2 inches,either way 6inch is what you end up with.For the twist I use heat gun or space heater to heat the limb, warm it up too hot to touch , not burning, then i make a wooden lever to twist the limb back to straight. You can  steam it over stove with foil covering it for about an hour and twist it or clamp it to a form, you made. However the heat is quicker. You may want to grease the wood prier to heating. Long bow, first time, spend 20.00 bucks and order a PCs of ash 1/4 sawn straight grain and cut an edge 1 1/4 wide and 68 to 72 inches long allow for the tips remember the d style bend in the handle. Any other questions just ask good luck Denny

[Greatgoogamooga]

I'm only two board bows ahead of you.  My first bow was not much different.  i started with ash, and it started to splinter on the back.  I then backed it with 1/8" of hickory and managed to save it.  It still only pulls 30#, but I wasn't disappointed for my first bow.  Bow 2 was all hickory and I got it to 50#.  Bow 3 is the winner.  Hickory backed white oak, 60# at 29".  All three bows are 66" long.  I'm sold on white oak.  It was easy to work with and has given me the least amount of set out of the three bows. I made my handles 8" long on all three.  By the 3rd bow I learned to start tapering and thinning immediately after the handle so the bow wouldn't be to stiff  there.  probably one of the reasons bow #1 splintered

I've been told that if I want anything higher than 60# I should back the bow with bamboo.  That will be bow #4.

Goog

[tetaxidermy]

thank you for advice, think I will have to try some ash.