Author Topic: unusual andeman bows  (Read 9934 times)

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Offline wolfsire

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Re: unusual andeman bows
« Reply #15 on: January 03, 2010, 09:08:15 pm »
Sounds like the low density wood is the main reason.  It explains why they are very long, very wide and deflexed.  They need to be able to hold up to the working stress, which low density woods are not that good at.  That is how some native americans made bows from willow, when that is the only available material.  Same thing you might want to do if working with pine or fig.  The narrow tips is an additional element that would improve the speed, as might one relexed limb, while not losing all the stress reduction durabilty of the other deflexed llimb, I suspect.  The buttress roots might also vary in density front top to bottom or have natural curves lending to the design.  I doubt they look like stove pipes.  But, as the wide limb/narrow tips has been argued by many to the one of the most efficient designs, I think this crazy Andaman shape is the produce of a long tradition of excellent engenering from low quality, but readily available wood.
Steve in LV, NV

Offline otis.drum

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Re: unusual andeman bows
« Reply #16 on: January 03, 2010, 10:27:04 pm »
i read that many varieties of wood were used and that trees were chosen for already displaying the side profile shape of the finished bow. bows were also made from green timber not (seasoned). this causes them to be doughy, weak and short lived compared to seasoned bow wood. the limb reflex seems to have been chosen to account for the loss of power and efficiency of the wood type, fact that it is green, limb design (using green wood seems to be why the chose wide thin limbs). i have no idea why one island chose to have both limbs bent in different directions while the other only had one limb bent with reflex while the other was straight.

why arent the andaman replica bows side profiles not the same as the andaman bnows.  Their profile looks normal to me.

the replicas i have made and seen other make were from season australian hardwoods and therefore didn't require the bent limbs to achieve good performance. it would be interesting to steam or heat the bends into the limbs to see what effects it has.

some more reading on them
http://www.archerylibrary.com/books/badminton/docs/chapter03/chapter3_2.html

perhaps i was mislead when told they were made from butress roots, but here is a picture



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Cape York, Australia

Offline sailordad

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Re: unusual andeman bows
« Reply #17 on: January 03, 2010, 10:56:41 pm »
now that tree is a cool looking as their bows 8) :o
i always wanted a harley,untill it became the "thing to ride"
i ride because i love to,not to be part of the crowd

Offline otis.drum

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Re: unusual andeman bows
« Reply #18 on: January 04, 2010, 01:40:49 am »
yes, but i'd hate to be making a bow out of it  :)

i'd like to know if they really did use these trees and how the did it.
Cape York, Australia

Offline dragonman

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    • virabows.co.uk
Re: unusual andeman bows
« Reply #19 on: January 05, 2010, 02:42:28 pm »
some cool looking bows,people and trees, no exlpanation for the S-shape, perhaps there is none, it doesnt look very practical to me, but I guess I would have to try one to be sure ( or make one) ???
'expansion and compression'.. the secret of life is to balance these two opposing forces.......

Offline Hrothgar

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Re: unusual andeman bows
« Reply #20 on: January 06, 2010, 11:44:29 am »
Interesting articles and pics.
" To be, or not to be"...decisions, decisions, decisions.