Author Topic: 1st stave bow - Hackberry (Read 16350 times)

Parnell · « **on:** January 13, 2010, 11:47:51 pm »

Hello,

This bow is coming along now. Got to shoot it this evening but it still needs some fine tuning, I think. I've got 50# at 27 and am pleased with that. Hackberry is super easy to work with and with that it seems kinda tough to keep the poundage up on the bow. It is 62 ntn and a pyramid. I'm wondering if the top limb needs a little more taken off toward the nock but I'm also going to be thinning the last six inches of the limbs towards the tips to try to pick up some cast. It shot well this evening, my accuracy was great with shooting this lower poundage after getting used to 60 to 65 #s. I've toasted the belly. Man, hackberry has a great smell when toasting. Anyhow - feedback wanted on the tiller. The first photo shows the stave, second just after floor tiller, then where I'm at now. I'll post more pictures as I do the finish work.

Thanks.

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StickandString88 · « **Reply #1 on:** January 13, 2010, 11:58:56 pm »

Nice bow

I have been wanting to try a hackberry pyramid.

sulphur · « **Reply #2 on:** January 14, 2010, 12:28:00 am »

looking good!! i love me some hackberry. as your fine tuning you tiller get it bending a little closer to the fades, just a bit.

George Tsoukalas · « **Reply #3 on:** January 14, 2010, 12:48:40 am »

Good effort. Mark a pencil line right at the end of the fades and work to get the limb bending there out to mid limb. As is your stave is doing all its bending from mid limb to the fades. Jawge

Pappy · « **Reply #4 on:** January 14, 2010, 06:51:03 am »

Looking good,same as the others have said,How close are you to full draw and the weight you
want ? I like Hackberry,I will say I have found it can go away quick ,so go slow and easy from here on out.

Pappy

Justin Snyder · « **Reply #5 on:** January 14, 2010, 10:39:44 am »

What George said. Great looking start.

Parnell · « **Reply #6 on:** January 14, 2010, 01:58:41 pm »

I'd like to keep this bow at as close to 50# as possible. Will removing more wood from the fades drop the weight much? I suppose that a better tiller would increase the bows over-all durability. Better to get it bending at the fades and give it another toasting? How much weight would be lost?

Justin Snyder · « **Reply #7 on:** January 14, 2010, 02:44:38 pm »

In the picture it looks like you weren't quite to draw length yet. If you are where you want to be with draw weight and length, shoot it. It will probably take a little set in the outside of the limbs, but set happens.

Kent D. · « **Reply #8 on:** January 14, 2010, 04:49:28 pm »

Looks great. Ive got several hackberry staves waiting for me. Soon as I get time, im going to be hitting the hackberry pretty hard.

Jude · « **Reply #9 on:** January 15, 2010, 11:11:49 am »

I think we may be just in the northern range of hackberry here at Ft. Drum, NY. I'm gonna be on the lookout for some when I go fishing this summer. How do I treat the staves if I do find some? Is it a bark on, bark off, reduce the stave green, or not type of wood?

Pappy · « **Reply #10 on:** January 15, 2010, 11:26:04 am »

If you cut it in the spring/early summer just peal the bark and there is you back.I always dry it off and seal the whole stave.Keep it in the dry and get it out of the weather ASAP.Then in a month or so work it down close to bow size,seal and give it another few months.It will dry pretty quick that way.Sorry for hijacking the thread. Parnell you can loose some weight pretty quick on the fads but I would rather have it well tillered and miss the weight a little,you can always pike it a little and pick the weight back up and usually the tiller won't change much when you do that.

Pappy

Parnell · « **Reply #11 on:** January 15, 2010, 12:39:13 pm »

That's how I'm going about it now, Pappy. I spent some time yesterday evening shaving just outta the fades. It's coming now. Also, I shortened the bottom limb an inch and I say it already picked up a few pounds. I may shorten the top limb a bit, but I've gotta pick up some batteries for the camera to get a good look at where I'm at right now before I take any more wood off.
I'm heading upstate this afternoon and will post maybe Sunday. Thanks for the suggestion.

Pappy · « **Reply #12 on:** January 15, 2010, 01:18:19 pm »

You will get there,slow and easy that's the ticket.

Pappy

tombo · « **Reply #13 on:** January 15, 2010, 04:55:55 pm »

Nice bow Parnell. I love hackberry. Since busting my last knotty Elm Holmie, I cut a dead hackberry (probably 3-4 yrs dead) and am slowly working it down now. Amazing how wet the wood is after standing dead in the forest for so long.
Tom

George Tsoukalas · « **Reply #14 on:** January 15, 2010, 06:32:10 pm »

Don't pull that baby back anymore until you straighten out the tiller. IMHO. Jawge

Primitive Archer