Shorter, enough draw weight, durable, Red Oak board bow specs........

[southern shooter]

Hi Folks. 

I am still rather new to bow building.  And, in an earlier thread ( http://www.primitivearcher.com/smf/index.php/topic,18116.0.html ) conceded to building some bendy type longbows until I develop enough bowyer skill...BUT, in the mean time, I have been eyeing two red oak boards that are standing in the corner.  They are .75" X 2.5" X 72" with pretty good grain patterns.  Anyway, while I work on these other bows, I just want to satisfy my curiousity before it drives me crazy...ha ha.

My question:  I would like to build a bow about my height...65" tall...or less if possible...that I can get through the woods without a major struggle.  With the boards that I have mentioned here ( .75" X 2.5" X 72" ), what bow design/specs would ya'll recommend for a rugged, durable hunting bow??  My draw length is about 26".  Lets keep the minimum draw weight to about 45# and the maximum to about 55#.  Is this an unrealistic expectation with red oak of that length and width?

Thanks 

[youngbowyer33]

I think you could make it work. I'd do a 62-64" pyramid style bow 2 or 2.5" wide at the fades tapering down to a bit more than 3/8".good luck

[George Tsoukalas]

Ah yes, the bend in the handle bow that I talked you into making, Southern Shooter.. That's good. I think it is a good choice for you. Let me defend it a bit though. Let me just say that I've built hundreds of bows. 20 years worth. I've used all kinds of woods - boards and logs. I've actually lost track of the no. of bows I've built. Yet when I get the urge to build a board bow it's always of the bend in the handle variety. I just love that design and it is capable of much. In fact that design was favored by the Native Americans. So don't feel somehow inadequate and apologetic because you are building a bend in the handle bow. There's beauty in simplicity. Yes, that length is fine for your design though I'd go a little longer because of your inexperience. 1 3/8 in wide will get you 45# if your tiller well. Once again be super picky about the grain and once again recommend that you read the info about boards on my site. Have fun. Jawge
http://georgeandjoni.home.comcast.net/~georgeandjoni/

[southern shooter]

Jawge,

Thanks for the information and encouragement.  I have a couple of bows in process of the bending type.  I did want to ask about whether I should have drawn the lines from the tip all the way to the middle of the bow...NO 4" handle section?  Is that the design you are specifically referencing?

Thanks....

[yazoo]

I know there are some great bows made from boards,,but if you live in the south you have access to the best bow woods in the world  get you a stave of osage  , hickory, elm,hard maple,, come to the classsic this spring you will leave a bowmaker,,I may just be yellow,,I am not brave enough to full draw a red oak bow

[Dauntless]

Red oak is a prime bow wood.  I'm always looking for a straight grained board or a nice sapling.  I would be pretty comfortable drawing a 52" red oak D bow to 26" with a good 50-60lbs draw.

I've never broken a red oak bow, regardless of tillering errors.

[aznboi3644]

I have a little 48" red bow bow I just finished that I can draw to 24"...its only around 30-35lbs though...came from a 1.5 x .5 x 48 board.

unbacked but not i've added a cable backing to try to raise the draw weight

[George Tsoukalas]

I leave the 4 in handle section alone. I start the taper at the end of the handle. Check the board bow buildalong on my site. Jawge

[NTProf]

I am with Dauntless. Since learning from Jawge how to build and tiller bows correctly, I have never broken a red oak board bow. They have been some of my most reliable and enjoyable bows.

[The Gopher]

i'm just finishing up a red oak board bow now, it has a linen backing, 68" ttt but i have it tillered to 55@29", stiff handle, only about 1" strign follow, pyramid design. red oak if treated properly is a very very worthy bow wood.

come to think of it THE ONLY red oak bow i've ever broken was the very first bow i ever made and i'm sure many people broke their first bow even if it was one of the "first class" bow woods.

it's been said many times before, but i think the only reason woods like red oak and ash get a bad rap is that people are trying to apply the same designs to them that they use on osage. that doesn't mean oak and ash are "poorer" woods, just different.

[Orkraider]

I broke the heck out of my first red oak board bow. I didn't have any idea what I was doing, and got a hinge on the lower limb that I caught to late.

Sure enough, once I had finally got to the point where the arrows were hitting the target, it broke right at that spot.

But if handled right, like George says, it sure can work well.

[southern shooter]

You folks sure have me excited about these projects!!!  Right now I have 6 boards ready to be worked on.  One of them is already shaped to Jawge's longbow dimensions and design.  Thanks for the input.