Author Topic: Cable-Backed Bows?  (Read 9906 times)

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Offline Lee Slikkers

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Re: Cable-Backed Bows?
« Reply #15 on: June 28, 2011, 11:00:20 pm »
Super looking bow...man I bet that takes patience!
~ Lee

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"The last word in ignorance is the man who says of an animal or plant: 'What good is it?"
— Aldo Leopold
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Offline JackCrafty

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Re: Cable-Backed Bows?
« Reply #16 on: June 28, 2011, 11:19:37 pm »
Not patience...OCD.  ;D
Any critter tastes good with enough butter on it.

Patrick Blank
Midland, Texas
Youtube: JackCrafty, Allergic Hobbit, Patrick Blank

Where's Rock? Public Waterways, Road Cuts, Landscape Supply, Knap-Ins.
How to Cook It?  200° for 24hrs then 275° to 500° for 4hrs (depending on type), Cool for 12hr

Offline n2huntn

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Re: Cable-Backed Bows?
« Reply #17 on: June 28, 2011, 11:23:31 pm »
Anytime you post I just have to look!!
Genesis 27: 3

Offline Lee Slikkers

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Re: Cable-Backed Bows?
« Reply #18 on: June 28, 2011, 11:35:35 pm »
Not patience...OCD.  ;D

LOL, that probably VERY true too!  I suck at knots so a bunch of "extra" strings on a bow would get me all twitter pated  ;D
~ Lee

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"The last word in ignorance is the man who says of an animal or plant: 'What good is it?"
— Aldo Leopold
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Offline JackCrafty

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Re: Cable-Backed Bows?
« Reply #19 on: June 29, 2011, 03:01:19 am »
 :D
Any critter tastes good with enough butter on it.

Patrick Blank
Midland, Texas
Youtube: JackCrafty, Allergic Hobbit, Patrick Blank

Where's Rock? Public Waterways, Road Cuts, Landscape Supply, Knap-Ins.
How to Cook It?  200° for 24hrs then 275° to 500° for 4hrs (depending on type), Cool for 12hr

Offline ohma2

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Re: Cable-Backed Bows?
« Reply #20 on: June 29, 2011, 04:25:00 pm »
i like it  jack been going to do a cable backed for some time keep us posted on the next one. yeah Rich posted a beautifull cable backed the other day.it was a museum piece.

Offline loefflerchuck

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Re: Cable-Backed Bows?
« Reply #21 on: June 29, 2011, 11:08:29 pm »
I was also planning on making this bow of rocky mt or Utah juniper. My main question is. How exactly is the cable made? Bradded, 1 ply twisted, 2 ply 3.....??

Makes sense the Apache and Navajo had these bows. There migration from northern Canada to the southwest by the 14-1500's or so is thought to be quite rapid.

Oval bows made out of pencil wood(incense cedar) work great with a sinew back

Offline JackCrafty

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Re: Cable-Backed Bows?
« Reply #22 on: June 30, 2011, 12:33:00 am »
The cable was made just like the bowstring, in the Southwest.  This means a two-ply twisted sinew cable.  I don't know how it was made elsewhere except for the Eskimo bows.  The Eskimos would make very long, thin, tightly braided cords of sinew.  Then several of these cords were used for the cable.
Any critter tastes good with enough butter on it.

Patrick Blank
Midland, Texas
Youtube: JackCrafty, Allergic Hobbit, Patrick Blank

Where's Rock? Public Waterways, Road Cuts, Landscape Supply, Knap-Ins.
How to Cook It?  200° for 24hrs then 275° to 500° for 4hrs (depending on type), Cool for 12hr

Offline Whostino

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Re: Cable-Backed Bows?
« Reply #23 on: June 30, 2011, 02:04:41 am »
How would you go about tillering such a bow? If the back is violated and the threads to secure the cable wrapped around the circumference of the bow, you couldn't really test its bend before applying the cable or after could you?

Offline JackCrafty

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Re: Cable-Backed Bows?
« Reply #24 on: June 30, 2011, 12:59:26 pm »
Very good question!

Actually, I was able to tiller this bow to a 16" draw without the cable and with grain violations on the back.  Then I added the cable and wrapped the non-bending portion of the handle and tips only. I then glued the cable to the back so it wouldn't move.  The cable did come loose in some spots but I just wrapped those areas with a little bit of thread that could be removed quickly if needed.

The hardest part was making sure the cable was riding exactly on the crest of the rounded back.  I think if I carved a channel down the back, for the cable, it would help even more.  I think a carved channel was used on some authentic bows as well.

After final tillering, I added more wraps.
« Last Edit: June 30, 2011, 05:08:04 pm by jackcrafty »
Any critter tastes good with enough butter on it.

Patrick Blank
Midland, Texas
Youtube: JackCrafty, Allergic Hobbit, Patrick Blank

Where's Rock? Public Waterways, Road Cuts, Landscape Supply, Knap-Ins.
How to Cook It?  200° for 24hrs then 275° to 500° for 4hrs (depending on type), Cool for 12hr

Offline loefflerchuck

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Re: Cable-Backed Bows?
« Reply #25 on: June 30, 2011, 01:35:16 pm »
Thanks Patrick. good luck

Offline Whostino

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Re: Cable-Backed Bows?
« Reply #26 on: June 30, 2011, 04:44:37 pm »
Very interesting, thanks for the info.

Offline Mangeur de lard

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Re: Cable-Backed Bows?
« Reply #27 on: July 01, 2011, 04:27:59 pm »
Hi Jack!

Just finished a cable bow and did just like you: mock nylon cable at first and replaced with final sinew braid later. You'll find the feel is better wwith the real stuff, it stacks less. My bow has a really flat back so the cable really has no problem riding in the center of the limbs but with a narrower design like yours, you'll need some wrappings to secure it. Start braiding right away, it takes a while! Not all that hard though just repetitive.

Good luck with that, hope it comes together allright!
Cheers!
Matt
Quebec, Canada

Offline JackCrafty

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Re: Cable-Backed Bows?
« Reply #28 on: July 01, 2011, 04:32:10 pm »
Thanks Matt!
Any critter tastes good with enough butter on it.

Patrick Blank
Midland, Texas
Youtube: JackCrafty, Allergic Hobbit, Patrick Blank

Where's Rock? Public Waterways, Road Cuts, Landscape Supply, Knap-Ins.
How to Cook It?  200° for 24hrs then 275° to 500° for 4hrs (depending on type), Cool for 12hr

Offline Elktracker

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Re: Cable-Backed Bows?
« Reply #29 on: July 01, 2011, 07:46:41 pm »
Great little bow! I agree your work is always superb!!! ;D

Josh
my friends think my shops a mess, my wife thinks I have too much bow wood, my neighbors think im redneck white trash and they may all be right on the money!!

Josh Vance  Netarts OR. (Tillamook)