1st try with a hazel nut stave

[snag]

As you can see in the first picture the stave has a little reflex in one limb and deflex in the other. Since this is my first try at a selfbow I wasn't sure what to do so I just made a bow with what the wood gave me. I guess I could steam the deflexed limb...? What do you think as far as where I am with this now?  Total rookie!

[half eye]

Hey snag,
       It looks to my old eyes that the limbs are wanting to get symetrical (when bent a little) just the way they are. Think if ya keep an eye on their symetry as ya tiller it should work good, like it is. If they get kitty-wampus (technical term  ) as ya go along you might want to heat correct at that time.....JMO
rich

[Little John]

Looks like you could go either way with it, I think it would probably be fine as is but might be nicer if trued up a bit. I might get it to bending a little more and see what happens.     Kenneth

[Pat B]

The right limb looks 1/3 longer than the left limb.  ...or it that my old eyes?

[Del the cat]

Looks like you need to take a fair bit off the belly.
There's a few Hazel bows on my website (click the globe symbol under my username), it might give you some help.
Del

[Holten101]

One thing to be aware of with Hazle is that it is (very) weak in compression, so make your belly as flat and wide as possible and considder dropping a stiff handle section! Hazle make excelent bows (one of my fastest bows ever was hazle....WAS, because it crysalled). Also I would make the reflexed limb the upper limb, because of the tendency to make reflexed limbs weaker to conform to the tiller.

As someone else said...looks like you can scrape a fair deal more, it is in what I would call the floor tillering stage by now;-)

Good luck mate...I bet it will be a succes if you keep in mind to keep the belly flat and wide;-)

Cheers

[HatchA]

Also might want to use a shorter length of string for tillering   

[snag]

Thanks for the input guys. Being a rookie and knowing how I like to hurry and get things done this has been a challenge..."to go slow"! I think I'll stick just tillering it with it's natural shape and see how it comes along like Half Eye said. When you say put a "short string" on it, does that mean a string of the length you would use to actually shoot it with? Or do I use a string the length of the bow?  Sure is fun.

Pat, you had me second guessing myself...they are 1/2" difference. But in the pictures they sure don't look like it.

[acker]

It does look more than just a 1/2" .
Would you mind to messure it for us from the ends to the center of the handle ?

acker

[HatchA]

I use a string that's about as long as the bow is - maybe a couple of inches extra.  Flemish loop on one end, timber hitch on the other.

You only want to use a shorter string when your ready to brace the bow.

That hazel's got some nice character to it!  Hope to try it some day.

Keep us posted

[snag]

30"X30.5", middle of handle.

[acker]

 
Thank you snag .

What  is your draw length and  which drawweight should the bow gonna have ?

[snag]

My draw length is 28.5" and I would love it to come in at 50+#. But I don't know anything about how to achieve that.  I need to put up a matrix board to check it as I tiller it.  I don't know if I'll be able to make this wood bend to 28" and still keep the poundage up.  With this stave I'm just trying to make a functional bow I guess. This is a learning experience. I figure if I can make a few that are successful I'll pull out the osage or yew staves I have and see if I can make a hunting bow.

[Del the cat]

If you want 50# at 28" on a Hazel bow that short I think you will need it to bend through the handle.
(Probably need heat treating the belly too)
Del

[snag]

I split a 75" long osage stave the other day. I think I can get 3 bows out of it. What is the minimum back width I should go if I am wanting a 50#-55# bow?

I did some more scraping up near the fades to get more bend in the limbs on this hazelnut bow. Should I work the bow (draw it) 20 or 30 times each time I take some wood off? Or should I just pull it and let it stay drawn for some time?