Author Topic: selfbow questions (Read 11724 times)

medicinewheel · « **on:** May 24, 2007, 04:53:05 pm »

hi everybody! - i started an ash selfbow from a stave i had for more than a year; the good thing is it's from a big tree and the back will be flat, the bad thing is it has 12-14 rings per inch. besides that, the wood seems perfect. i worked down one ring since i couldn't take off the bark without ring violation.

does that sound good enough for a bow 68" ntn with a 29" pull?

i plan on using try heat for reflexing it and steam for light recurves; how much reflex should i work into it??

maybe i violated the ring at one little spot, i'll check by daylight tomorrow; should i sinew that spot or is it good enough to use a rawhide backing, which i wanted to do anyway???

any help is welcome!

frank

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Pat B · « **Reply #1 on:** May 24, 2007, 05:53:53 pm »

Frank, With a raw hide backing you shouldn't have to worry about a slight violation of the grain. I haven't worked much with ash with the proper width and length(68" should be fine) thinner rings should be OK. Keep the belly flat. 2" to 3" of reflex should be enough for a flat or slightly reflexed finished bow. With the recurved tips you don't want to stress the belly too much with too much reflex.
Maybe someone that knows something about ash will chine in.

Pat

Justin Snyder · « **Reply #2 on:** May 24, 2007, 06:17:06 pm »

Quote from: medicinewheel on May 24, 2007, 04:53:05 pm

should i sinew that spot or is it good enough to use a rawhide backing, which i wanted to do anyway???

frank

I hope you didn't mean sinew in just that spot. either sinew the entire thing or none. It would create a stiff spot that would be a tillering nightmare. I don't think that is what you meant, but if I don't make sure I will feel real bad if that is what you meant and I didn't say something. Justin

medicinewheel · « **Reply #3 on:** May 24, 2007, 07:20:05 pm »

thanks pat! - that sounds pretty much how i imagined i could go...

thanks justin! - yes i DID think of just that one spot, but it's totally logical what you are saying....it's simply the best place to collect important info fast!!!

frank

SimonUK · « **Reply #4 on:** May 24, 2007, 07:31:32 pm »

Or you could take off another ring, it's not too difficult with ash. It wasn't easy to see which was the violation in the photo. If you've cut into the white layer slightly, I wouldn't worry - the white layers are the tough ones.

jamie · « **Reply #5 on:** May 24, 2007, 09:10:36 pm »

the grain on that piece looks like it might be running off to the side a bit so rawhide would be ideal. ash is a great bow wood. i think the most important factor with ash isnt how many rings you have but the size of the spring growth. if its very porous the bow will take quite a bit of set if its too heavy. ive built ash bows that looked like they should draw 80lbs and only hit 40 and visa versa.

George Tsoukalas · « **Reply #6 on:** May 24, 2007, 10:14:34 pm »

You do have several violations in that picture, Frank and that is a small part of the stave. I urge caution. Reflexing, recurving coupled with a 29 in draw is asking a lot of that stave. I would back it too. May be skip the reflex. Jawge

Coo-wah-chobee · « **Reply #7 on:** May 24, 2007, 10:25:31 pm »

Iam with Jawge on this......................bob

Justin Snyder · « **Reply #8 on:** May 25, 2007, 12:11:10 am »

Look at the black grain line on the left side of the stave. You can see that it is not running parallel to the stave like Jamie said. With that and the grain violations, I would definitely listen to George. Of course I would listen to George anyway,

but especially in this case. Justin

medicinewheel · « **Reply #9 on:** May 25, 2007, 03:42:38 am »

hi everybody!

@george: no that's not the violation shown in that picture, that was the edge between the first and second ring. the violation is very little and couldn't be seen on a photo at all. i'm really not shure whether it's there or not. i will be very carefull with the reflex (i rather skip the recurve, want to try heat-treating the belly) for the 29" draw: the stave is 71" long at all, think i should make the bow longer than 68" ntn?

@simon: i thought of taking down another ring, too, but it's very little and only in the white. i'll definitly back it with rawhide.

@justin: yes the grain runs diagonal, that mentioned black line comes in on one side and runs out of the stave 18" down on the other side.

in general: i know that's not the finest piece of wood, i see this bow more as training ground for several osage and yew staves waiting in line to become bows

...but anyway i will do what i can to make it the best possible bow!
i aim for 45-50" at the 29"draw.

for now, thanks everybody!

frank

ps: should i apply the rawhide on the finished bow or after floor-tillering??

jamie · « **Reply #10 on:** May 25, 2007, 05:27:53 am »

immediately

Pappy · « **Reply #11 on:** May 25, 2007, 06:47:11 am »

If I was worried about the back I would do it as soon as it is laid out,before bending it at all.

Pappy

medicinewheel · « **Reply #12 on:** May 25, 2007, 08:34:49 am »

so i understand i rough-out 68" ntn bow, heat-bend it into 2"-3" of reflex, apply the rawhide, start tillering and go for a flat belly?!

what i above meant with 'recurve' is rather like a bit more of reflex at the tips that i would want to leave stiff. if that sums up to 3"-4" of reflex, would that be to much??

i'd say the springwood ratio is okay.

frank

Pappy · « **Reply #13 on:** May 25, 2007, 09:07:20 am »

That would probably be OK.I would let the tip bend a little if I was going for a 29 in. draw.In
other words not make them Static but let the work some.

Pappy

medicinewheel · « **Reply #14 on:** May 25, 2007, 10:44:50 am »

that's what i thought!

should i curve the tips with dry heat, too??

frank

Primitive Archer