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Author Topic: first hackberry bow  (Read 11885 times)

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Offline Iitchy

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first hackberry bow
« on: April 17, 2011, 04:08:21 pm »
Ok so I am just starting out making bows and have a hackberry stave that is 72in long just cut and split today. I have pealed the bark of the back and going to start reducing the belly of the stave to just starting to floor tiller later tonight or tomorrow. Also should I go with a flat bow design or a long bow? I want to go with the one that is easiest to tiller.
Heres some pics of the stave so far.
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Kristopher R. Oklahoma

Offline Pat B

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Re: first hackberry bow
« Reply #1 on: April 17, 2011, 04:18:45 pm »
Welcome to PA, Iitchy.   You should probably seal the back and ends of your freshly cut stave. Carpenters glue will work fine for this but leave the split side(s) unsealed.  Hackberry would probably fair better as a flat bow. Tillering is not easy no matter which design you choose. Take your time, ask lots of questions and we can talk you through the process.
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Make the most of all that comes and the least of all that goes!    Pat Brennan  Brevard, NC

Offline hillbilly61

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Re: first hackberry bow
« Reply #2 on: April 17, 2011, 04:50:03 pm »
 Welcome Iitchy. You found a treasure chest full of knowledge her at PA ;)

Pat seems to have said about all that's needed 8)
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Offline toomanyknots

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Re: first hackberry bow
« Reply #3 on: April 17, 2011, 05:10:17 pm »
The easiest profile for me to tiller is a pyramid tapered limbed flatbow, or a pyramid bow, with a nonworking handle. Even on character full staves an attempt at a pyramid tapered limb seems to speed up the tillering process.
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"The way of heaven is like the bending of a bow-
 the upper part is pressed down,
 the lower part is raised up,
 the part that has too much is reduced,
 the part that has too little is increased."

- Tao Te Ching, 77, A new translation by Victor H. Mair

Offline JW_Halverson

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Re: first hackberry bow
« Reply #4 on: April 17, 2011, 05:14:31 pm »
If you go with a flatbow, use the old "double your draw length plus 10%" rule, then add a couple inches more for good measure.  Go at least 1 3/4" wide at the fadeouts and you should be just fine. 

I enjoy working hackberry and have had some really nice results.  I especially like the natural color of the wood and never stain it.  Just be very careful that you do not violate a growth ring on the back.  If you have any questionable areas besure to sinew wrap that area or back it with thin rawhide. 

Good luck and keep posting pics as you go, we're all interested to see how it turns out.

-john
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Offline Iitchy

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Re: first hackberry bow
« Reply #5 on: April 17, 2011, 05:16:25 pm »
Thank you Pat and hillbilly I thought it might take a few days to get  a reply but this site is great :D. I will go and seal the back after this post. I also have another question is it alright to have the stave floor tillered and then let the the wood dry or should I have the stave near final now dimensions?
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Kristopher R. Oklahoma

Offline Iitchy

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Re: first hackberry bow
« Reply #6 on: April 17, 2011, 05:20:28 pm »
Ok thanks JW I will go with the Flatbow design. my draw length is 28in and the stave is around 72in. I usualy shoot a 50 pound compound bow would a 40-45pound bow be abought right or do you think that I will need to go lower?
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Kristopher R. Oklahoma

Offline Iitchy

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Re: first hackberry bow
« Reply #7 on: April 17, 2011, 05:24:57 pm »
here is another hackberry stave for my little sister that I am working whenever I am not working on mine it is starting to floor tiller.
I put the stave in some water to loosen the bark and it took some reflex and the tips have bent a little so I think that I will have to try to steam bend it.
here are the pics
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Kristopher R. Oklahoma

Offline JW_Halverson

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Re: first hackberry bow
« Reply #8 on: April 17, 2011, 05:28:14 pm »
If you haven't made many bows, I'd say shoot for 70# at your drawlength.  After a couple hundred bows I still shoot for at least 10 lbs higher than what I want.  Let's just say I've made plenty of "kids" bows unintentionally.  

If you get 'er tillered in heavier than you want, you can still gently scrape to a weight you can handle.  Putting it back on is a bit more problematic.  

As far as deciding what you want for a final draw weight, you will have to consider what you want thr bow to do.  I have shot 50# bows for years and decided I want to push that up to 60 for a little flatter shooting for hunting.  I'm not saying you can't hunt with a lighter weight bow, one of my 32# kid's bows harvested a whitetail doe a few years ago (I didn't do it, I'm too afraid of wounding and losing an animal).  If you want a good roving or plinking bow 40# is easier to shoot all day long.  
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Guns have triggers. Bicycles have wheels. Trees and bows have wooden limbs.

Offline Iitchy

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Re: first hackberry bow
« Reply #9 on: April 17, 2011, 05:42:27 pm »
Thanks JW I have not shot traditional bows except for the one my dads friend let us borrow(which I could pull back about 15in) it was 55 pounds at 28in.I just need a bow that I can practice with so it doesn't need to be high poundage but I will shoot for 60 pounds and take it down from there.
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Kristopher R. Oklahoma

Offline Pat B

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Re: first hackberry bow
« Reply #10 on: April 17, 2011, 07:12:06 pm »
Yes, you can get the staves to floor tiller stage without adverse effects. You may want to tie or clamp the stave to a board as it dries to prevent twisting, give it a month and it should be stable enough to unclamp.
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Make the most of all that comes and the least of all that goes!    Pat Brennan  Brevard, NC

Offline Iitchy

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Re: first hackberry bow
« Reply #11 on: April 17, 2011, 07:22:00 pm »
Ok thank you Pat.
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Kristopher R. Oklahoma

Offline Iitchy

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Re: first hackberry bow
« Reply #12 on: April 17, 2011, 08:36:17 pm »
Ok I sealed the back and now ive tried to lay the bow out but not sure if i did it right.
 width between the lines is 2in and middle of bow is 3ft down.
« Last Edit: April 17, 2011, 10:11:12 pm by Iitchy »
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Kristopher R. Oklahoma

Offline sweeney3

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Re: first hackberry bow
« Reply #13 on: April 17, 2011, 10:21:06 pm »
Nice looking hackberry stave.  I really like working with it.  If you do decide to steam anything into it, you've got the right wood.  You can just about curl hackberry back on itself.  Very responsive to bending.  It's great starter wood too. Enjoy!!
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Offline bubby

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Re: first hackberry bow
« Reply #14 on: April 17, 2011, 11:26:12 pm »
try 68" tip to tip, and 40# is a good starter weight, if you can draw 55# 15" you can probably handle 40#, too heavy and you might develop some bad habits, ask lot's of ? and good luck, Bub
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