Shortbow builders

[ken75]

heres a crepe myrtle stave bow . back was only lightly scraped to thin the bark down . 54 inches tip to tip 1 1/2 wide at the fades straight taper . 48 lbs at 28 inches. not the shortest by any means but impressive for a stave bow , and this wood keeps amazing the hell outta me . finished with cherry acrylic stain and clear

[blackhawk]

Helluva nice job there Ken....im really impressed with the crepe myrtles profile. Was it heat treated into a lil reflex to start with? Or a natural reflexed stave. Anyways it maintains a nice shape...must be pretty good wood. I better hurry up on mine cus you guys are leaving me in the dust.

[ken75]

blackhawk no heat treating at all just a lil natural reflex from drying. this stuff is tough as hell and works about like hickory hard but will sand and scrape

[Lee Slikkers]

I agree with Blackhawk, that crepe myrtle stave is a knockout!  Wonder if that stuff grows up in my neck of the woods?

Also, just curious if you or Rich ever sleep?  With the sheer number of bows you guys have posted I have to wonder 

[hillbilly61]

 I finally had time to finish this one. I thopught I would have a little fun with the colors 46" n2n 40# @ 26" (my draw length) White Oak 1 1/4 in the grip 2" fades to 2" straight taper to 3/4" at the ends with pin nocks. Don't laugh to much

[blackhawk]

Nice one hillbilly...all I gotta say is "skittles...taste the rainbow".   

[half eye]

Crap, Crap, Crap.....you guys is making the old "vertically challenged" dude green here !!!!

Ken I would have expected that nice double curve from the hick, but sweet Jesus, that stave bow is something else, really like the shelf knocks and how ya truely unstring it.....it's also flat as pancake......tiller is perfect......just too cool

Mark, you fibbin dude, said ya couldn't make them shorties....well now the cat's outta the bag, the tiller on that looks perfect to me really nice sir....what the hecks' wrong with the colors ? of course it might look different to me, what with bein so short and all.
rich

[ken75]

very nice draw on that white oak bow Mark seems like white oak has elevated some from the it takes lots of set comments.
you will never have to explain which bow your talking about to someone , that one should stand out on any bow rack.
i think i recognize that string material . especially since you own horses

[ken75]

Lee i missed your comments , crepe myrtle grows everywhere just look in peoples yard it is widely planted as an ornamental .
cant say for Rich but i do sleep and i havent posted a bow in about two weeks but i do have two more done now to post tomorrow after the finish cures.   and i think ill prob start couple more tomorrow

[Lee Slikkers]

Ken, thanks for the reply...I did a quick Google image search on the Myrtle and saw basically what you described, LOTS of lawns and yards    Gonna have to make friends with a couple local landscapers or something I think.

I need to get back to work on my Trade Bow soon but I stopped this week so I could make my boys each a bow.  Made neat little Hickory backed Teak for my youngest boy, turned out ok but had some fretting on the back but I think it will hold for him at such a light draw weight.  I glued up a "mini" 60" Long Bow style Hickory / Osage for my 11 yr old that I hope to get finished this week for him as well.  Anyway, I'm rambling and haven't made a shortie so I'll got back to the observation deck for the rest of this thread.  Thanks again.

[criveraville]

Ken I think my new name for you is Bumble bee!! In my culture  down Texas ways, we give folks Nick names...

As soon as I get to a pc I will post pics of Diego shooting that Copperhead bow with curved tips.. He hit a Coke can dead center twice at about 20 yards, and didn't have a finger tab.. He likes the bow so much that he asked if he could have it. I knew it was coming. He knows a good bow when he sees one. Thank you for your gracious generosity and supplying me with excellent examples of primitive working bows beautifully crafted. You have also given me tools by which to use in the classroom to demonstrate to my students what Native Americans utilized to provide food for their families. It is so much mire effective than looking at a picture of a bow in a text book. 

That Myrtle bow by the standards of lenght and draw lenght should by all logical reasons be 66...

Well, it apears that you my most excellent Bumble would not fall victim to Stanley Milgram's obedience to authority experiments... 

[ken75]

CP , i guess i just am hard headed and want to see if it works . some woods would have blown to pieces at that length and draw, but i felt with the crepe myrtle like with my hickory it stood a good chance of working . my next project with it will be to see if it will recurve .

glad you and your family are enjoying the bows . hope they help with the classroom as well

[Hrothgar]

A lot of really cool looking bows here guys! I have to admit I've been on vacation the last month or so from this site. I'm motivated to finish up a couple now on my day off.
Rich, that's a good-looking walnut bow, have you been hiding her...

[hillbilly61]

Forgot to add. That little White Oak, only took 1" of set.

Ken I've got a Molly and a HBH glued up and ready to tiller. After that, the crepe myrtle.

Rich. I might try another after the next few.... And I don't think the colors have anything to with the vertically challenged thing this time

[fusizoli]

Nice bows there!

That back finish rocks!   Turkeys will know ya from 50 miles LOL Tiller pro.

Ken that myrtle is lovely!

Rich told all I want to say.

Some of my next projects The next 41.5 ash is nearly ready.