Need Advice Please ....... Red Oak Bow

[Jtilley]

I have a red oak board bow that I started a couple of months ago after being inspired to try it when I read 4est's build-along "so you want to build a bow" . I roughly followed his measurments , but had lost the build-along due to a computer crash. After I semi- finished the bow I put approximately 75 arrows thru it , and it was performing beautifully, but then it broke a few inches above the bottom nock. After some thought, and hating to waste it I decided to cut it down and try to salvage it. It seemed to come along nicely until I realized I had probably cut it too short to be able to get anywhere near the draw length I wanted.


SO...... I am posting some pics of where the bow is now, and would like your advice / comments on this project.

The bow measures 55" nock to nock , the limbs measure 2" at the widest point to 1/2" at the nocks. they taper from 3/8" to 1/4" . On the tree it is pulled 14" . I am not sure of the draw weight at this point, but it seems pretty heavy. There are a couple of bad run off on the the top limb............ Ok, enough gabbing, check out the pics , and thanks in advance....

[Jtilley]

A couple more pics............

[tattoo dave]

Well wannab, I'm no expert, but any oak bow I made that short did not survive. But then I've never made one with that wide of limbs. I would think one that short should be bending in the handle. I hope it works out for ya. Good luck.

Tattoo Dave

[blackhawk]

The left limb needs some scraping from the outer mid limb to the tips. You can see its bending a lil more than anywhere else about 7" from the fade. Right limb looks good. Don't expect to get a high draw weight or even a close normal draw length. There's a bad violation in the grain I see from your last picture. Looks like the edge of your limb cuts right thru where there was a knot. That plus your bow length could equal disaster. Maybe have fun with it and drop it down to a kids weight and draw,and go select a better piece of wood.

[Hrothgar]

Wanab, I've never made a red oak bow that short before but know it can be done. Like Dave said, you might want it to bend more into the handle. Probably be a good idea to get a backing on there before you pull it much further. Maybe "Jawge" could chime in here?

[Jtilley]

Thanks guys, I had started this bow before I realized the importance of grain , length to draw ratio, etc. I now have a nice selection of excellent straight grained oak boards ( my Father is a superintendent at a hardwood flooring mill , and has been pulling some good boards for me). So, I have thought about trashing it , but hate to waste the time I've put in it. I had thought about trying to make it a light weight , short draw for my wife, but was unsure if I could even get 20" out of it. 

Would a backing help this bow? Or, should I just hang it on the wall as a play purty.......   Thanks Guys John

[half eye]

Wanab...
      One thing I see that aint helpin ya much, is the sharp corners on your limbs. Ya might do better to round them off pretty good. Backin the bow is also a good idea, if you have any doubts about the corewood of the bow. Any type of tough cloth would work real good (canvas, jeans, linnen, silk neck ties....whatever ya got). One last thing would be to get your limbs symetrical to @ other first, (then back it and finish tiller it) ya got a lot more "wiggle" room if the one limbs is doin the same thing as the other one.....
       That wood your father can get should make you some screamin fast rocket launchers for sure
Go slow and I hope this one turns out good for you
rich

PS: for what it's worth, I been makin bows since the 60's , and manage to break some to this day......mostly from bein in a hurry or gettin way too "froggy"....might be a little "old-man" brain fart threw in there as well

[PEARL DRUMS]

If you have a good stash of wood I would start again with longer, straighter grained wood. Maybe some day down the road you could whittle ths one down and make a youth rig or something.