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Author Topic: Hackberry advice needed  (Read 2903 times)

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Offline BobM

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Hackberry advice needed
« on: July 15, 2011, 12:40:27 am »
I have made a few bows over the years, but never from whitewood. Today I took delivery of a nice hackberry stave. It is 64in long, 3in wide, and plenty deep,  straight, with a little prop twist. Rings are pretty wide, and it is clear with no knots.

I am sure open to suggestions as to design before I start in with the drawknife.

Thanks,
Bob
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Offline PEARL DRUMS

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Re: Hackberry advice needed
« Reply #1 on: July 15, 2011, 09:32:55 am »
28" draw? I would leave it full lenght, 1 3/4 wide to mid limb, them straight taper to 1/2' tips. Hackberry moves very easily with mild heating. Get it straightened out and flip the tips some. You will be happy with it. Hackberry makes a fast bow due to its light physical weight.
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Only when the last tree has died and the last river has been poisoned and the last fish has been caught will we realize we cannot eat money.

Offline Bryce H

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Re: Hackberry advice needed
« Reply #2 on: July 15, 2011, 09:37:24 am »
I am also making my first hackberry right now, though, mine is a short bow.
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Offline JonW

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Re: Hackberry advice needed
« Reply #3 on: July 15, 2011, 12:04:01 pm »
Pearl gives good advice. Keep all the length you can. I've made several Hackberry bows bwtween 64"-68" and have been pleased with them. On the other hand I have tried several short bows as well and not had much luck. I don't believe Hackberry to be real good in tension.

Jon W.
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Offline PEARL DRUMS

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Re: Hackberry advice needed
« Reply #4 on: July 15, 2011, 12:47:52 pm »
I made what I consider a short bow with Hackberry. Its 60" ntn, 53# @ 28" draw and has a working handle. I toasted the heck out of the belly and it has shot thousands of arrows so far with zero change in tiller, no chrysals, no splinters and no loss of draw weight. Toasting the belly is a good idea and its cheap insurance. I also burnished the back ALOT with a Mason jar and I believe it to help strengthen the back??? Who knows,? I have been called crazy a few times!
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Only when the last tree has died and the last river has been poisoned and the last fish has been caught will we realize we cannot eat money.

Offline toomanyknots

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Re: Hackberry advice needed
« Reply #5 on: July 15, 2011, 12:49:45 pm »
I have had great results with hackberrry in tension. There was this 60# longbow I made, aroud 78" or so, I screwed it up tiller wise and tryed to break it by using it as a one of those olympic vaulting sticks, or maybe a pogo stick is a better way to describe it, and jumping on it off my steps and it would not break for anything. It would just bounce me right back up. lol Short hackberrys do seems to be bit more trouble to pull off than longer bows though of course.
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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 BobM

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Re: Hackberry advice needed
« Reply #6 on: July 15, 2011, 07:17:46 pm »
Thanks all, I got off my lazy uh-oh and did a "hackberry" search and answered most of my questions. Laid it out this am. Should go bout 1.75 wide and taper from mid limb with a little more limb thickness than I would on Osage. Looking for right at 64in OAL with about .50 tips.

Just now came in from the shop. Have it all roughed out on the big Grizzley, started to do some heat on the prop twist and my heatgun either threw a rod or floated a valve. Guess I'm gonna have to crank up the steam tube. Man it's hot in SW Arkansas!!!!
Thanks again,
BobM
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Offline okie64

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Re: Hackberry advice needed
« Reply #7 on: July 15, 2011, 08:02:41 pm »
I think its hot everywhere right now Bob. Never been more ready for fall than I am right now! Good luck with your hackberry.
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Offline JonW

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Re: Hackberry advice needed
« Reply #8 on: July 15, 2011, 11:48:36 pm »
Bob your layout sounds like it will be real good.

@ Pearl,
 I guess length is relative to who is making the bow. 60" is the longest bow I would personally make with a working handle so that doesn't sound very short to me :) That is what I should have clarified.

@ TMK,
Really?
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Offline beetlebailey1977

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Re: Hackberry advice needed
« Reply #9 on: July 16, 2011, 12:56:48 am »
Stuff I want to hear also.  I have a nice stave I want to start also.  Except I would like to get a 30" draw from it.  It is 79" long but it tapers from 1 3/4" wide to 2 3/4" wide.
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Happy hunting to all!
Bowhunters of South Carolina Executive council member
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Reevesville, SC     James V. Bailey II

Offline JW_Halverson

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Re: Hackberry advice needed
« Reply #10 on: July 16, 2011, 01:57:02 am »
I have had nothing but good luck with hackberry.  It responds best to sharp tools and will sand to a beautiful finish if you want to take the time. 

1 3/4 is plenty wide for it, be sure to add a few extra inches of insurance for the overall length if you use the "double your draw length plus 10%" calculation for a stiff handled bow.  All I have done is American Flatbow designs with this wood, but have wanted to try the pyramid bow design on one of the next hackberry's I get my hands on just to see if I can eke out a little more arrow speed. 

-John
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Guns have triggers. Bicycles have wheels. Trees and bows have wooden limbs.
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