Author Topic: Red Oak Board Bow Cook Off  (Read 88903 times)

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Offline toomanyknots

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Re: Red Oak Board Bow Cook Off
« Reply #165 on: July 26, 2011, 12:04:26 am »
I think if it's a dense board it il be ok. If it's one of the less dense red oak boards, it il take alot of set. I have made somewhat of a pyramid out of a 1 1/2" wide red oak board before, I think if you leave the inner limbs full width and pyramid taper the outer half of the limbs it il take less set. Or this is what I did anyhow. That being said, I was also thinking of making a pyramid out of a 1 1/2" board from menards, LOL. Maybe flip the tips to try to reduce set...
"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 RyanY

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Re: Red Oak Board Bow Cook Off
« Reply #166 on: July 26, 2011, 12:06:03 am »
JW, Unless very long I believe 1.5" is too narrow to make a pyramid bow. If a straight taper to 1/2" tips, that's 1" at mid limb, not wide enough for the draw weight wanted at normal lengths. Unless of course you have a particularly dense piece.

Offline toomanyknots

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Re: Red Oak Board Bow Cook Off
« Reply #167 on: July 26, 2011, 12:21:16 am »
"JW, Unless very long I believe 1.5" is too narrow to make a pyramid bow."

I agree with ryoon, I think it should be 72" at least to take low set, as it is already not wide enough to not take very much set. At least if I make one it will be around 72".

"Unless of course you have a particularly dense piece."

Red oak timber does seem to vary alot in density, sometimes it is hard for me to find a good dense piece, but it is always better to look till you find it, then settle for those light weight ones... as I have found out recently... I had two cut out to the same exact dimensions recently. One was a light weight pinkish board, a molly that came out at 30# @ 28", if that. The other one was a nice dense whiter colored piece, I still haven't done anything with it yet, it will barely bend. LOL 
"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

blackhawk

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Re: Red Oak Board Bow Cook Off
« Reply #168 on: July 26, 2011, 12:43:03 am »
JW....there may not be a pyramid style bow in that board,but there's def a bow in it if its over 72"long and good grain. I know what id do with it. Its called either breaking or making....lol. hopefully making and sending it to the cookoff ;D

Offline MWirwicki

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Re: Red Oak Board Bow Cook Off
« Reply #169 on: July 26, 2011, 12:44:52 am »
To make the 40-45 lbs it will probably be a little too narrow if you are making a straight pyramid bow unless, you are making a shorter bow.  If you are making a shorter straight pyramid bow, it will likely take on more set than a longer one will.  Trade-offs....

By starting the taper after mid-limb, I think chances are good that you'll make the poundage.  I would say go long, if you can.

« Last Edit: July 26, 2011, 12:56:15 am by MWirwicki »
Matt Wirwicki
Owosso, MI

Offline peshikthe

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Re: Red Oak Board Bow Cook Off
« Reply #170 on: July 26, 2011, 12:56:53 am »
hey mwirwicki, i am not going to be able to build a bow for the cook off, i was doing some building on my house and drove a 16 penny nail into my drawing hand middle finger causing some nasty tendon and muscle damage, so im on hold shooting and building for now, at least until i heal up, best of luck for all the builders and hope whoever gets the bows enjoy them.   
im a man, i can change, if i have to, i guess.

Offline MWirwicki

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  • The wood speaks to you; Listen with your eyes. GSD
Re: Red Oak Board Bow Cook Off
« Reply #171 on: July 26, 2011, 01:02:17 am »
Bummer Pesh!  Hope that heals up soon.  I know you'll go stir crazy not being able to make bow dust & shavings!  I think the deadline is around Sept 15.  Maybe if you heal by August 30, you'll still have time to make one!

Gotta think positive, you know....
Matt Wirwicki
Owosso, MI

Offline skyarrow

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Re: Red Oak Board Bow Cook Off
« Reply #172 on: July 26, 2011, 02:57:35 pm »
Ok I have a question what is the best way to heat bend red oak I'm planning to use a heat gun with clamps and a form iv never done heat shaping to a bow so I want to do it rite



Sterling
"We don't have mistakes here, we just have happy accidents" Bob Ross RIP 1995

Offline toomanyknots

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Re: Red Oak Board Bow Cook Off
« Reply #173 on: July 26, 2011, 04:05:09 pm »
I really don't have no experience heat bending red oak, let alone heat bending anything, so take that to note, but I would really go for steam to bend kin dried wood, just thinking about how dry the wood is already, thinking it might be safer. 
"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

blackhawk

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Re: Red Oak Board Bow Cook Off
« Reply #174 on: July 26, 2011, 04:22:57 pm »
I've never heat bent a board so im no help either. Maybe steam for reflexing and boiling for recurving. I thought about reflexing my mid limbs but that's unchartered territory for me and I might just take two inches of follow and call it good enough.

Offline Matt S.

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Re: Red Oak Board Bow Cook Off
« Reply #175 on: July 26, 2011, 04:35:32 pm »
I'm going to go out on a limb and say, from my experience, a bow from a 1x2 (1.5" wide) will be plenty wide for 40-45#. I've made several red oak bows from 1x2x6 boards that pull in this weight range or higher just fine, and I'm not super picky about the density of my red oak.
I have one bow from a 1x2x6 board that tapers immediately from the fades to 1/2" tips, so it's only 1" at midlimb. This bow pulls 55# at 28" and has under 1/2" set. I just finished another red oak "shorty" 62" long with a kind of mix of Eiffel-tower taper and mollegabet (so each working limb is only 13.5") that pulls 42# @ 28" and has about 1" set measured at the tips.

Offline aznboi3644

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Re: Red Oak Board Bow Cook Off
« Reply #176 on: July 26, 2011, 05:48:06 pm »
All I could find with decent grain locally was a 1x2, meaning it's only 1.5" wide.  I kinda want to do a pyramid bow, but I'm concerned this is too narrow.  What to you red-Okies have to say about this choice?

I'm also using 1x2s for this cook off.  You have many possibilites.  If its decently dense it will make weight easily.

Hell I made a 45lb@28" bow from a PINE 1x2.  I can't wait to finish though.  I wanna know how my noob skills stack up to you other more experienced guys here.

Offline seabass

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Re: Red Oak Board Bow Cook Off
« Reply #177 on: July 28, 2011, 09:35:33 pm »
well guys i have another bow in the works.i am doing another like the one i broke.only this time i am leaving it 72" instead of 67" like last time.i don't think the grain run-off is going to get me this time.wish me luck.here's a pic on the tillering board.
Middletown,Ohio

Offline aznboi3644

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Re: Red Oak Board Bow Cook Off
« Reply #178 on: July 29, 2011, 01:46:24 am »
I'd get mid limb bending more...looks as if most the bend is right near the handle. 

Offline seabass

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Re: Red Oak Board Bow Cook Off
« Reply #179 on: July 29, 2011, 02:22:13 pm »
thanks aznboi.i'm working on it.
Middletown,Ohio