Red Oak Board Bow Cook Off

[blackhawk]

Welcome to the red hot red oak board bow cook off. 


This idea was born from some jesting between Josh,Matts,and I in another thread. So im posting this idea to take a poll as to all who wood be interested,and for anymore ideas as to how this wood orchestrate. (But let's try to keep it as simple as possible).

So here's the rules. Fairly simple.

1. A bow is to be made from a red oak board. Any design can be employed.

2.The bow must pull 40-45 pounds@28". Try not to go over this and if you go under you'll still be able to enter it(but it might effect the judging in speed category)

3. The bow must be unbacked. <----that's a period.

4. The bow will be judged upon shooting the same 450 grain arrow for every bow for speed. Also, the bow will be judged upon its longevity of being able to withstand at least a couple hunting seasons.

That's it. Simple and easy.

All the bows will be sent to one place for testing and judging. I have a chronograph but it wood not be fair for me to do the test shooting. I might be able to have a buddy come help me. Unless someone else wood like to do the judging then say so and let me know. Once this is figured out all the bows will be sent to this person for testing.

The winner gets all the bows where they then in return donate them to there local boy scouts,charity,local sportsmans club, or trad clubs etc...to introduce them and help them out. Where they either can use them, auction them or sell them to raise money for there organization.

When you send and ship your bow to be judged I think it wood be best to also send money for shipping  them to the winner.

DEADLINE: SEPTEMBER 15. Please make sure the bow arrives BEFORE this date.

PLEASE pm me when the bow is sent so I know its coming and I can check you off,then check it off it was received as well,and I in return will pm you back when its received.

Soon I will pm those who have mentioned they are up for the challenge for conformation and a mailing address.

So that's it. Curious to see all who wood want to participate and for further ideas.

Thanks guys.....Chris

P.s. we all know red oak boards can't make a Great shooter. Lol

[thomas h]

i may be wrong but  is 50# a lot for a young scout to  pull? just asking.

[Josh]

the boyscouts could auction off or raffle off all the bows to raise money for their troop. 

[blackhawk]

They can be donated to any charity to be auctioned off,or like I said to any clubs locally that support archery, or a sportsman club for folks to try out some wood bows. Most of the older scouts wood be able to pull that back. And if there draw is shorter then they wont be pulling all of the 50lbs.

We can also drop the weight to 45 or 40@ 28" so that most of the kids could draw that back. That way the bow wood be closer to around thirty lbs at 23" draw. Thoughts?more ideas on this?

Thanks Thomas


Josh has a better suggestion for that as well. Beat me to the response..lol

[Josh]

I think the bow should be unbacked... No glue in any portion of working limbs allowed.  Handle risers and tip overlays are okay because they are not in a working portion of the limbs..  Cool? 

[blackhawk]

Oops(forgot that rule)...nice catch Josh. Yes. All unbacked. Ill re edit in my first post

[Stingray45]

I think this is a great idea. But as some mentioned with the weight possibly being a little heavy for donation to younger potential archers, what if we set the parameters to have the bow weight fall in between 40#-45#. That way it's a lighter, possibly more appealing draw weight for any new adult archers and with the shorter draw for the youngsters it will be lighter but they can eventually work into it and it would still be hunting weight for a while. Just some thoughts I had. Definitely a great idea to try to get new participants in our sport.

~Barry

[MWirwicki]

So what you're saying is no sinew, which is allowed in BOM for selfbow.  No rawhide, no snakeskins, no glue.  No nothin'.

Okay, I'm in.

[toomanyknots]

DARNIT! I just threw some linen on my pyramid limb molly,   . Oh well. If there was backings allowed I would participate. It has just got ever so difficult to find good red oak boards with no run offs that I would feel confident putting in someone elses hands unbacked, let alone somebodys kids.  I would go for a couple designs if I were to try this though, one would be a short wide limbed at the center of the bow d bow, the other probably a holmegard or molly, both with thin limbs to increase speed. I don't know where I would donate if I won though. Maybe my local homeless shelter, and let all the hobos and crackheads have some fun, LOL LOL. (just kiddin just kiddin) If protective fabric backings get approved, ill chip in, .

[Matt S.]

August 31st might be pushing it, but I can try!

What are the judging criteria? Speed, Accuracy and Longevity? Any others?

I think it would make a great article with lots of pictures......

[blackhawk]

I know Josh is in. Sweet.

Stingray(Barry)  I think it might be a good idea to drop the weight. Ill talk with Josh more and see what others have to say also. I hope you can participate.

ThomasH you down?

All right Mwirwicki(Matt)  sweet man.

Awe..come on toomany. You've been working lots of red oak boards lately. You'd prob kick our butts. I know mine at least. 

Matt S. Would extending it two weeks back to sept. 15 help ya out. I understand time constraint n busy schedules. Accuracy is not too important as it wood be hard to judge. Some people shoot better with different designs than others. But all the criteria listed above is how they will be judged. I also will implement the mass formula. If a bow is too low it will score lower in the durability dept.

I think it would make a great article too. Ill try to document it all with writings and photos and maybe the magazine will accept it.

And I know mine will come in last place guys,so don't be afraid to sign up cus you don't think yours will be good enough.

Thanks again to those so far willing to participate. 

[johnston]

Really like this idea but have a couple of thoughts..like toomany said, I don't have a place for the bows to go if I were to win. In fact, I have been looking for a place to donate a few and if anyone can help....

Nother thing, limiting bow weight makes sense but what about bow length ? I am 5' 5" and some bows are a pain for me because of length. How about a 60"-62" limit ?

Lane

[blackhawk]

The weight has been dropped to 40-45lbs@28"  I edited/corrected first post.


Lane. Have you contacted local boy scouts,sportsman clubs,local fire dept that holds an auction to raise money and any of the aforementioned affiliates?

I think the length and design should be up to the builder. A 68" bow isn't too clumsy for a short target shooter just learning. A unbacked red oak board drawn to 28" should prob be longer than 60-62",especially if its going to a novice shooter. That's why I want them tillered out to 28"  I know my personal bows don't go past 26" and most of them are under 60" 

[Josh]

I agree with blackhawk.  My red oak bows are 64-66" and I really don't like to make them shorter than that unless they are bend through the handle bows.

[MWirwicki]

Hey!!!  No fair.  Sounds like some of you have already made some red oak board bows!     Looks like I better get started early to make time for a few re-do's!  I've got my work cut out for me.  This will be fun