Lessons learned on a hickory backed red oak (some bow pics)

[lesken2011]

I learned more about making bows on this one. Thought you folks might get a kick out of it. I made this hickory backed red oak bow. It is 66"ttt with a mahogany handle. My backing strip was only 57" long and which left the tips with no back, so I added red oak strips to level it out since the tips don't bend that much. Not sure what the # is now. You'll know why soon. Here is a pic of the bow braced.





Here is a pic of the end. I was waiting for final tillering and finishing before a put a wrap around the area where the backings meet near the tips.





Here is a profile...





String line up...





Another view of the tip.





Now for the bad news. When I pulled the bow to about 15", I noticed a slight hinge near the handle fade. After scraping....and scraping....and scraping, I got it evened out. Guess what? Now the other limb needed work.....scrape, scrape, scrape...(I love the new scraper I got from Woodcraft). By the time I got the other limb even, the bow was down to 30#.


Now for the good news.


I was standing at the door of the garage (my shop) trying to decide whether I should try to pike the bow to pick up some weight, when my little 11 year old neighbor came over and asked if I was making another bow. I told him I was, and measured the bow up next to him and it was almost exactly his height. I told him to try to pull it back. As he got it to full draw, he had a little quiver in his arm. By the time I finish sanding it and shooting it in. It should be perfect for him. I didn't tell him he was getting it, but, if his dad doesn't mind, I will probably finish it up for him. I should have checked his draw length (he'll need some arrows)


When I get it finished up. I'll get a pic of him at full draw for yall. Man this is fun stuff!!

[lesken2011]

One more thing. I forgot to tell you why I think I had the problem to start with. I think it was poor design. The limbs were parallel to 9" then tapered to the tip. I should have started the taper closer to mid limb. I think I would have had more bend closer to the handle which may have taken some of the pressure off the handle fade. Does that sound right?

[Youngboyer2(billyf)]

Very cool, giving kids bows like that can hook em for life, great job. And if a bow does come
In Light like that and you don't want to back it you just give it to a kid, sometimes the
Best solutions are so simple.

[lesken2011]

Yeah. You should have seen the look on his face, eyeing that bow. He was really drooling. I can't wait to finish it up for him.

[Sidewinder]

Cool Kenny. I think that is planting good seed in obviously fertile ground. Just be prepared to make Dad one so he can shoot with junior.   Danny

[lesken2011]

I saw his dad today, but didn't get a chance to talk to him about it. You're right, though, He will probably want one, his daughter, and maybe even the wife. Looks like I'll be busy.