Hi all, Have enjoyed this site occasionally over the last couple years and finally decided to join in. Am working on my fifth bow now. All have been self bows. The first one I made about two years ago. Red oak longbow, kept spoiling growth rings and ended up with a 30# kid's bow. Learned a lot. Recently came across a good board at work (I'm a cabinetmaker.) 6/4" hickory, big enough for two staves. On the first one, another longbow, 67", I ran into some worm holes, by the time I chased them out I had another 30# kid's bow. Then I worked on a handled hickory flat bow. The growth rings ran off center near the meeting of handle and one limb. Turned into an unconquerable hinge. Ugly, nasty, terrible learning experience. Back to the sister stave of bow #2. Managed to avoid the worm holes--they ended up on the belly. 69", draws about 45# at 30". Shot it flight style last weekend, about 145 yards. Bow #5 is out of beech. I assumed that a good steam bending wood would be good bow wood, then I searched on here and found out different. But I persevered. It's 52" and I have not yet strung it. Ringchasing diffuse-porous wood is not up there high on the list of fun things to do on a Saturday night. I can already tell it doesn't have the springy nature of oak or hickory, but it looks pretty! So it won't have the depth of draw that I wished for. We'll soon see what happens. Probably splinters. lol
You need to know, I'm neither an archer or a hunter. I have an interest in history, but my interest in bowyery is as a woodworker: It is all about the wood.
Best,
Tom
