I finished this bow up a couple months ago, it is my third attempt, and all have been Black Walnut. My second bow blew up but luckily I learned exactly what I needed to make this one a success! Here is the rundown:
Black Walnut-65" tip to tip
the lower limb is about 1.5" shorter than the top limb. limbs are 2" wide from the fades to the last six inches where it tapers to 5/8ths of an inch
pulls around 55# @ 29"
4" handle with hemp wrap
took about 3"-4" set ( I need to lessen the long string tillering, I took this one almost full draw on the long string and I attribute some of the set to that. I also braced this bow much to high about 9" before I realized what I was doing. The Black walnut is very apt to taking set but i think my errors were a main source of this string follow)
The bow shoots these bamboos arrows to my liking, pretty quickly and quite accurately. The arrows are garden stake bamboo, 29" long. 3 stone tips I bought at an estate sale (2 with osage foreshafts) and 3 target points ( 1 osage blunt). The wine and navy blue colored turkey feathers were given to me by a friend which I dyed w/ Rit dye from walmart. Simulated sinew and super glue used in the fletching.
The quiver is made out've the bark of the same black walnut tree that the bow came from, my friend and I cut it and he is now making an awesome boy from it too. The bark naturally dried in a tube shape, I only needed to seal it up and put a hard wood bottom on it.
I also have been playing around with pyrography, or the art of burning wood. Its just an outlet heated pen which scorches the wood and you can make different designs and things with it. The pen cost 15$ at walmart and is pretty easy to use. It adds some cool pics to your stick, just be careful not to burn too deeply. I think it could hurt the integrity of the wood if you do so.
A few of my friends are now building along with me. So thanks to all who contribute to the site, my friends and I thank you for all your help and guidance! I love PA!
