Maple D-bow Follow along

[Zion]

I need something to do lately so here's some progress on a mountain maple bow i'm making. After finishing up an ocean spray d-bow i'm starting to like these style bows better. I'm starting to see there's a lot of advantages to bendy handles, like more weight available, less stress on short, heavy bows, and you can easily make them out of saplings.
This bow isn't going to be heavy but i'm hoping it'll be a good shooter. I don't have any instructions, i'll probably just keep updating 'till the bow's done.

[Zion]

Some tillering:

[Zion]

After unstringing i heat treated it lightly and will probably do so again after shooting, that's all for now tho.

[bow101]

She is taking shape. looking good.   You are the expert on Hawthorn, I have some sitting since early March, fairly warm and dry. About 4" staves, I know a lttile small but you think its times to shape them out with the draw knife Zee..?

[adb]

At brace, your bow appears to be bending only in the handle. The outer limbs look very stiff. Do you have a full draw pic? It also looks like it's taking set in the overstressed middle area.

[Ifrit617]

At brace, your bow appears to be bending only in the handle. The outer limbs look very stiff. Do you have a full draw pic? It also looks like it's taking set in the overstressed middle area.

+1 although this is a bendy handle, you need the mid-limbs to work nicely or the bow will take undue set in the center.

Jon

[adb]

Actually, I wouldn't pull that bow to full draw. What's happening at brace is only magnified at full draw. It will definitely take unnecessary set.

[Zion]

Thanks for the observation, i realize it bends too much. I haven't been tillering by drawing it yet so i'm not worried. I've also been tillering by heat now so the handle area is stiffer, i'll post more pics as i make progress.
Bow101 4" is a great size for hawthorn. I think you could start working them, be careful of tear-outs tho.
Thanks for the interest guys!

[blackhawk]

+2...and it also appears to be taking too much set indicating the mc of the wood is still too high...I'm betting all my staves that woods mc is too high considering when you cut it and how thick it was when you started it...combine that with too much bend in the handle and tons of cast has just been lost never to return again.....but hey...if your having fun then whatever n keep on keeping on

[adb]

Thanks for the observation, i realize it bends too much. I haven't been tillering by drawing it yet so i'm not worried. I've also been tillering by heat now so the handle area is stiffer, i'll post more pics as i make progress.
Bow101 4" is a great size for hawthorn. I think you could start working them, be careful of tear-outs tho.
Thanks for the interest guys!

How do you "tiller by heat?"

[hedgeapple]

How do you "tiller by heat?"
[/quote]

+1 on that question.

[Zion]

What i mean by that is heat-treating certain areas so they become stiffer. It works well if you don't want to lose weight.

This bow isn't shooting good and it dropped too much weight so i'm going to let it go for bend tests or something. Blackhawk your right but hey you live and learn.

[adb]

What i mean by that is heat-treating certain areas so they become stiffer. It works well if you don't want to lose weight.

This bow isn't shooting good and it dropped too much weight so i'm going to let it go for bend tests or something. Blackhawk your right but hey you live and learn.

I don't believe that is the intent of heat treating. Heat treating involves evenly tempering the entire limb.

[bow101]

This bow isn't shooting good and it dropped too much weight so i'm going to let it go for bend tests or something. Blackhawk your right but hey you live and learn.

Ya I just broke another Hawthorn I was hogging out Yesterday..!!!    It was coming along really good, but I took off to much in the handle area and it broke.  But there was a pin knot that went in at about 45 degrees thats where she busted.  It had other knots near the tip areas as well.  I have more Hawthorn but I will wait a while longer and cut it into lams, Getting fed up with saplings and staves.....   Gonna concentrate on Boards and laminates...

P.S. the Hawthorn was nice and toasty dry.....   What I did was let it sit in the garden shack for 3 months, debark it and seal the entire piece, then hung it on ceiling hooks in the garage for 1 month where the car keeps it warm.  And there was absolutely no checking what so ever..