Your Proudest Achievement As A Bowyer?

[Cameroo]

It's obvious from some of the recent topics, that we have a group of people on this forum that are not only very talented, but also very passionate about our craft.  Some of us have been at it for decades, others for only a short time.  But regardless of how long we've been at it, it occurred to me that all of us probably have accomplished something that gave us a great sense of satisfaction.

I think it might be interesting have a thread for all of us to show off one (or more!) of our favorite pieces of work.  You be the judge of what the criteria are - could be just a great performer, something "pretty", something that was difficult or very time consuming to achieve... whatever!  Anything that made you sit back and think, "That's pretty cool that I actually made that".

Please take a minute or two to share some of your proudest achievements, with a little description, and pictures if possible. Include details of any struggles you've had along the way, thought processes to overcome those difficulties, etc.

Experience does not matter! It would be great to hear from all levels of bowyers!

[Cameroo]

Since I started the thread, I guess I'll kick it off.  Now I've been building bows for about 4 years I guess, but I am not one of those guys that pumps out a bow every day.  I've probably got about 20 under my belt, and about 10 other failures.  This bow is one of my favorites to date.  Nothing really exceptional, just a nice shooter that probably has the nicest tiller of any of my others.  It took almost no set, and has virtually no hand shock to speak of.  I took my time on the finishing touches and was really happy with how it turned out.  Some stats - Maple-backed ipe, 66" between the knocks, 47 lbs @ 28", gator-embossed veg-tanned cowhide for the grip, with hair-on calf hide for the strike plate.  The string is a 10 strand fast flight with ugly rubber string silencers on it.

I have another heavy (115lb) EWB that I am working on that presented some greater challenges, but due to the weather I have not been able to take it out into the field yet for it's trial run.  I'm going to be giddy if everything holds out, as this will be not only my first successful self bow, but also my heaviest draw weight yet.  I'll update with pics once the weather smartens up.

[PatM]

Back in 2001 the horsebow revival craze was on and everyone was lamenting the fact that one had to either attempt to make or buy a true composite or settle for one of the glass replica bows by Grozer or Kassai.
 I cut down an Elm tree and Marc St. Louis sent me some sinew and I made this bow a short time later. It is low set despite being poorly seasoned originally and I soaked off the backing once when the original commercial hideglue crackled way to much for my liking.
 The bow has an endless stack free draw and throws a long bamboo arrow like nothing else.
 
 Here it is at at least 32 inches pulled by bare thumb.
 

[Badger]

       Last year at the flights when I set a new record for the 50# self bow in the broadhead class was one of mine. My first record was something like 203 yards and I was happy with that but I knew the bows had a lot more in them. Last year I hit 221 yards with a 500 grain broadhead and was proud of that. I also set a 50# record for flight arrows but that was a bit hollow as I know these bows have another 100 yards in them with an ideal shot, I hit 341 yards.

       My proudest could only be appreciated by me as no one else actually knew what I was doing. When I built the giant bow for the DaVinci show about 25 ft long I had to calculate how much they would be able to crank on the gears they were using and build a bow that would kind of max that out. I had no time for a prototype and only one shot at it. I hit it perfectly as it took two guys pushing on the crank to get the last few inches. I built several small scale models and just hped it would scale up properly. The stored energy, draw weight and stresses came out just like I had figured. I felt proud that a high school drop out with A.D.D was able to hold it together long enough to complete it. It was funny because I know I was the only one who could really appreciate it.

[Del the cat]

Probably my first ever Yew ELB... there was blood sweat and tears in that and several years searching for the stave. It was a childhood ambition brought to fruition. (I'm currently refurbishing it, hoping to give it some more use, by applying all I've learned over the intervening 40 years )
I'm V proud of my bowyers diary.
Originally done because I felt I should know more about creating a website/blog and as an aide-memoire for myself. I've had plenty of appreciation of it and met some great people because of it. It's given help and encouragement to a good few newbies.
That's what I like about bow making, the more you put in, the more you get back. That and the fact that we are all still learning.... even when it's only 'cos we forgot what we did last time
Del

[Bogaman]

Watching my grandson take third in the clout shoot at Mojam one year. It was an adult shoot basically, he was 12 at the time, and I had helped him make the bow at the event the previous year;^)

[SLIMBOB]

  Took my son Jake to a summer camp early in 2012.  Lot's of different activities for the kiddos all designed to be educational and fun.  They studied bugs, snakes, birds, history, archeology and so forth.  The fellow that taught the archeology class had some really cool stuff including lots of stone points and tools.  His bow that he used in the class was another story.  We got to talking and turns out he was the Texas State Archeologist and one of the directors for the Texas Historical Commission.  He put on these types of shows for the kids all over the state.  Said he was a bit embarrassed about the bow, but it was all he had to use.  I told him I would make him a Plains Style Bow for his classes but that it might take me a while.  He thanked me, gave me his card and I'm sure forgot about the conversation the moment I left.  I called him in December and told him who I was and that I had something for him.  We met up a few days later and Jake handed him the bow.  To say he was surprised was an understatement.  The bow now travels with him to his shows and is a little better compliment to his collection.  Nothing real special about the bow itself, pretty straight forward Osage plains style bow with a sinew string, 48" long, 45lbs at 24 inches.  But I took a great deal of satisfaction in making it for him. 

[Badger]

Watching my grandson take third in the clout shoot at Mojam one year. It was an adult shoot basically, he was 12 at the time, and I had helped him make the bow at the event the previous year;^)

Thats cool, I know exactly what yu are talking about.

Back in 2001 the horsebow revival craze was on and everyone was lamenting the fact that one had to either attempt to make or buy a true composite or settle for one of the glass replica bows by Grozer or Kassai.
 I cut down an Elm tree and Marc St. Louis sent me some sinew and I made this bow a short time later. It is low set despite being poorly seasoned originally and I soaked off the backing once when the original commercial hideglue crackled way to much for my liking.
 The bow has an endless stack free draw and throws a long bamboo arrow like nothing else.
 
 Here it is at at least 32 inches pulled by bare thumb.
 

   That is a beautiful bow Pat!

Probably my first ever Yew ELB... there was blood sweat and tears in that and several years searching for the stave. It was a childhood ambition brought to fruition. (I'm currently refurbishing it, hoping to give it some more use, by applying all I've learned over the intervening 40 years )
I'm V proud of my bowyers diary.
Originally done because I felt I should know more about creating a website/blog and as an aide-memoire for myself. I've had plenty of appreciation of it and met some great people because of it. It's given help and encouragement to a good few newbies.
That's what I like about bow making, the more you put in, the more you get back. That and the fact that we are all still learning.... even when it's only 'cos we forgot what we did last time
Del

    One more thing off your bucket list, hard to shake those childhood goals, thats what got me into wood bows.

[Marc St Louis]

Wow, I haven't seen that bow in a long time Pat.

[PAHunter]

Great topic; can't wait to see the responses!  For me giving bows away to people who appreciate them is always very special.  But as for my proudest artifacts I'd have to say:

#1 is my first bow.  My uncle was giving me hell for my Hoytt Carbon Element compound bow.  Giving me the "when I was a kid we chopped down trees to make bows" talk pretty heavy.  Not sure that he actually ever did that for the record.     So I said, Ok let's do it!  We went up and got a hickory log that was cut a few years earlier and split it.  I started working on it with knives and random tools lying around.  Eventually I got a copy of The Bent Stick by Paul Comstock.  And then I found a YouTube video by Billy Burger on making a hickory bow.  In the end I made a 20 # longbow with tons of set and the most uncomfortable handle ever.  It was beautiful!  Someone recently posted a topic on the idea of perfection.  At the time I have to say I thought that bow was perfect.  I was amazed at the sheer fact that I didn't break it!  I kinda still am!       Now I make powerful hunting bows and usually all I do is think of everything that is "wrong" with them. 

# 2 is my first osage bow and first hunt worthy bow.  The stave was given to me for free by someone I met online and I had the help of countless people, most of whom I never met in person.  That was around the time I first met blackhawk and he gave me some in person lessons which took me to a whole new level in bow making; and simultaneously helped me realized how much I sucked!        I've made faster, shorter, and prettier bows since but this 52# Osage longbow and the community it introduced me to  will always be very special to me. 

[Eric Krewson]

The bow I made for one of our wounded warriors tops my list. Gill (center of pic) was badly wounded in Afghanistan and after years of rehabilitation can finally shoot a bow again. I felt the need to give him a special bow and I did, he loves it.



Here is Gil's special forces team in Afghanistan, Gil is the one behind Hamid Karsi to the right. The entire team with the exception of Gil and one other guy were killed in a friendly fire accident.

[bubby]

my greatest achievement, probably the friends I've made here, some truly great people in this brotherhood we have here, bub

[lukelawrence171]

this was my first successful osage longbow it 52# at 28 in very quiet,all im saying is that i wish that i had started making bows out of osage a long time ago i have been using woods like hickory, elm and oak. now i have only been making bows for a year or to but im only 15 so that's a long time for me. the first osage bow i tried to make had a unballanced  tiller and broke after about 700 shots and i was ready to give up but this summer i got some osage offline and started to make another and it turned out to be my favorite bow yet .I hope you guys like it maybe i can get a few deer with it next season.and i was also so excited i went to the east coast  and chopped down over 45 staves to keep me busy for a while. i also made a short video to show how it shoots.


http://youtu.be/4zduUbi66jQ

[Marc St Louis]

My first bow that broke 190 fps with 10 gpp sort of warmed my heart.  Also made me quite happy when I could go out with my own bows and shoot a hunting arrow further than my brothers old compound could, I don't think it made my brother too happy though

[Buckeye Guy]

For me it is not about what I have done to a piece of wood but what they have done t o me !
The things they have taught me and how they have brought me to life!
one of the ancient words that was translated as tillering also means to bring to life
Have fun!
Guy