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Author Topic: round belly on sapling bow  (Read 2721 times)

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Offline jandersson

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round belly on sapling bow
« on: August 09, 2015, 09:52:55 pm »
Hello,
I'm working on an ash sapling where the belly of the limb, closer to the handle, is gonna end up round. I have a vague memory of reading a post where someone said to make sure the belly is flat on a sapling bow. I don't really wanna take of any wood up there because I think the weight is going to go down to much but would I have to for it to hold together?.  The sapling is 68", 1" on one end and about 1 1/4 at this time at the widest part.
Thanks
Joakim
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Offline bowandarrow473

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Re: round belly on sapling bow
« Reply #1 on: August 09, 2015, 10:22:25 pm »
That's a small sapling, I think that having a slightly rounded belly on one small section of the limbs won't hurt it, I would be more concerned with the back failing due to the extreme tension pressure on a sapling that small. I was actually trying a go at a black elderberry short bow earlier today(it was about the same size as your bow only it was 50in long) and the thing broke at 19in draw, the back failed and the belly was completely fine despite being only about 3/4 in wide, so go for it!!
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Offline Weylin

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Re: round belly on sapling bow
« Reply #2 on: August 09, 2015, 10:23:59 pm »
Check out some of Druid's bows. He hasn't been around for a while but he did a lot of rounded sapling bows. They are awesome.
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Offline bubby

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Re: round belly on sapling bow
« Reply #3 on: August 09, 2015, 11:33:55 pm »
Yeah i think druid made mostly flat bellys or slightly elliptical bellys
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mikekeswick

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Re: round belly on sapling bow
« Reply #4 on: August 10, 2015, 03:15:30 am »
It doesn't matter - go for it!
The highly crowned back of an ash bow is not going to fail. Ash is mega in tension.
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Offline PEARL DRUMS

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Re: round belly on sapling bow
« Reply #5 on: August 10, 2015, 08:29:42 am »
At that very, very small diameter I'd almost think you will need a flat belly just for the stability. Don't expect much over 25-35#. There simply isn't enough wood there to do much more. Your bow will be well under 1" wide at completion.
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Offline Weylin

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Re: round belly on sapling bow
« Reply #6 on: August 10, 2015, 04:50:35 pm »
Quote from: bubby on August 09, 2015, 11:33:55 pm
Yeah i think druid made mostly flat bellys or slightly elliptical bellys

You're right, Bubby. I didn't mean to imply that his bellies were perfectly round. Here's an example of what I was thinking of. This one is an ash bow, as a matter of fact. http://www.primitivearcher.com/smf/index.php?topic=34363.0
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Offline bubby

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Re: round belly on sapling bow
« Reply #7 on: August 10, 2015, 05:15:50 pm »
No problem Weylin druid made lots of sapling bows and very cool ones too
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Offline Gordon

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Re: round belly on sapling bow
« Reply #8 on: August 10, 2015, 08:32:13 pm »
That is very narrow for ash. I don't think you will have any trouble tension wise, but compression stress will likely be an issue unless you let it bend through the handle.
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Gordon

Offline smoky#1

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Re: round belly on sapling bow
« Reply #9 on: August 10, 2015, 09:50:55 pm »
i built a ash bow about that size, i have not had it break in either tension or compression , and it has a stiff handle.
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smoky, Bassett NE

Offline jandersson

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Re: round belly on sapling bow
« Reply #10 on: August 13, 2015, 10:02:57 pm »
Ok, I think I'll make it a little more bendy through the handle to spread the compression stress a bit more. It's stable so far  but it is only my 3rd bow and first not board bow so I'm sure I can still mess it up.  I am gonna need some help with the tillering, it has some knots I'm not sure how to deal with but that's another post. As always thanks for your time and effort in helping us new builders!
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Offline Pappy

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Re: round belly on sapling bow
« Reply #11 on: August 14, 2015, 07:06:10 am »
Not real sure on Ash but I built a Hickory sapling bow a few years back about that size, I just left the hand round and stiff, and cut from the fads to the tips flat leaving a 4 inch handle an 1 1/2 fads. It made a prefect size handle and had no problem making weight. I think it was 66 t-t and 50ish@ 26.  :)
  Pappy
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