2016 Primitive Archer Bow Trade Sign up and Information

[burchett.donald]

Ajoot,
            Looks balanced buddy and as long as it shoots good for ya, your on the money...A pretty tiller isn't always correct...Thanks for the compliment sir...
                                                                                                                                          Don

[Swampman]

Don, all of those bows look great.  I bet they are a joy to shoot.

Ajooter, that stiff fade is just slightly stiff to my untrained eye.  I think it looks really good and if it shoots well then I would say it is great.  That is what is important. 

[Stixnstones]

man i take a couple days off and the place blows up. Don, all those look great. Swamp, that baby looks like a rocket launcher. Ajooter, aint nothin wrong there.

[Knoll]

I know I can get a board bow bending within a few days time, so that's what I'll be working on now.



However, on either side of the knot, the grain straightened out long enough to get enough length for a proper sized limb plus some change for a splice.



So after cutting the limbs out and roughing out the limb profile, I spliced them together!  I plan on using the heartwood part of the board for a handle and tip overlays, so it'll be neat to have that nice contrast from the same piece of hickory.

Looks like you're gonna get max use from that piece of wood! Heartwood handle piece should be nice contrast ... particularly if ya can incorporate that knot.

Splicing at handle is something I gotta have a go at.

Good luck!

[ty_in_ND]

Looks like you're gonna get max use from that piece of wood! Heartwood handle piece should be nice contrast ... particularly if ya can incorporate that knot.

Splicing at handle is something I gotta have a go at.

Good luck!

Well, do what you can, with what you have, where you are!  I'm going to steer clear of that knot for now, but I might use it in a future project.

[Ranasp]

So I did as suggested with measuring from the end closest to the knot and...Huh.  My sense of perspective must have been WAY off just because of the length of the entire stave, because it doesn't look nearly as badly located as I thought it would.  The picture shows where the exact center falls when the length is either 64" (the squiggle to the furthest right of the knot) or 59" (the one closer to the middle of the knot).  There's a distance of 2 1/2" between them, which means the bulge of the knot isn't all that far away from them. 




Next two pictures show the knot I dug out (pretty much smack in the middle) and how deep it ended up being (not all that bad, really)

 



I'm starting to think it actually isn't such a bad idea to move the knot to the center of the bow, unless someone can tell me why that would be a bad idea.

[Stixnstones]

if your gonna have a knot like that, in the middle is where ya want it

[jeffp51]

I need some advice.  The string on my yew stave is tracking right on the edge of the handle.  It was always shading that way, but as I start to add brace height, it is moving just a little more.  Problem is, I have the rawhide attached with hide glue on the back--otherwise this would be easy to fix with some heat.  If I put the handle on my knee, it takes very little pressure to move the string the 1/2 inch or so to the middle of the handle.

Ideas on what to do?

[ajooter]

Steam that baby jeff...Gordon does it in his buildalongs..works like a charm!

[half eye]

Jeff,
    If the issue increases as you add string height I would suspect the limbs have a strong and weak side. I cant see your bow but there is the possibility that one side of each limb is a little stronger than the other side. If that is the case then what happens is as you draw the bow the strength difference shows up more as the string comes back. Usually the string will track to the strong side but a thickness check will confirm or rule out this POSSIBLE condition.
    Not saying that is the problem but is one possibility.
rich

[jeffp51]

Steam that baby jeff...Gordon does it in his buildalongs..works like a charm!

can't steam--rawhide is already on the back and steam would take it back off. 

Assuming there isn't a strong and weak side as rich suggests, would leaving it clamped overnight without heat do me any good?

[half eye]

Jeff,
     If it moves quite easily perhaps you could clamp it straight....belly up...and heat the belly side of the grip, not a serious treatment  but just a little to help persuade it to stay. Mabe an old rag under the bow to protect from wrap around heat.....just an idea.
rich

[Loope]

Jeff,

Maybe you could use side nocks to move the string closer to center?

[ty_in_ND]

Handle section, check.  The splice also turned out pretty good, too.  That Smooth On is a great adhesive!

I've got my morning cleared to hit the shaping tomorrow.  Hopefully by the end of the day it will look more like a bow!

[jeffp51]

I ended up protecting the back with layers of tape and holding a roll of paper towels to the back to protect it while I heated with oil and a heat gun.  I figured my hand would get too hot before the back did.  I managed to move the handle about 3/8 of an inch, which will be enough.  I like this yew.  I wish I had more. Gutshot and I were discussing what a generous gift this was from Fred for me to work.  I think my victim is going to enjoy it if it continues to hold together.

I got the tiller out to about 20" today and to a low brace.  It is coming along.