First Selfbow attempt: Elm Ishi-ish flatbow

[Elm Split]

Hello everybody!! New fellow from Italy here.
I wanted to share my first attempt at making a bow.
I was a total beginner in archery and woodworking alike. I read the TTBB and started making a traditional wooden spoon, just to get in touch with the material, than started working on a short, crooked elm trunk found during a walk in the countryside. I choosed to start this way to be sure not to waste a good piece of wood next time I buy one, and for the fun of it  it seemed more primitive this way
The elm trunk was approximately 46", two big branches at its base, lots of nodes.
I took off the bark than sealed the extremities, than I couldn't help myself but to wait a month before starting working on it out of impatience.
It was a hell of a job to split, but  it came out nice between the two branches, so I started working with an hatchet and a homemade draw knife built from a long knife.

I send you some pictures: I recognize an error in leaving too much material behind nodes (it was not that necessary and it lead me to remove lots of wood on other spots in order to make the thing bend). You can already spot the first chrisalis, but hey, just a first try 
I'm open to all kind of comments and suggestions... I'm here to learn!
Thanks everybody

[Pat B]

Welcome to PA, Elm Split.
Two obvious hinges, one on each limb. Probably where the chrysal is.   For a beginner I would suggest a longer stave, say 68".
George Tsoukalas has a great website for beginners. I think there is a link in the "How To" section.

[PEARL DRUMS]

The formula in the TBB is a fail safe recipe. Draw length x 2 + 10" handle/fade area equals your knock to knock length. With elm make it 2" wide.

[FilipT]

Did you tiller it?

[Stick Bender]

Welcome to PA +3 for the longer stave ,I got my first successful bow from a 70 in. Long board  the longer & wider  the stave the more forgiving the bow will be to learning mistakes you already learned a lot by making that bow good luck ,look foward to your future posts.

[TimBo]

Good advice so far.  You can see in the last photo that all of the bend is in those two spots.  If you want to practice on that stave, try going by feel - just slide your thumb and fingers over the bow (pincer grip style) and you will see that the two bending spots feel thinner by a lot.  Mark them with a pencil so you don't take off more wood there, and remove wood everywhere else until everything feels closer to the same thickness.  Eventually you want a gradual taper that is thicker near the grip and thinner near the tips (for most tiller styles anyway).  That bow is probably toast, but making it bend more evenly might give you a better idea of what to do on the next one.  You could also just get a new chunk of wood.  Good luck!

[Elm Split]

Thanks everybody forma che warm welcome! Great community.
I didn't eventi tiller it, just tried to bend it time to time while I was removing wood. The thing was stiff as a walking cane until i almost removed alla che darker hardwood. Maybe I should've try to jump down a ring from the back?
I think i will try to shoot some self arrows with this until it cracks, bit definitely I'll vive a shoot about thinning the two arms avoiding the already thinned part!

[George Tsoukalas]

There's info on my site incleuding buildalongs.

It's tough getting started and we've all been through it.

http://traditionalarchery101.com/

Jawge

[FilipT]

Thanks everybody forma che warm welcome! Great community.
I didn't eventi tiller it, just tried to bend it time to time while I was removing wood. The thing was stiff as a walking cane until i almost removed alla che darker hardwood. Maybe I should've try to jump down a ring from the back?
I think i will try to shoot some self arrows with this until it cracks, bit definitely I'll vive a shoot about thinning the two arms avoiding the already thinned part!

If its not tillered, then I wouldn't recommend using it. Why do you want to break it in your hand? Use new stave. Elm doesn't need ring chasing.

[mikekeswick]

The main thing for any bow is an even thickness/width taper. Learn to use your fingers as 'calipers'. Constantly running them up and down the length of the limb. Looking for absolutely no spots where it gets thicker on the way from the handle to the tips.
Next time keep looking for a straight tree! Even if it takes a few days to find one. Straight wood will make things a whole lot easier for yourself and the bow

[Eric Krewson]

A few more tools would help, along with a proper bow lay out. Looks like your hatchet was your primary tool, a rasp would have been a better choice because you would have had more control.

Free handing the making of a bow without lines drawn to keep everything even and controlled is a task that few can master.

[DuBois]

Welcome!
You're on your way buddy.

Cool hatchet 

[wizardgoat]

Welcome to the site, sounds like you are bit by the bug, and also sounds like you have access to good elm. Good advice above, clean and straight bow wood is tough to find, just keep looking.
I'd also add, not a good idea to shoot that bow as is. It will no doubt break where it's hinging, and breaking bows can lead to nasty injuries, cheers

[Del the cat]

You've done the hardest step... you've started.
There are plenty of 'armchair experts' who have never even tried.
You will learn, your bows will get better. The people who never try, simply have no concept of what they don't know.
The hard thing is learning patience and training your eye to see problems before they become obvious.
I don't need to pass an opinion on your bow, others have done so already.
Sometimes the only way to learn how to do it right, is to do it wrong first.
Good luck on your bow making journey.
The one bit of advice I will offer is:-
You can't make a bow and then see how it bends... you need to be flexing it throughout the process.
Del
BTW My "Bowyers Diary" (just google it) may be of some help as I show my failures and mistakes as well as the good stuff.
Remember making bows isn't a race...