Author Topic: Bow journal?  (Read 4035 times)

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Offline PEARL DRUMS

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Re: Bow journal?
« Reply #15 on: July 10, 2017, 02:04:30 pm »
I have a complete journal, right in my head :)

I think we all have unwritten journals after a while. You learn as you go and repeat what works. The more woods you use and the more variety you build, the journal grows.
Only when the last tree has died and the last river has been poisoned and the last fish has been caught will we realize we cannot eat money.

Offline bradsmith2010

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Re: Bow journal?
« Reply #16 on: July 10, 2017, 03:35:03 pm »
I write down alot about what I make,,
I can go back about 20 years,,
it helps when I give advice,,or suggestions on bow design,,or want to remember how much sinew I put on that bow 15 years ago that shot so great,,or how long it was etc etc etc,,

I can look at the performance of a bow and decide if I want to make another one,,
or even check the set and fps,, on a bow years later to see if the design is holding up as I expected,,
my memory is not so good,, so I like to keep a record,,I am sure its not for everyone,, but it helps me quite a bit,,

I reference back quite a bit,, especially to the performance of certain bows,, if I piked a bow and I gained weight and performance,, I am able to give a rough estimate to someone who might be considering doing the same,
 )P(

my notes go back to 1996,, I was making bows before that,, my first bow that I have notes on was for Mike Prince and he won the Cloverdale Nationals with that,,
my notes say how long I left it in heat box(and that it checked after one day at 90 degrees) and that I forgot to coat the belly with finish before putting in the heat box,, etc etc,,
when I read about the things that did not work,, reminds me not to do that again,, or advise someone not to do it,,, (--)  and why,,, :)


Offline Badger

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Re: Bow journal?
« Reply #17 on: July 10, 2017, 03:44:17 pm »
  brad back about the time you started several guys were keeping journals, I think Tim Baker kept a journal on a lot of his bows. I think they are very interesting to look at but I don't trust what they might tell me. The bigger the pattern of the same results over a long period of time would suggest useful info. 

Offline bradsmith2010

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Re: Bow journal?
« Reply #18 on: July 10, 2017, 03:54:36 pm »
yes you are right about that,, but still interesting,,some trustworthy,, mostly the failures seem to hold up the best,, (--)

Offline Pappy

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Re: Bow journal?
« Reply #19 on: July 11, 2017, 03:47:33 am »
Yep seen that bow Brad, refurbished it for Mike. Wished he was still shooting, he could shoot for sure. I started out #ing my bows and making a few notes and wished I had kept that up, but sometimes if fact most times I have 3 or 4 or more going at the same time, got at least 3 in the finishing stages now and don't even know how many roughed in at different stages so it got hard to keep up with and I really I thought who cares. Now I just name um and put date and weight and move on. :)
 Pappy
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Offline Eric Krewson

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Re: Bow journal?
« Reply #20 on: July 11, 2017, 07:35:03 am »
My entries are pretty simple such as; " July 1997, BBO, R/H 57#@26", a real dog until I heat treated the belly at which point it became a rocket launcher. Gave to so and so for all his hard work promoting archery".

Offline Wooden Spring

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Re: Bow journal?
« Reply #21 on: July 11, 2017, 10:30:02 am »
It's a great idea! I kept one for a very long time so that I would know where to start when I needed to make a certain poundage of bow... Now I just use math to design my bows, so I don't keep the list anymore, but it is amazing to me how predictable that bowmaking can really be, and if you don't want to do the maths, keeping a list of bow descriptions is a great means of repeatability.
"Everything that moves shall be food for you..." Genesis 9:3

Offline willie

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Re: Bow journal?
« Reply #22 on: July 11, 2017, 12:24:21 pm »
I agree with woodenspring in that.....
Quote
it is amazing to me how predictable that bowmaking can really be

I usually "sketch out" my design in woodbears  spreadsheet. making estimates for some of the needed values, and then make some notes and adjust the estimates when the bow is completed.

Offline George Tsoukalas

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Re: Bow journal?
« Reply #23 on: July 11, 2017, 07:36:24 pm »
I wish I kept at least a simple journal.
Jawge
Set Happens!
If you ain't breakin' you ain't makin!

Offline bradsmith2010

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Re: Bow journal?
« Reply #24 on: July 12, 2017, 10:28:49 pm »
Jawge, its never to late,, :)

Offline George Tsoukalas

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Re: Bow journal?
« Reply #25 on: July 13, 2017, 07:36:58 am »
I know, Brad. :) Jawge
Set Happens!
If you ain't breakin' you ain't makin!