Hackberry Molly (Finished Pictures Added)

[bjrogg]

Maybe it's a hi-bred Bill. I really like it, the bend is looking real good to me. Can't wait to see what she looks like all gussied up.
Bjrogg

[Danzn Bar]

Hey Paul S, yep ........ as I knock it down a bit in weight I'll work that spot. Thanks!
DBar

[BowEd]

I thought it might be 2" wide but that's cool.Even better @ 1.8".Thanks.Seems to be in a nice safe range yet mass weight wise to hold up.It evens things out good.Those widths sound like what I would end up with anyway.We can only wait and watch to see what you do with the white back on this one after seeing those pheasant feather backed beauties you've shown.I'm sure you'll come up with something.Maybe even get it in for BOM entry.
Your full draw looks better one way then the other.Maybe a slight propeller?Good taking those digi pics of full draw to inspect that.

[Danzn Bar]

Ed,
The back if it holds up after shooting a 100 times or so (only have about 30-40 shots at this point) will be "turkey" feathers. Turkey feathers is the only bird I've done.  I don't have any pheasant feathers, but that would be great and I bet they would look real good.  I've got feathers of a half dozen quail just waiting for the right bow/application. 

There's no prop twist.... must be the way I'm holding it....
Thanks for the comments, always learn from others opinions.........

I'll have it at Elm Hall and be putting the final touches on it before finishing there.
Thanks
DBar

[BowEd]

I bet she holds up.Don't want to jinx it though.
I wonder what gray speckeled guinea feathers would look like.They are gray with white dots on them all over their body.Maybe a king snake look?Lot of choices out there.
Wish Elm hall was'nt so far away.

[Onebowonder]

I hate to be that 'other voice', but knowing that you plan to feather back this beauty, I'd fill that hole with epoxy mixed with brass powder.  It would shine like gold next to those metallic looking feathers!

...and to take the contrarian point to it's fullest, I cannot imagine that filling the hole would be functionally the same as not filling it.  Air has nearly ZERO compression strength compared to just about anything you might use to fill the hole.  Now, it may not make a difference that would ever be noticed, assuming that the wood around the knot never gets loaded up significantly.  But if the wood around the hole would ever be stressed or move at all, then a filler that could push back and support the wood fibers around the hole would have to be better than ambient air to keep things in place.  Am I missing something obvious in my thinking about this?

I suppose there is also the weight of the filler to consider, but that would seem to be a minimal consideration for performance.

OneBow

[Danzn Bar]

Eric,
You do have a point.
DBar

[Danzn Bar]

Hey Guys,
I've been shooting it and thinning out the tips, working it down to get it to weight,  and I think I almost went too far on the thinning of the levers.  You have got to be careful if your not familiar with the wood with leavers.  It is very common on lever type bows to have a twist in the levers if you get them too long and narrow, especially with reflex levers. I don't have as much experiance with hackberry as I do with osage, but, I think I've got them to the limit for hackberry.  It looks real good right now with a lot of work at the nocks and additional dry heat corrections.  I will be adding the feathers and the some stain in the next few sessions.
 
I hope to have more pictures once I have the feathers on.  The FD looks the same as the prior pic's just thinner in all areas......
More pic's to come later......
DBar

[osage outlaw]

Can't wait to see it all finished Bill.

[Parnell]

That fd profile looks really cool, Bill.  I like the little bit of reflex with the levers and how its breaking in the handle. 
Very nice.

[Danzn Bar]

Thanks Steve appreciate the comments....................
OO hope to almost have it finished by Scottsburg so you can take a look at it..
DBar

[JonW]

Bill I been hiding out watching this one. Really like what I'm seeing. The first few bows I made were hackberry Mollies. An excellent combo. This one should be a good shooter.

[Danzn Bar]

Thanks Mr. W appreciate the encouraging words...my friend....
DBar

[JonW]

I can't believe we don't see more bows made from hackberry. Grows pipe straight, heat bends easily and grows everywhere.

[Danzn Bar]

Yea I agree JonW ....some mighty tough wood, most under-rated wood around if you ask me.  I've got 3 or 4 more staves and I'll be looking for more for sure.
Dbar