Osage, Hickory & Walnut Reflexed Bow

[redhillwoods]

I started this bow by spoke-shaving a Hickory stave down to one growth ring, band-sawing it off and prepping it down to approximately 1/8".  I then reverse tillered it on an Osage Orange belly and joined them at about 5" of reflex.  I attached a walnut riser and tillered the whole bow to 48 lbs. at a 28" draw.  The bow is 68" long ntn.  Unstrung it sits in 3" of reflex. I love this design where the reflex happens along the entire limb. It has the performance benefits of a recurve yet retains the elegance of a longbow[/img]

My apologies, I'm new at posting messages and attaching images in a forum.

[upstatenybowyer]

Looks very nice. Love to see a full draw pic. 

[Pat B]

We need more pics; full draw, braced and back profile.

[Lehtis]

Agree Pat B; in this form itīs just a stick... ;-)

[JW_Halverson]

That mix of materials has a lot of potential. Potential for beauty AND performance!

Cannot wait to see pics of this thing drawn!

[bjrogg]

Welcome to PA redhillwoods. Is this your first bow or have you been doing this awhile? It's a fairly challenging bow if your just a beginner. I like your design, but to me it looks like you have a bit of a hinge starting in your upper limb about 8" above the fades. It's always a bit hard looking at pictures but I think I see it in your braced profile to. Seems a bit stiff out of the upper fades till it starts a bend. Might help to remove a little wood between fade and that bend. I'd try to stay away from bend and not to close to fades so your handle doesn't pop off. How is it holding its shape? I could be wrong I'm not nearly as experienced as a lot of others on this site. Just wanted to say hello and give my honest critique. Look forward to seeing more of your work.
Bjrogg

[JW_Halverson]

Oh yeah, baby!  That's the ticket!  Thanks for the additional photos! 

I agree with BJ, there is a hint of hinge in that upper limb, but it sure isn't radical.  You got plenty of limb length and the design is not overstressing at that hinge. But it may likely take a little more set in that area as it shoots in.

One question so that I can be absolutely clear on the point you made... 

spoke-shaving a Hickory stave down to one growth ring, band-sawing it off and prepping it down to approximately 1/8".

So you are saying that your hickory backing shows a single, unbroken growth ring on the back of the bow, rather than a sawn/decrowned/grain violated slab?  If I got this right, then I like it even more. Added complexity to the build, but relying on the natural advantages the wood possesses to get the best results.  Craftsmanship, brother, craftsmanship!

[BowEd]

The problem lies with the initial profile of the glue up.Reflex coming out of the fades then from midlimb there is none.It's not an overall ever increasing type reflex induced there.The problem is in the tapering from midlimb on out.Not enough.The holding reflex induced makes it kinda look like it's hinging at full draw.
It'll still make a decent bow.Although I would scrape a little like BJ says from the fades to midlmb.I say little too.You'll lose draw strength very quickly scraping there.
On the upside shooting the way it is will have very little hand shock.Having it work too close to the handle it could buck your hand a little being that long of a bow.Overall good choice of components though.

[redhillwoods]

One question so that I can be absolutely clear on the point you made... 

spoke-shaving a Hickory stave down to one growth ring, band-sawing it off and prepping it down to approximately 1/8".

So you are saying that your hickory backing shows a single, unbroken growth ring on the back of the bow, rather than a sawn/decrowned/grain violated slab?  If I got this right, then I like it even more. Added complexity to the build, but relying on the natural advantages the wood possesses to get the best results.  Craftsmanship, brother, craftsmanship!

Hello everyone.Thank-you all for the welcome and the input.
Yes the back is one unbroken growth-ring just as if I were making a self-bow but then I cut it off. I will post a pic that shows this better.
I agree about that hinge, and I swear it wasn't there on the tillering stick. The bow sat for about a month after I finished it and then I took it out in minus 18C and brought it to full draw and i swear I heard a gut-wrenching noise like a pop or a crack. I thought it was just in my head but that's when I noticed that  hinge. There is no other evidence of damage and the bow has been shooting great. I've made this style of bow many times before without this happening. It bothered me so much I considered not sending in a picture of it however I wanted to post something this month. It's quite prominent when braced however there's no evidence of it in the unbraced profile.

I like to put most of the reflex from midlimb to the fades . It may look somewhat hinged when drawn but as long as both limbs are even (with this bow they are not!) and as long it's not too much load that it causes set there I'm fine with it. I believe  I put too much bend in too small an area which caused the hinge. I agree it would benefit from some wood removal just above the upper fade.

[BowEd]

I did'nt before but I see now that you have some extended stiff tips.My apologies.I should of asked for a top view.The shortened working length limbs on those type bows do give a nice low string angle for smoothness and do perform well if the stiff extended tips are reduced in weight enough.I call then lever bows.A fine shooter.