Wild Plum Self bow

[pierce_schmeichel]

Hey guys I finished up this wild plum selfbow a little while ago. The problem is that I want to make it shoot faster. It's pretty good for its size and poundage, 45"ntn 40lbs at 21" and shoots a 650 Grain arrow 100fps. So I was wondering which route you guys think I should go with making it faster. Should I sinew back it? Cable back it? Just shorten it and keep it a selfbow? I just don't know I can't decide

[Pat B]

Nice little bow with a nice tiller. You could add sinew to the back and kick the tips up a bit. Both could add a little more speed.

[superdav95]

Nice little bow with a nice tiller. You could add sinew to the back and kick the tips up a bit. Both could add a little more speed.

Agree.   Plus 1 here

[pierce_schmeichel]

Yeah I think I'm going to sinew back it and give it a bend in the handle and make it a sort of gullwing.

I did shorten it a little though and I gave it a couple more heat treatments. I also thinned the tips and it went up a little to 115fps.

[Hamish]

Nice bow. I hope you didn't eat any of those plums though, they will make you go wild. Likewise don't feed any birds, wild bird mix.

[pierce_schmeichel]

Nice bow. I hope you didn't eat any of those plums though, they will make you go wild. Likewise don't feed any birds, wild bird mix.

Haha actually I did eat some!! My wife and I made some delicious wild plum jam. The inner pulp part is totally edible. It's just the pits and skins that really make you sick

[bentstick54]

A 650 grain arrow out of that short 40# bow will rob a lot of speed also.

[Eric Krewson]

I agree, a 65-gr arrow is way too much for that little bow to have much speed, shoot one that is 450gr and you will see the speed you want.

[pierce_schmeichel]

You see I totally would use a lighter arrow but the only good arrow shaft materials here in ND are choke cherry and dogwood. Which are pretty heavy and I have yet to make one that light.

[pierce_schmeichel]

Okay so I finished sinew backing it and it's mostly dry but I'm gonna give it at least another weak before stringing it up and testing it.

Anyway I also noticed these little cracks that appeared on the belly. They formed when I braced the bow a little too far back when I was heat treating. They haven't really seemed to affect the tiller at all but I was thinking maybe I should put a horn belly on it before it becomes a real problem. I have been wanting to make a bison horn belly bow for a while Anyway. I don't know though. What do you guys think? Should I do it? Or leave it

[pierce_schmeichel]

Forgot to add photos haha

[superdav95]

Those are some unfortunate cracks.  If it were me I would consider a belly lam or horn if you got some.  You will need to groove down past the cracks to be safe I would say.  How many grams of sinew do you figure you put down?   

[pierce_schmeichel]

I am not sure how many grams I put down but it was 2 layers. Not huge layers but decent. And yes I have some bison horn!

Also would it be a good idea to just shave until those cracks are gone and then add another layer or 2 of sinew instead of belly lam?

[JW_Halverson]

You see I totally would use a lighter arrow but the only good arrow shaft materials here in ND are choke cherry and dogwood. Which are pretty heavy and I have yet to make one that light.

What part of NoDak are you in?

[pierce_schmeichel]

You see I totally would use a lighter arrow but the only good arrow shaft materials here in ND are choke cherry and dogwood. Which are pretty heavy and I have yet to make one that light.

What part of NoDak are you in?

Bismarck!