Primitive Archer
Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: kiltedcelt on April 26, 2009, 08:06:25 pm
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I've got this nice thick hickory board that I've been working on. Originally I was going to chase a ring but now I'm just thinking I'd rather just treat it like a regular board bow and use it to make a bamboo backed English longbow. I made a bad choice when I picked out some hickory a while back (some boards that had really poor grain for bow making). Anyway, I'm looking for opinions as to whether this will make a decent bow if backed with bamboo. You can see the grain patterning on the face and ends as well as how parallel the grain is running from my initial attempts at removing wood in preparation to chase a ring.
Three photos in sequence showing board from left, middle, and right, followed by both ends, and side grain:
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v483/MCampbell/DSC_0005-2.jpg)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v483/MCampbell/DSC_0006-1.jpg)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v483/MCampbell/DSC_0007.jpg)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v483/MCampbell/DSC_0009.jpg)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v483/MCampbell/DSC_0008-1.jpg)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v483/MCampbell/DSC_0010-1.jpg)
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looks plenty long however I'd suggest something slightly wider than an ELB, even considering that good hickory will make a narrow longbow.
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how long?? everything looks ok for using the center section. if its about 8 ft long you could probably cut off the bad parts and get about 3 bows out of it. that board looks to be plain sawn and that about all i use for board bows.
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The board is only 72" long so I wouldn't be able to make a super long, longbow, but I think if I can back it with bamboo I should be able to get a nice draw weight easily over 60# I would think. The board is 6/4 which means it's something like 1 1/4" thick or so. I can easily get the shape I want along with a slightly thickened handle from that thickness of board. Unfortunately I started chasing a ring on this so I really only have a center section about 2 1/2" to 3" wide to work with. Actually I think it's probably no wider than about 2" at the narrowest end.
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I would cut some backing strips from the sides before I cut anything else out of it. At 1 1/4" they would make good backing strips for osage, ipe and other woods. Cut them 3/16" thick and when dressed they will come out 1/8" thick or slightly less. You could use one of the backing strips as a backing for your hickory ELB style bow. ;)