Primitive Archer

Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: JW_Halverson on July 10, 2009, 02:08:57 pm

Title: Getting a handle on it
Post by: JW_Halverson on July 10, 2009, 02:08:57 pm

I was recently at the Fort Union Living History event at the confluence of the Yellowstone and Missouri Rivers.  I was scraping away on a bur oak (Quercus macrocarpa) stave while the tourists wandered through camp.  I happened to be distracted a bit by a certain lovely Canadian gal, who shall remain nameless, and I ended up taking waaaay too much off the width of a handle. 

The handle is now about 5/8ths of an inch wide and a little over an inch deep.  There is nowhere near enough material to prevent flex in the handle and due to the wonderful character of this stave I really don't want to lose this fight.  I have thought about building up the back and sides of the handle with sinew, or even glueing on thin layers of osage. 

I may be getting old, but I am still young enough to learn new mistakes!

Title: Re: Getting a handle on it
Post by: El Destructo on July 10, 2009, 02:13:24 pm

You could always wrap it with Rawhide Strips to give it more Stability and Strength....or you could cut it in half and build it up and make a Take Down Bow from it....I Myself would glue two strips on the Sides....shape the Handle the way you would like it to be....then wrap it with nice wet Rawhide Strips about 3/4" wide...and let it all dry and shrink up together....JMO

Title: Re: Getting a handle on it
Post by: coyote pup on July 10, 2009, 02:43:00 pm

My choice would be to do what you mentioned, and sinew the back and sides of the handle, and then do like Destructo just said and wrap rawhide on the outside for the actual handle.

Title: Re: Getting a handle on it
Post by: venisonburger on July 10, 2009, 05:33:31 pm

Dang women!
VB

Title: Re: Getting a handle on it
Post by: Dano on July 10, 2009, 06:04:11 pm

Yep women have been a distraction to me since I can recall.  ::) Oh yeah, all good advise from the guys above.

Title: Re: Getting a handle on it
Post by: George Tsoukalas on July 10, 2009, 06:06:25 pm

I'd glue one some wood. At least an inch of wood is my guess. Jawge

Title: Re: Getting a handle on it
Post by: El Destructo on July 10, 2009, 09:10:51 pm

Quote from: El Destructo on July 10, 2009, 02:13:24 pm

I Myself would glue two strips on the Sides....shape the Handle the way you would like it to be....then wrap it with nice wet Rawhide Strips about 3/4" wide...and let it all dry and shrink up together....JMO

Title: Re: Getting a handle on it
Post by: Eric Krewson on July 10, 2009, 11:08:25 pm

I glue wood on where ever it is needed to fill a handle out.

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v181/ekrewson/bow%20making/frankenbowshapedhandle.jpg)

Title: Re: Getting a handle on it
Post by: hedgeapple on July 11, 2009, 02:43:38 am

I learn something new everyday reading these posts.  I love the side view of the added wood.  AND I never thought of putting a guide line down the limb to aid in sanding down the rounded corner.

Title: Re: Getting a handle on it
Post by: JW_Halverson on July 16, 2009, 08:41:05 pm

Ok, seems like I will be building up the side of the handle with some osage or other really strong wood.  Gonna be a bearcat of a job since neither side is flat.  Whadya think?  Flatten the sides out to get a good tight glue bond or spend lotsa time carving the add-ons to match the curves?

And last question, what would you chose for glue?  I assume something that has really good gap filling capability.  ( I really hope you don't say Urac because I have been fighting a losing battle with the stuff on several projects)

Title: Re: Getting a handle on it
Post by: coyote pup on July 17, 2009, 12:20:52 pm

I would sand flat and do it with any of the Tightbonds, but II or III would be best. Good choice, not so primitive but all the  reassurance and will look nice!

Title: Re: Getting a handle on it
Post by: Pappy on July 17, 2009, 12:30:34 pm

How heavy is the bow,I don't make the handles much bigger than that and don't have a problem with flexing,of course most are in the low 50's. :) and I have a small hand and like a small grip.
   Pappy

Title: Re: Getting a handle on it
Post by: DanaM on July 17, 2009, 01:12:17 pm

Did ya get her number eh ;)  ;D Sure hope so ::)

Title: Re: Getting a handle on it
Post by: Eric Krewson on July 17, 2009, 07:22:41 pm

it isn't a guide line, it if the glue joint where I added a piece of wood that ran from one fade to the other. Here is what the add-ons looked like before I shaped the handle.

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v181/ekrewson/bow%20making/frankenbowhandleside.jpg)

I started with something like this, just to see if I could make a bow out of it. Nice limbs but not enough wood for a handle.

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v181/ekrewson/bow%20making/Frankenbowtearout.jpg)

Title: Re: Getting a handle on it
Post by: Eric Krewson on July 17, 2009, 07:31:57 pm

Here is the same bow many years later. A guy in Chattanooga found it in an archery shop and sent me this picture to see if I had made the bow.

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v181/ekrewson/bow%20making/Frankensteinnowpic.jpg)

Title: Re: Getting a handle on it
Post by: JW_Halverson on July 26, 2009, 07:31:03 pm

Pappy...I was hoping for a low 50# range.  There is a open knothole through the limb just below the handle section so that the working portion of the limb will only be 24 inches, therefore there will be extra stress/leverage through the handle section.  Any way I attack this bow is gonna be tricky. 

And lastly, no, I did not get her number. But on the bright side, she did take a business card and said she will consider calling me for a bow sometime in the future.