Primitive Archer

Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: Grunt on December 23, 2010, 01:34:12 pm

Title: Learning sapling self bows
Post by: Grunt on December 23, 2010, 01:34:12 pm

Here are a couple of my first tries at sapling D bows. They are both 60" tip to tip both have the tips flipped with dry heat , both are heat treated with the cherry treated the whole belly and the locust just the last 10" of each limb.  I wanted to see if heat treating would allow the flipped tips to retain their form.The first one is lightning struck cherry 11/2 at the fades and is a bow for a ten year old pulling #32 at 26". The second is black locust 11/4 at the handle and fades and is #45 at 28".

Title: Re: Learning sapling self bows
Post by: Del the cat on December 23, 2010, 02:08:49 pm

Nice, I like the tiller on the dark one, the other seems to be working a bit hard at the centre to me, but hey, each to his own.
I do like a nice sapling self bow, I feel it really gets you in touch with the wood.
Del

Title: Re: Learning sapling self bows
Post by: tattoo dave on December 23, 2010, 03:09:58 pm

Nice work Grunt. I would love to start making some sapling bows. I've been building for few years now, but still haven't made anything other than board bow. I like board bows, but I agree with Del, "gets you in touch with the wood." :)

Title: Re: Learning sapling self bows
Post by: George Tsoukalas on December 23, 2010, 03:34:19 pm

Those are really beauties! Well done. Jawge

Title: Re: Learning sapling self bows
Post by: ErictheViking on December 23, 2010, 04:16:22 pm

Love them both!  good job.

Title: Re: Learning sapling self bows
Post by: wodpow on December 26, 2010, 10:06:33 pm

The first one is flexing very nice, the other one looks to be bending quite a bit in the center of the bow.

Title: Re: Learning sapling self bows
Post by: Keenan on December 26, 2010, 10:33:34 pm

Those are looking good Grunt!

Title: Re: Learning sapling self bows
Post by: Eric Garza on December 27, 2010, 10:42:01 am

Is the locust bow made from the sapwood or the heartwood?

Title: Re: Learning sapling self bows
Post by: 22arrows on December 27, 2010, 02:07:45 pm

They look great

Title: Re: Learning sapling self bows
Post by: Grunt on December 27, 2010, 07:55:41 pm

Quote from: Eric Garza on December 27, 2010, 10:42:01 am

Is the locust bow made from the sapwood or the heartwood?

It's made from the sapwood of a 3 1/2" sapling.  There is just a small streak of the heartwood in the belly side of the handle.  I took a little off each side of the handle so it doesn't bend quite so much in the middle also but lost 4 lbs in pull in the process.