Primitive Archer

Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: Cooper on January 17, 2011, 07:28:20 pm

Title: Bamboo backed Hornbeam
Post by: Cooper on January 17, 2011, 07:28:20 pm

After a long break because of the move to our new home (and the renovation of it) I can show you a new bow:

It is a Bamboo backed European Hornbeam (Carpinus betulus), glued reflex/deflex with wedges (is this the right word?) at the end of the limbs.
Length 66'' / 168cm
semipyramidal frontprofile
Width 11/4" (32mm) at the Fade Outs to 25/64" (10mm) at the tips
Weight 580g
37 lb / 28 ''

The Powerlam is Tigerwood (Concalo Alves), the handle is Tigerwood, Hornbeam and Cocobolo.
Tip-Overlays are Cocobolo, Hornbeam and Tigerwood as well.
The wedges are Maple and the arrow pass is horn.

I hope you like it.

At first an overall view (the right limb is the upper one)
(http://foto.arcor-online.net/palb/alben/61/331061/6261313639343366.jpg)

The frontprofile
(http://foto.arcor-online.net/palb/alben/61/331061/6461666436306634.jpg)

Detail Handle and arrow pass (before and after making a handle wrap and arrow pass)
(http://foto.arcor-online.net/palb/alben/61/331061/3866363564356361.jpg)

Detail Tip-Overlays
(http://foto.arcor-online.net/palb/alben/61/331061/3665633063343838.jpg)

And last but not least …
(http://foto.arcor-online.net/palb/alben/61/331061/6532363034326131.jpg)

Title: Re: Bamboo backed Hornbeam
Post by: youngbowyer33 on January 17, 2011, 07:46:35 pm

Beauty. I've said it before, I really like your bows. This one is fantastic

Title: Re: Bamboo backed Hornbeam
Post by: adb on January 17, 2011, 07:59:26 pm

Wow! Absolutely gorgeous!

Title: Re: Bamboo backed Hornbeam
Post by: sailordad on January 17, 2011, 08:10:37 pm

i aint one for real purty bows but'
damn that thing is sweet  :o
like everything about it
the wood choices,the style,the tiller
all sweet

Title: Re: Bamboo backed Hornbeam
Post by: swamp yeti on January 17, 2011, 08:38:15 pm

That is one nice bow,Beautiful work.

Title: Re: Bamboo backed Hornbeam
Post by: oneeye on January 17, 2011, 08:47:41 pm

Thats very nice work.  Beautiful bow.  How long are the tip wedges?  Scott

Title: Re: Bamboo backed Hornbeam
Post by: NTD on January 17, 2011, 09:13:09 pm

Is the bottom limb shorter? 

Wood combos, gluie line, and Finish work is incredible!

Title: Re: Bamboo backed Hornbeam
Post by: Lombard on January 17, 2011, 09:34:42 pm

Right nice bow you built there.

Title: Re: Bamboo backed Hornbeam
Post by: jeffhalfrack on January 17, 2011, 09:38:05 pm

   Real  nice!!!!  I love it!!!   what  kind  of  glue  do  you  use?   I  see a  nice  dark  glue  line.  JeffW

Title: Re: Bamboo backed Hornbeam
Post by: John K on January 17, 2011, 09:39:43 pm

Very nice !

Title: Re: Bamboo backed Hornbeam
Post by: beetlebailey1977 on January 17, 2011, 09:41:46 pm

good looking bow....I bet it is a good shooter.

Title: Re: Bamboo backed Hornbeam
Post by: medicinewheel on January 18, 2011, 03:38:03 am

Sure is a really nice bow!
How long into the limb did you glue the wedges??

Title: Re: Bamboo backed Hornbeam
Post by: Cooper on January 18, 2011, 08:46:31 am

@ all: thank you very much for your nice comments  :)

@ oneeye + medicinewheel: The wedges are 8 1/4'' (21cm) long. For a next project I would make them about 2'' longer.

@ NTD: No, the limbs have the same length

@ jeffhalfrack: The glue I use is BINDAN CIN, a Resorcin-glue. It is very similar to the URAC glue.

and finally

@ Scott D: Dankeschön   ;)

Title: Re: Bamboo backed Hornbeam
Post by: Kegan on January 18, 2011, 10:40:57 am

Absolutely fantastic! I lovee the idea of boo and hornbeam :)

Title: Re: Bamboo backed Hornbeam
Post by: Sidewinder on January 18, 2011, 11:01:40 am

Now that is a nice bow. Look sgreat all the way around.  Danny

Title: Re: Bamboo backed Hornbeam
Post by: SiongSA on January 18, 2011, 11:10:23 am

Thats a beaut! :o

Title: Re: Bamboo backed Hornbeam
Post by: nativenoobowyer86 on January 18, 2011, 11:14:09 am

Very nice job, love the tip work!

Title: Re: Bamboo backed Hornbeam
Post by: Keenan on January 18, 2011, 12:16:33 pm

Sweet bow, very nice lines and the detail work is great, Congratulations

Title: Re: Bamboo backed Hornbeam
Post by: Michael C. on January 18, 2011, 12:27:27 pm

Nice, I really like those alternating dark and light colors makes it hard to put a handle wrap on that sort of work..

Title: Re: Bamboo backed Hornbeam
Post by: Pappy on January 18, 2011, 12:31:28 pm

Beautiful bow,great job in all aspects. :)
   Pappy

Title: Re: Bamboo backed Hornbeam
Post by: ErictheViking on January 18, 2011, 12:35:58 pm

gorgeous bow! love all of it. first time I have seen hornbeam that wasnt a selfbow. good job

Title: Re: Bamboo backed Hornbeam
Post by: dantolin on January 18, 2011, 12:57:07 pm

I love it. Really nice bow.
I want to start some laminated bow one of this days.
How deep is the carpinus betulus belly? (18-9 mm more or less?)
David

Title: Re: Bamboo backed Hornbeam
Post by: straightarrow on January 18, 2011, 01:39:54 pm

Awesome as a possum....great job

Jon

Title: Re: Bamboo backed Hornbeam
Post by: Cooper on January 18, 2011, 05:05:11 pm

Once again thank you all very much.

@ Michael C.: Yes, you are right - I was wondering myself if I want to wrap the handle, but for me it is more comfortable.

@ the Hornbeam-Belly starts with 10mm at the fade outs and ends with 6mm at the tips. But you have to add 0 to 4mm from the wedges at the last 21cm.
By the way - the Bamboo-Backing starts with 4mm at the middle of the bow to 1,5mm at the tips.

Title: Re: Bamboo backed Hornbeam
Post by: PeteC on January 18, 2011, 09:38:44 pm

Great job,that is a beautiful bow. God Bless

Title: Re: Bamboo backed Hornbeam
Post by: DustinDees on January 18, 2011, 10:17:50 pm

Man that is a beauty. Love the choice of woods, looks like a real shooter.

Dustin D

Title: Re: Bamboo backed Hornbeam
Post by: Josh on January 19, 2011, 10:36:37 am

Very nice entry for January Backed BOM!  Tiller and Brace look great man!  :)

Title: Re: Bamboo backed Hornbeam
Post by: Barrage on January 19, 2011, 04:30:48 pm

Cachow.  Long time since you posted a bow Cooper, but this bow was worth the wait.  Nice bow.  I especially like the front profile.

Title: Re: Bamboo backed Hornbeam
Post by: Phil Rees on January 19, 2011, 05:07:07 pm

Oh Yes .....  beautiful  and elegant...a perfect combination

Title: Re: Bamboo backed Hornbeam
Post by: dragonman on January 19, 2011, 05:44:29 pm

Nice bow, I've never seen a european hornbeam bow before on here, only lots of USA HHB. How is it as a bow wood generally ? is it easy to find straight runs etc???. congrats again on a good bow

Title: Re: Bamboo backed Hornbeam
Post by: Cooper on January 20, 2011, 06:26:51 pm

Many thanks guys, I am very glad you like this bow.

@ Barrage: Yes, it was a long break - but 2010 was a hard year for my family and me. The move to our new home was not really voluntarily. The part of Hamburg, where we lived is an "In-Quarter" and so the landlord decided, that he can rent our flat for a lot of money more - bur not to us. And so it went to court and … well, no details, how could I say it: My relationship to lawyers got a lasting damage …   >:(

@ dragonman: It is my first bow using hornbeam, so my experience is limited. But there are some German bowyers who had build bows from european hornbeam successfully. It is very good under pressure, so it is an excellent Bellywood, but it is not very good for the back. So nearly all bows I know have backings - but the exception proves the rule. And it is very hard to find good and straight staves - I had to use slats, that I cut off billets.