Primitive Archer
Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: Matt S. on July 31, 2011, 08:35:21 pm
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This is the latest bow I have finished and is my favorite. It has turned out to be a very well rounded bow and just "feels" right when shooting arrows. Here are the details for those interested, photos on down below...
Wood: Red Oak (from a 1x2x6 board). I picked this board because it had some really beautiful grain, multiple colors (heart/sap wood?), and some waviness. The central section of the board was relatively straight grained too.
Length: 62" tip-to-tip, 61" ntn.
Dimensions: handle: 4" long x 1-1/4" wide x 3/4" deep.
fades: 2" long, fades from 1-1/4" to 1-1/2" wide and just under 1/2" deep.
Working limbs: 13-1/2" long x 1-1/2" at fade to 1-1/4" at outer fade
lever: 13-1/2" long with "Eiffel Tower" fades 1-1/4" to roughly 7/16" at tips. Thickness fade from <1/2" to roughly 5/8" then back to 1/2" deep at tips.
Draw: 42# @ 28"
Set: (at tips) 1-1/2", (at end of working limbs) 3/4"
The handle has a very slight bend to it, you can feel it in your hand. I've grown to like this style of handle because it is almost as narrow as my traditionally deep-handled flatbows but I feel the slight bend helps relieve a little stress from the working limbs. I think I could have made the tips narrower or slightly less thick to pick up a few fps, but that's something for a future bow.
This was the first bow I've ever shot through a chronograph (thanks gmc!). It clocked a 10grain/# arrow around 145 fps. I'm confident I could pick up a few fps if i had a lighter string and if I drew to the full 28" (I usually only draw 27-27.5"). Even so, I think this bow shoots out arrows flat and fast, especially considering this is kind of a short bow for red oak with 1-1/2" wide limbs.
Ok, here are all those photos!
(https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-4dGbu2irSDc/TjXJhaMPi1I/AAAAAAAABMo/kTnuRqWWvG0/I/24_front-profile.jpg)
(https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-NCRIvK2-9R4/TjXJg0x-3kI/AAAAAAAABMo/ttgm7x6Wc2s/24_sideprofile.jpg)
I personally think this is rather low set considering the short working limbs and narrow width for a red oak board bow.
(https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-gYNDcdTeSBI/TjXJhkW7gLI/AAAAAAAABMo/gmd6i5PcYRA/s720/24_profile.jpg)
A look down the limbs shows the "Eiffel Tower" taper.
(https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-avqktQepxCs/TjXJjTwq5GI/AAAAAAAABMo/1T9i7OeWvWQ/s1152/24_braced.jpg)
The bow strung (about 5-1/2" brace height)
(https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-QFusGFjkL5o/TjXJc6xZ3HI/AAAAAAAABMo/XCoxQlgM9K8/s720/24_wavy-grain.jpg)
You can sort of see the waviness of the grain on the belly. The back of the bow does not exhibit this patten. It's hard to see in this photo but there is also a beautiful contrast of red and pale wood and some swirls and curls in the grain.
(https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-bH1WiBaSt8c/TjXJid_fNOI/AAAAAAAABMo/c1mu65k-868/24_detail.jpg)
Some of the curliness in the grain (belly side).
(https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-fOkZ-b95MUI/TjXJjvnGYKI/AAAAAAAABMo/huBJu1FGlDs/s720/24_handle.jpg)
Handle detail.
(https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-Z-MCCgF8wCw/TjXJehet5aI/AAAAAAAABMo/cBDvnBlUk2I/s1152/24_nock-top.jpg)
Upper nock.
(https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-o00Ta5QMyns/TjXJdKSK6PI/AAAAAAAABMo/hGhOuWByXFU/s912/24_nock-bottom.jpg)
Lower nock.
And a few "full" draw (actually around MY full draw of 27" inches, I still tiller all my bows to 28"):
(https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-5WfBPy9DBT0/TjXJd6QISbI/AAAAAAAABMo/akAcb9Sd98Q/s720/24_fulldraw_3-4.jpg)
(https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-SGznmGIEgOg/TjXJcw243kI/AAAAAAAABMo/EGCADD7wQoc/s720/24_fulldraw_02.jpg)
(https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-xPvIq8S7ycw/TjXJecF_BPI/AAAAAAAABMo/2dUkpbxq8dA/24_fulldraw.jpg)
I really hope you've enjoyed seeing this. I'm always happy to answer any questions or take any constructive criticism or comments!
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That's sweeeeeeet Matt. Looks like a great hunting bow with the slightly shorter length. The only criticism I got is your not sending it to me for judging >:D. Actually wise idea to build one to improve upon it for the next one. Your not the only one doing this ;)
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That's sweeeeeeet Matt. Looks like a great hunting bow with the slightly shorter length. The only criticism I got is your not sending it to me for judging >:D. Actually wise idea to build one to improve upon it for the next one. Your not the only one doing this ;)
Yeah, I figure this one is too short and the tips too heavy to be a contender for the cook off. I still like it though ;) It's just the right length to be able to sit across the back seat of my truck, those 72" bows are more of a pain to get into our vehicles ;D
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Very very nice!!
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That is a great bow. You are drawing to the corner of your jaw, you should be drawing close to 30 inches. Are you sure your drawlength is only 27? Bill
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That is a great bow. You are drawing to the corner of your jaw, you should be drawing close to 30 inches. Are you sure your drawlength is only 27? Bill
Yep, it's 28" to the base of the tip and you can see at least 1" of shaft sticking out past the back of the bow. I guess I'm just small ;D
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Very impressed with your little bow, Matt. It's cut-in, slightly bend through the handle design really seemed to agree with the bow. The brace and tiller look really nice. Well done.
Now go get started on that chunk of hickory. 8)
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Looks like a very well made bow. I'd definitely be happy with that one. Great job. Thanks for sharing. :)
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Nice bow! Tiller is great to look at. You got a lot of bow out of a such a small piece of Red Oak. Love seeing all the pics of a Red Oak bows on here.
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I love red oak! Well done!
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Beautiful work Matt.
What did you use for a finish coat?
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That's one beautiful 1x2 piece of red oak Matt! ;) Nice work!
Tattoo Dave
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Good lookin' bow Matt, very nice finish. Thanks for sharing.
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Hey Matt,
perfect bends of that bow sir. I really like the how you blended all the patrs.....no sharp edges anywhere. Very nicely done, they do shoot very well.
rich
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Thanks everybody for the kind words! It means a lot coming from all of you.
BowJunkie, I finished this bow with several coats of a wiping varnish (Formby's Tung Oil Finish). I used some 0000 steel wool in-between coats.
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matt thats an excellent looking bow . bet she shoots nice
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Really nice job. Tiller looks well balanced. Lovely job on the finish too. Danny
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matt, nice bow and great tiller, gotta love those stiff tipped bows, and the bow ya sent me picked up about 5#, couldn't hardly get it outta my son's hands, Bub
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Real nice work on that bow! This is one of my favorite board bows I've seen! :) :) :)
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Well done matt that's a exquisite looking bow 8)
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Very nice work on that bow Matt. really like the eiffel tower limbs and the tips are sweet.
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Once again, thanks for all the kind words!
halfeye, I'd be a big fat liar if I said you didn't have anything to do with my new interest in Mollegabet and stiff-tipped bows ;)
bubby, glad your son won't let go of the bow and also happy it picked up a little weight. I was really worried that it was too light.