Primitive Archer

Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: gstoneberg on August 06, 2011, 01:03:16 pm

Title: Saturday Bow
Post by: gstoneberg on August 06, 2011, 01:03:16 pm: I'm trying to see if I can do a quick bow to trade makenzie71 for a wire art. Here's progress so far.

(http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6129/6014713860_3af273c181_z.jpg)

and here's where I am now (stopping for breakfast). I have 20 minutes invested so far.

(http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6127/6014169631_87a767d73e_z.jpg)

George
Title: Re: Saturday Bow
Post by: ErictheViking on August 06, 2011, 01:09:18 pm: George, that looks a little too straight for you. lol. ;)
Title: Re: Saturday Bow
Post by: Lee Slikkers on August 06, 2011, 01:21:18 pm: You go get em George! 8)
Title: Re: Saturday Bow
Post by: criveraville on August 06, 2011, 02:00:47 pm: That is straight.. Is that the stave I brought you? I'm sure it will be a fine bow:)
Title: Re: Saturday Bow
Post by: cowboy on August 06, 2011, 02:05:00 pm: That's cleaning up nicely :).
Title: Re: Saturday Bow
Post by: makenzie71 on August 06, 2011, 02:53:03 pm: Goosebumps! Just let me know what you'd like to have...I know you like the flaming archer so I'll get one of those set aside. Would you like anything else?
Title: Re: Saturday Bow
Post by: gstoneberg on August 06, 2011, 03:01:27 pm: Thanks guys. Nope Mr. C, though I did look hard at yours. I wanted a little more seasoned wood. I have this guy roughed out now. It has one bad borer hole. I'm down 15 heartwood rings (14 in this picture):

(http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6002/6014940600_0a6826a002_z.jpg)

and I don't want to lose any more limb width at the narrow end. I'll fill that hole with epoxy/sawdust. It is right at the beginning of the working limb. This stave has pretty decent ring thickness.

(http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6125/6014942094_8f5aff99cf_z.jpg)

Looks like this now:

(http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6003/6014937758_bfe4ab7b1e_z.jpg)

Like almost every osage bow it has one nice limb I could do any design with (the near one) and one problem limb. In this case it is so narrow that it will look more like an ELB than a flatbow. I decided to go ahead and take out the twist in the recurve end:

(http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6142/6014978468_e56cbe2eba_z.jpg)

As soon as that one is cool I'll swap ends and flip the tip on the far end and try to match this end which will be real gentle.

I think I'll jump in the pool and cool off. I'll think about it makenzie, not sure what else I'd go for.

George
Title: Re: Saturday Bow
Post by: youngbowyer on August 06, 2011, 03:31:55 pm: 15 rings in 1 morning? i struggle with 1 a day ;D
Title: Re: Saturday Bow
Post by: JW_Halverson on August 06, 2011, 03:35:10 pm: Quote from: youngbowyer on August 06, 2011, 03:31:55 pm
15 rings in 1 morning? i struggle with 1 a day ;D

Yeah, ol' Georgie moves wood like a beaver amped up on amphetemines!
Title: Re: Saturday Bow
Post by: makenzie71 on August 06, 2011, 03:39:48 pm: Quote from: gstoneberg on August 06, 2011, 03:01:27 pm
I'll think about it makenzie, not sure what else I'd go for.

George

Just let me know. I've done all kinds and can do pretty much any pose. You got any hobbies other than archery? I get a lot of requests for fly fishermen (another big seller) and guitarists/violinists/cellists/etc...I did one a couple years back for a guy in a wheelchair. He wanted a little figure in a wheelchair doing a handstand. Nearly anything is game.
Title: Re: Saturday Bow
Post by: gstoneberg on August 06, 2011, 04:02:28 pm: Quote from: youngbowyer on August 06, 2011, 03:31:55 pm
15 rings in 1 morning? i struggle with 1 a day ;D

LOL. I took 14 off at 1 time. The last one is the only one to worry about. ;)

I've had a setback. The limb tip straightened up nicely. When I went to do the other end the oil showed some cracks in the belly I didn't know were there. So the tip flipping is out of the question. I then removed the heat treated wood from the recurve end and heated it again to remove the recurve. I was just about done when my heat gun died. It'll have a little left I'm afraid. Bummer. I guess it's time to head for Lowes. My wood is waay too crooked to function without a heat gun.

George
Title: Re: Saturday Bow
Post by: BowJunkie on August 06, 2011, 04:04:43 pm: Makenzie: It would be cool if you could pull off making a beaver chewing down an Osage tree. 8)
Nice Progress for one day George.
Title: Re: Saturday Bow
Post by: makenzie71 on August 06, 2011, 04:10:46 pm: Damn George if you were next door I'd toss one of my half a dozen in on the deal. Bummer.

Quote from: BowJunkie on August 06, 2011, 04:04:43 pm
Makenzie: It would be cool if you could pull off making a beaver chewing down an Osage tree. 8)

I have a chunk of osage in the garage that would be perfect...
Title: Re: Saturday Bow
Post by: JW_Halverson on August 06, 2011, 04:12:20 pm: Quote from: BowJunkie on August 06, 2011, 04:04:43 pm
Makenzie: It would be cool if you could pull off making a beaver chewing down an Osage tree. 8)
Nice Progress for one day George.

I have a cartoon of a lumberjack holding a beaver by the neck, he's pouring coffee straight from the ol' enamel pot into the beaver. The headline reads, "The first organic, wholistic chainsaw."

Yeah, warped, I know, maybe not even that funny. But I liked it. And now I'm imagining Georgie with buck teeth and guzzling coffee straight from the pot as he walks to his bow bench.
Title: Re: Saturday Bow
Post by: gstoneberg on August 06, 2011, 04:17:17 pm: Actually I was thinking about it and I think you should put that archer shooting an arrow into a hog. Kind of a wire diorama?

Anyway, I plan to get a string on this yet today, hoping the bending I did is sufficient. Don't think I need to do any out in the working limb so I should be good to flex it today. If it weren't so hot I'd be further. I only have about 2 and a half hours in it so far. What'll slow me down is wrapping that thin tip where the cracks need to be protected. Gonna have to get that olive oil off the limb before anything'll stick.

George
Title: Re: Saturday Bow
Post by: makenzie71 on August 06, 2011, 04:58:37 pm: hmmmmm...I've never done a hog. I'll have to start on that today just in case.
Title: Re: Saturday Bow
Post by: Lee Slikkers on August 06, 2011, 05:13:10 pm: Ever done a Falconer with a hawk on his glove?
Title: Re: Saturday Bow
Post by: makenzie71 on August 06, 2011, 05:17:35 pm: Yes. I'll dig up a pic afterwhile.
Title: Re: Saturday Bow
Post by: JW_Halverson on August 06, 2011, 05:25:20 pm: Falconer with hawk on glove? Awesome!

I want mine with the hawk's tail done with copper, she's a red-tailed hawk after all!
Title: Re: Saturday Bow
Post by: Lee Slikkers on August 06, 2011, 05:56:59 pm: Quote from: makenzie71 on August 06, 2011, 05:17:35 pm
Yes. I'll dig up a pic afterwhile.

Very cool!
Title: Re: Saturday Bow
Post by: gstoneberg on August 07, 2011, 02:04:48 am: Makenzie,

I had such high hopes for today. But, right after lunch a friend called, wanting to talk, and we ended up spending the afternoon together (did get some knapping in while I listened). We invited his whole family over to swim and have dessert. Never did get back to the bow. Hope to get back at it tomorrow after church. So much for shooting the bow today. But, being there for friends is important. :)

George
Title: Re: Saturday Bow
Post by: makenzie71 on August 07, 2011, 02:13:45 am: I'm not at all worried. Work only takes precedent over friends and family and mental health and all that when you're relying on the work to take care of those concerns. I doubt the little "diorama" is going to put bread on your table...set it on the back burner whenever you want. I'm still getting the better end of the deal :)
Title: Re: Saturday Bow
Post by: gstoneberg on August 07, 2011, 10:24:56 pm: Well I went out after church, bought a new heat gun, then reheated and straightened the recurve. Just now I finished laying out the bow and took it to floor tiller. Even though the humidity is low, the heat took its toll on me and I'm relaxing in the A/C for awhile. Here's what the bow looks like now.

(http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6130/6020083950_7736e45d40_z.jpg)
(http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6025/6019534707_7fa63d6636_z.jpg)

Interestingly, the very narrow curvy limb is naturally stiffer and I'll likely put it on the bottom.

George
Title: Re: Saturday Bow
Post by: makenzie71 on August 07, 2011, 10:32:04 pm: George that looks great! But...really...don't stress yourself over it. It's way too hot out to do that...we were over 100* in Lubbock today by 9 and it probably won't break until nearly 10pm. You can't work too hard in this heat.
Title: Re: Saturday Bow
Post by: gstoneberg on August 07, 2011, 10:47:06 pm: I'm not stressin, I was caught up on the forum and felt like workin. :) If I have enough iced tea and a fan on me I can last an hour or two in this heat, longer if I'm flint knapping. It was 101 when I went out there, down to 100 now. The granddaughter wants to swim so we'll be doing that for awhile. I'm sure you're way hotter out west.

I'm about to cut the nocks and find a string that'll work for tillering. Before I do that, do you have a bow length in mind? Right now it'd be about 66" n2n, 67.5" overall. We could easily shorten it down into the 62" range if you'd rather have a shorter bow.

George
Title: Re: Saturday Bow
Post by: makenzie71 on August 07, 2011, 10:51:24 pm: I like longer bows. You can always find more character in them...plus my lanky arms tend to draw them easier.
Title: Re: Saturday Bow
Post by: gstoneberg on August 08, 2011, 11:17:18 pm: The fam's waiting for me in the pool, but I thought I'd post a couple progress shots. The bow laid out nicely, the string's in the handle with no heat bending.

(http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6130/6024117572_d058fd7446_z.jpg)

Will have to take out a little twist in the curvy limb. I have it almost ready for a short string. Got the right limb bending too close to the fades too early, the left one is closer.

(http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6134/6024116312_37c73b49c4_z.jpg)

That bend by the outlet on the left side is where the big bend is. I will scrape a little more about 6" out from the fade on that side.

George
Title: Re: Saturday Bow
Post by: gstoneberg on August 09, 2011, 01:27:10 am: Makenzie, I made a little more progress. The bow is on a short string now, and pulls 45#@20". Gonna be close whether I can tiller out that weird left limb, lightening the right limb to match it before I run out of draw weight. Unless I'm real fortunate, I'll have to heat treat to get back some draw weight. I think both limbs look a little stiff midlimb and out.

(http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6123/6024430098_0edf44dab4_z.jpg)

Here's an unstrung look (sorry about the obnoxious shadow).

(http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6139/6024431034_4c9942da25_z.jpg)

I was premature liking the way the string lay. Under load, the string lies just outside the handle. I think the curvy limb is going to be OK and the straight limb will need to have some twist taken out. Tomorrow.

George
Title: Re: Saturday Bow
Post by: makenzie71 on August 09, 2011, 01:40:36 am: That looks great. Don't worry about it if the draw is lighter...I like shooting lighter bows more often than not.

I wish I could say I'm making as good a progress on your boar lol...I've had one good one come out but it was too big! Now that I got it down, though, I think I tighten it up and make it a more fitting size.
Title: Re: Saturday Bow
Post by: Del the cat on August 09, 2011, 04:57:46 am: You are working miracles with that stave George.
I quite like the idea of a bow with one limb ELB and the other a flat recurve.
Probably great for shooting up hill, or, reverse it to shoot down hill :laugh:
Del
Title: Re: Saturday Bow
Post by: Pappy on August 09, 2011, 10:55:15 am: That's looking good, should make a good shooter. :)
Pappy
Title: Re: Saturday Bow
Post by: George Tsoukalas on August 09, 2011, 11:17:57 am: Looking great, George! Let the stave determine the design! Jawge
Title: Re: Saturday Bow
Post by: gstoneberg on August 09, 2011, 11:28:34 am: Thanks guys. I get a chuckle out of this bow every time I look at it. I had to leave that narrow section thicker to avoid a hinge there and it's pretty obvious in the pics, makes it look odd to me. :) I hadn't thought about that Del, that narrow limb is more ELB-ish. I'm leaning towards putting that limb on top, will that help on the uphill or downhill shots? :D Yes Jawge, I didn't have much choice this time, had to listen to the wood. I'm sure it's better that way too.

Makenzie, you had talked about getting an unfinished bow. Any time you want to stop me and take over I'll send it your way. Otherwise I'll keep going.

Interestingly, I discovered I have an exact duplicate of this bow roughed out and the back completed to make a kid's bow but not started yet. Must've been a sister stave. Tonight I'll compare them, perhaps there's another bow like this one in the works? Back when I roughed it out I just assumed that spot was too narrow to make into a hunting weight bow. :-\ I think I was wrong about that. Or maybe I'll put it up for a trade as-is if anybody's interested.

George
Title: Re: Saturday Bow
Post by: cowboy on August 09, 2011, 06:50:41 pm: That's looking good George. Go ahead and finish her up - i wanna see it all slicked up and shootin. Don't worry about that heat down there ;D.
Title: Re: Saturday Bow
Post by: makenzie71 on August 09, 2011, 06:51:50 pm: I would normally be ready to take over at any point...but I'm going to have let a pro do mroe of the tillar work on the funky limb. I don't have the confidence to tackle something like that yet.
Title: Re: Saturday Bow
Post by: gstoneberg on August 09, 2011, 08:00:11 pm: Quote from: makenzie71 on August 09, 2011, 06:51:50 pm
I would normally be ready to take over at any point...but I'm going to have let a pro do mroe of the tillar work on the funky limb. I don't have the confidence to tackle something like that yet.

O crap, which pro do you want me to send it to? You got an old redneck workin on it now. ;) ;D

I will do my best though. Tonight I hope to take it to about 26" or so, getting the bend correct and even. Then, when I quit tonight I'll fill that borer hole that's right off the fade with an epoxy/osage sawdust mix. Since you want it to go to 30" I don't want to stress the limb that much before I get that hole filled. I'll do my darndest to avoid it, but we might get a little set going with that much bend.

You're lovin it up there in paradise aren't you Paul?? We're closing in on a new record in Dallas for the most consecutive days over 100 degrees. The record is 42, we're at 39 and the 10 day forecast has all 10 days over 100. We have a ways to go to beat the most days in a summer over 100. That record is 69 and we're at 46. Sure hope we don't get that one too. :o

George
Title: Re: Saturday Bow
Post by: makenzie71 on August 09, 2011, 08:33:08 pm: Just thought I would share and it seemed, since it's in trade for your work George, that this was a good thread to do it in.

(http://duncandesignsstudio.com/photoartclub/showoff/wireman/stoneberg/stonebergboar02.jpg)

(http://duncandesignsstudio.com/photoartclub/showoff/wireman/stoneberg/stonebergboar03.jpg)

(http://duncandesignsstudio.com/photoartclub/showoff/wireman/stoneberg/stonebergboar04.jpg)

(http://duncandesignsstudio.com/photoartclub/showoff/wireman/stoneberg/stonebergboar05.jpg)
Title: Re: Saturday Bow
Post by: makenzie71 on August 09, 2011, 08:35:22 pm: I may cut the mane off...it was a suggestion that I tried. It didn't come out quite like I expected, but it does look better in person...but I'm not sure I like it myself.
Title: Re: Saturday Bow
Post by: gstoneberg on August 09, 2011, 08:55:29 pm: That looks like some work, more than I thought. I agree on the mane, not sure it works. Is there a way to make the tusks lighter colored? They are the only part on a boar that is consistently the same color, ivory. Anyway, no matter what, it's gonna be cool. :)

George
Title: Re: Saturday Bow
Post by: makenzie71 on August 09, 2011, 08:59:49 pm: I can file the tusks down and they'll be shiny...they'll pop. I wasn't going to do it becuase rust will become an issue, but with the smaller wire I used it may be a concern no matter what so I'll end up sealing the thing anyway.
Title: Re: Saturday Bow
Post by: gstoneberg on August 10, 2011, 01:37:05 am: That sounds like it'll work. :)

This bow is fighting me on that funny limb. I have it tillered out to 25" but I'm not getting the outboard section of that weird limb to bend at all. Driving me crazy. ??? Right now it is pulling 50lbs at 25". Looks to me like the tip on that left limb is not coming down as far as the right one is. I'm worried that limb is going to start taking some set if I don't get more of that limb working.

(http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6074/6027269165_f99ba97b87_z.jpg)

You can see the flat spot on the braced picture as well.

(http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6087/6027270325_616c1cdbfb_z.jpg)

I'll keep at it. I have the borer hole filled with epoxy so tomorrow that won't be an issue. The daughter and granddaughter are heading home tomorrow night. I won't get much bow work done, will be busy chauffeuring grandma who will be grieving.

George
Title: Re: Saturday Bow
Post by: makenzie71 on August 10, 2011, 04:36:53 am: Quote from: Lee Slikkers on August 06, 2011, 05:13:10 pm
Ever done a Falconer with a hawk on his glove?

(http://duncandesignsstudio.com/photoartclub/showoff/wireman/stoneberg/falconer01.jpg)

(http://duncandesignsstudio.com/photoartclub/showoff/wireman/stoneberg/falconer02.jpg)

(http://duncandesignsstudio.com/photoartclub/showoff/wireman/stoneberg/falconer03.jpg)

Only a vaguely related thread jack...sorry George!

That's my first attempt at trying to make a bird from more than one kind of metal. No "glove"...I might wind some copper around the arm later but it's hard to do that and get the bird sewn on. I still need to tighten up the feathers...maybe add a few more but damn is it arduous. I don't like the bow, either...came out too big. This one will require lots of tweaking.

George, I'm cutting a base for yours tomorrow. I snipped that mane off...really does look a lot better, now, though I think the head still needs just a bit of work. It'll be done tomorrow either way, though.
Title: Re: Saturday Bow
Post by: makenzie71 on August 10, 2011, 04:55:32 am: Quote from: gstoneberg on August 10, 2011, 01:37:05 am
That sounds like it'll work. :)

This bow is fighting me on that funny limb. I have it tillered out to 25" but I'm not getting the outboard section of that weird limb to bend at all. Driving me crazy. ??? Right now it is pulling 50lbs at 25". Looks to me like the tip on that left limb is not coming down as far as the right one is. I'm worried that limb is going to start taking some set if I don't get more of that limb working.

(http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6074/6027269165_f99ba97b87_z.jpg)

You can see the flat spot on the braced picture as well.

(http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6087/6027270325_616c1cdbfb_z.jpg)

I'll keep at it. I have the borer hole filled with epoxy so tomorrow that won't be an issue. The daughter and granddaughter are heading home tomorrow night. I won't get much bow work done, will be busy chauffeuring grandma who will be grieving.

George

Whoops...missed this. Yeah the tip on the funky end doesn't seem to be moving at all. Now, I'm not a skilled or knowledgeable enough bowyer to know all the negativie ramifications of "set"...if that limb took a bit of set to match the rest of the tiller, would that be a problem?
Title: Re: Saturday Bow
Post by: Del the cat on August 10, 2011, 05:24:53 am: Hey Makenzie, I love the falconer, that middle pic is great, all fluid motion.
I know what you mean about stuff looking different in the flesh, you don't get the feel from a photo always.
Nice work
Del
Title: Re: Saturday Bow
Post by: soy on August 10, 2011, 06:06:37 am: The bow and the wire are coming togher nicely ;) keep the progress pics.comming ...great job guys!
Title: Re: Saturday Bow
Post by: gstoneberg on August 10, 2011, 11:17:11 am: Quote from: makenzie71 on August 10, 2011, 04:55:32 am
....Now, I'm not a skilled or knowledgeable enough bowyer to know all the negativie ramifications of "set"...if that limb took a bit of set to match the rest of the tiller, would that be a problem?

Not necessarily. Sometimes, as in the case with my trade bow, I actually plan to allow some set in a limb to let it match the other one. If that happened here, the set would only be putting the tips in the same plane, the limb bends would not match. I would rather get it all bending because it makes a more durable bow (in addition to looking better). I haven't given up by any means. As I look at the picture again, I think I need to thin most of that thicker section. I'm betting I assumed it needed to be thicker there, but the reality is that narrowing a limb has less impact on draw weight than thickness does. I've left too much thickness. The challenge is that removing thickness can very quickly change the draw weight, or in this case, cause a hinge, so I'll have to go slow and exercise each wood removal a lot. And, to get back to your question, a little set is not a big deal. Bows with a little set often shoot great. It would mean that my tillering wasn't perfect, or my design was too aggressive for the wood. Usually the former more than the latter. :-[

You said 45-50lbs at 28" right? We should make that easily. With a little heat treating we could probably make 60lbs.

I like that we have both the wire work and bow work in progress at the same time, and captured with pictures. I think you'll beat me done though. :)

George
Title: Re: Saturday Bow
Post by: PEARL DRUMS on August 10, 2011, 12:04:07 pm: George try narrowing that left limb rather than thinning, it may react quicker for you....?
Title: Re: Saturday Bow
Post by: gstoneberg on August 10, 2011, 12:38:42 pm: I don't think I can PD. It's only about 3/4" wide through that whole stretch which is why I left it with more depth at first. When I started, the limb was basically square there. It is acting like a molly lever right now, and it looks like a very crooked one. Maybe I should have gone with a molly layout? I have been narrowing the other limb outboard of the knot to get it bending and that worked nicely. Maybe I'm just being a chicken, but I hate to go any narrower that far in from the tip. I took a picture of the bow standing up, maybe it'll better show my problem.

(http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6069/6026745675_e6b94e0e30_z.jpg)

This bow is the one on the right. It's smaller sister is to the left. The problem area is from the drywall joint up about 8".

George
Title: Re: Saturday Bow
Post by: PEARL DRUMS on August 10, 2011, 01:09:46 pm: Thats a tuffy. I do know that taking widht away requires much less material removal to get equal results. Maybe try taking more off the widht and thickness? Or, try a real broad radiused edge on the belly to weaken it up some in that spot.
Title: Re: Saturday Bow
Post by: gstoneberg on August 10, 2011, 01:22:18 pm: Yea, I did a little radiusing last night. I'll do more of that next crack at it. Not used to working a limb that narrow so I'm being over cautious probably. Our ELB friends would work right through this I suspect. Thanks.

George
Title: Re: Saturday Bow
Post by: PEARL DRUMS on August 10, 2011, 01:26:15 pm: As you know slow and steady wins the race!
Title: Re: Saturday Bow
Post by: Lee Slikkers on August 10, 2011, 01:39:08 pm: Great looking wire art of the falconer!

Hey George & PD, if the wood is behaving and all things being equal do you prefer to tiller/reduce # but side (width) tillering or belly (thickness) tillering? I assume once you lay out your preferred profile then most if not all the wood to be removed would come from the belly, correct?
Title: Re: Saturday Bow
Post by: gstoneberg on August 10, 2011, 01:54:20 pm: Lee, for me I just go with the flow. What Jawge said about letting the stave determine the design is how I try to work. If I feel like the limb's on the wide side I would narrow it. If I feel good about the width I would take some thickness off. If the limb feels like it's getting too thin, I would go back to taking off width. In total, I probably use thickness tillering 90% of the time.

George
Title: Re: Saturday Bow
Post by: Lee Slikkers on August 10, 2011, 04:12:30 pm: Thanks for the reply George...makes good sense to me, I have pretty much only employed thickness tillering up to this point but that it likely because I shape my initial layout pretty dang tight to what I hope to end up with in the end. That leaves mostly just the thickness as the variable...I'm sure I'll run into a build that I have not layed out correctly though and will run out of thickness forcing me to use the width tillering method.

Thanks again for your time.
Title: Re: Saturday Bow
Post by: bcbull on August 10, 2011, 06:45:32 pm: relly looks good george love the wire work to if was me i see where u coming from about thinnin it so id just scrape and use sand paper to dial it in after u strightn out the w
twist nice job brock
Title: Re: Saturday Bow
Post by: gstoneberg on August 10, 2011, 08:22:11 pm: Brock, I'm not sure I need to remove that twist. I'm going to shoot it a little before I decide. There's a check in the back out towards the tip and I'm avoiding putting any heat there like the plague. If I do heat it it'll be as far in as I can get away with. I've been thinning just the one side to help with the twist and it's been working. Hopefully I can keep that up through the rest of the tillering and get out without more heat.

George
Title: Re: Saturday Bow
Post by: bcbull on August 10, 2011, 10:11:54 pm: good idea george i fill hem lil checks with loc tite 495 and a lot of time s i only remove a bit of wood on the oppiste side i want the twist to go tryin line it up it helps i do make a heck of a lot of bows like those just my experince hope it helps brock
Title: Re: Saturday Bow
Post by: mikekeswick on August 11, 2011, 04:02:14 am: Personally i'd leave the width well alone or else the narrow section will be more strained than everywhere else if it has the same bend as the other limb. The thickness should be reduced to bring it into tiller. You can see from the pictures that the narrow limb is still a fair bit too stiff. Again ,personally, I would be trying to get more bend in the outer limbs.
Title: Re: Saturday Bow
Post by: gstoneberg on August 12, 2011, 01:54:31 am: This was a rough night of bow work. Began working on this bow and as I began to get the outer limb moving on the curvy limb, 2 bad things happened. First, a crack appeared in the belly of the limb tip, about 4" in from the tip. I sanded on it and now I cannot find it anymore. It's moot, because of the other problem. There was a check in the back of the bow that ran off the edge about 2" from the limb tip. As I feared, as the limb began to bend out near the tip it opened up.

(http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6182/6034156132_b7ef608300_z.jpg)

Here you can see where it is relative to the tip.

(http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6127/6034156656_e151f38729_z.jpg)

I'm reluctant to tiller any more before I wrap that spot (which will fix the other problem which is on the belly near where this check starts). I had the bow to a little over 50lbs @ 27" when I stopped. This means that tip is going to be a little stiff as I won't be able to work that spot once it's wrapped. I'll PM you Makenzie so we can talk about whether this is going to work for you.

I definitely had the manure touch tonight. I went on to work on my yew stave and quickly got the tiller so messed up I've likely turned it into a kids bow. :( Rather than ruin anything else I came back in the house.

George
Title: Re: Saturday Bow
Post by: makenzie71 on August 12, 2011, 02:19:36 am: I've learned that sometimes the best thing you could possibly do for your bows (or cars, motorcycles, rifles, houses, etc for that matter) is to simply go to bed. I've actually been there quite a few times this season.

Don't worry about it if that limb is a bit stiff. I would like it if I could safely draw the bow 28~30", but the priority is that it not explode. I would rather mark my arrows and short-draw myself than to risk breaking something you have so much work invested in. I'm glad you're working the tiller down...I probably wouldn't have noticed the check and broken the thing.
Title: Re: Saturday Bow
Post by: Josh B on August 12, 2011, 02:46:01 am: Man! I hope you can save it George! I've enjoyed watching you're progress.
Title: Re: Saturday Bow
Post by: bcbull on August 12, 2011, 03:17:14 am: george how close are ya to final tiller ? if ur close i say get the loctie and fill it clamp it a bit let e dry and then if u must tiller scrape the belly to get er lined up then wrap it with sinew i just did one a week ago like that and then sutrate the sinew all the way around w/ loctite so far it s workin good ill try get my sis in law who i bulit it for to post a pic tmw brock
Title: Re: Saturday Bow
Post by: gstoneberg on August 12, 2011, 09:50:35 am: Guys,

This bow is going to shoot, it just won't look the way I had wanted it to. I was pretty discouraged last night, but the truth is that a setback like this isn't a huge deal. The bow's going to end up with each outer limb wrapped, one because of need and the other to make it look like I wanted it that way. The tiller won't be spot on but, since it is osage, it will still shoot and last just fine. I may not get the draw weight as low as makenzie wanted and it may take a little set with the inner limbs working a little harder than I'd hoped. That's the way it goes working with wood. It'll still be a nice shooter.

George
Title: Re: Saturday Bow
Post by: PEARL DRUMS on August 12, 2011, 02:50:08 pm: George it seems to me half the snakey bows I work on crack somewhere or another. I've yet to figure out how to make a snakey bow w/o band aids!
Title: Re: Saturday Bow
Post by: bcbull on August 12, 2011, 04:25:19 pm: peral drums PAINTANCE bro lolol i love them snakes lol brock
Title: Re: Saturday Bow
Post by: gstoneberg on August 12, 2011, 04:56:50 pm: Yea PD, every time the character is caused by wood going around a big branch like this there's a good chance the branch died and there's all sorts of damage. Not only that, but any scar in osage seems to let water and ants down into the center of the heartwood where they seem to make a terrible mess. If it weren't such good bow wood, it certainly wouldn't be worth the hassle. I like snaky wood too, wish I could find more of it.

George
Title: Re: Saturday Bow
Post by: makenzie71 on August 12, 2011, 07:08:35 pm: If youlike snaky wood I'll send you a load of mesquite lol...it doesn't snakier than what we have growing around here.
Title: Re: Saturday Bow
Post by: gstoneberg on August 12, 2011, 11:13:12 pm: I just split a log of mesquite last night before I worked on your bow. It looked straight on the tree, but doesn't anymore. :(

Our deer lease is covered up in Mesquite, but it took me many trees to pick the crooked one I brought

George
Title: Re: Saturday Bow
Post by: makenzie71 on August 12, 2011, 11:34:42 pm: I've cut a couple into boards and backed them with hickory. I have yet to find one that doesn't twist. I'm pretty sure the stuff grows in a spiral.
Title: Re: Saturday Bow
Post by: gstoneberg on August 13, 2011, 02:09:03 am: My log was pretty straight when I cut it, noticeably more crooked now. The first split blew out the side, but the one I did yesterday was pretty straight considering. I hope to back mine with a thin osage veneer they cut to true up the osage I had milled. If the mesquite goes really crooked I'll have to do a lot of heat bending before I can glue on a backing.

I'd think a board of mesquite would really have grain violations as crooked as they grow?

I took the shellac off that bow limb, clamped that crack shut and superglued it. Had hoped to do more, but I got a new laptop for the wife and spent the entire evening setting it up. Gary's coming over first thing tomorrow and while he's working I'll wrap that limb. Hope to have more tillering pics tomorrow.

George
Title: Re: Saturday Bow
Post by: gstoneberg on August 13, 2011, 09:31:31 pm: Finished up the thread wrap, it's about 12" long. The front side is better than the back. :(

(http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6134/6039070976_a68baa04ce_z.jpg)

Makenzie, I think I've gone as far as I'm going to. I'm sorry, I didn't get your weight low enough. Here's brace:

(http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6077/6039829302_a58c75a727_z.jpg)

I stopped tillering at 28", but it'll go to 29 or 30 though I'd avoid it. It is 55lbs @ 28".

(http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6128/6039278291_309789a5d4_z.jpg)

The crooked limb is actually a little stiffer than the straight one. The string goes through the handle better than I expected.

(http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6142/6039834130_1a056dfcf0_z.jpg)

I'd shoot it and try each limb up and see what feels better. Anything else you want me to do? How's the archer and pig coming?

A week ago I intended to build this bow in a day, or a weekend. Best laid plans... ;D

George
Title: Re: Saturday Bow
Post by: makenzie71 on August 13, 2011, 10:09:57 pm: That's awesome and well far enough.

What kind of bow would you like the archer to have? Everything else is ready for it. I'll post pics tonight.
Title: Re: Saturday Bow
Post by: makenzie71 on August 13, 2011, 10:13:03 pm: Would you like the base stained light or dark? And all I got on hand to seal it really is poly...is that fine or would you prefer something else?
Title: Re: Saturday Bow
Post by: gstoneberg on August 13, 2011, 11:10:58 pm: As long as the bow is traditional, I don't care. Here's the bow I've been hunting with if you want something to copy. Poly is fine on the base, it doesn't have to be stained. No rush though, so do what you want.

This is not Makenzie71's bow.
(http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5108/5572089968_59ee4e9937_z.jpg)

Thanks again. This has been fun.

George
Title: Re: Saturday Bow
Post by: ErictheViking on August 14, 2011, 02:58:22 am: excellent build a long George. I think you tamed that beast pretty well. great looking full draw.
Title: Re: Saturday Bow
Post by: makenzie71 on August 14, 2011, 03:08:24 am: I'll model the bow after yours, George...thought I'd get it all put together tonight but my wife finally agreed to watch Avatar (I'm a sucker for any movie that has archery, dragons, or mecha so Avatar is like top stuff for me). It was an all-evening thing.
Title: Re: Saturday Bow
Post by: gstoneberg on August 14, 2011, 10:06:23 am: No problem, hope you had a great evening. Don't forget to PM me your address.

Thanks Erik, but if you're looking at that last picture, it isn't the same bow. Guess I should have noted that.

George
Title: Re: Saturday Bow
Post by: makenzie71 on August 14, 2011, 06:40:00 pm: The figurines are both fully free-standing so they haven't been fused to the base...a dab of super glue to the feet of the archer will hold it fine should the set be in a gusty or active location. I know you said a natural base but this is what I had...it was pretty discolored so I stained it to keep it even. Plus, it was already padded...which might not be important at all to you (you might actually want to make your own base).

Sanding the tusks down didn't make them stand out much more than they did when they were blued so I painted them a dirty white/ivory color.

Let me know if there's anything you would like changed.

(http://duncandesignsstudio.com/photoartclub/showoff/wireman/stoneberg/gstonebergboarfinished01.jpg)

(http://duncandesignsstudio.com/photoartclub/showoff/wireman/stoneberg/gstonebergboarfinished02.jpg)

(http://duncandesignsstudio.com/photoartclub/showoff/wireman/stoneberg/gstonebergboarfinished03.jpg)

(http://duncandesignsstudio.com/photoartclub/showoff/wireman/stoneberg/gstonebergboarfinished04.jpg)

(http://duncandesignsstudio.com/photoartclub/showoff/wireman/stoneberg/gstonebergboarfinished05.jpg)

(http://duncandesignsstudio.com/photoartclub/showoff/wireman/stoneberg/gstonebergboarfinished06.jpg)

(http://duncandesignsstudio.com/photoartclub/showoff/wireman/stoneberg/gstonebergboarfinished07.jpg)

(http://duncandesignsstudio.com/photoartclub/showoff/wireman/stoneberg/gstonebergboarfinished08.jpg)

(http://duncandesignsstudio.com/photoartclub/showoff/wireman/stoneberg/gstonebergboarfinished09.jpg)
Title: Re: Saturday Bow
Post by: gstoneberg on August 14, 2011, 09:00:21 pm: Wohoo!! I love it! Of course it would be more realistic if the arrow was flying harmlessly over the back of the boar... ;D

I'm kidding of course, it's perfect.

George
Title: Re: Saturday Bow
Post by: makenzie71 on August 14, 2011, 10:07:05 pm: Well if you're worried about the piggy you can just tell everyone he misses lol
Title: Re: Saturday Bow
Post by: Lee Slikkers on August 15, 2011, 12:14:52 am: Hey George, do you even own a bow that straight? Thought all your sticks were like cork screws... >:D
Title: Re: Saturday Bow
Post by: gstoneberg on August 15, 2011, 12:24:02 am: Yes I do, but I had to take 2 crooked staves, cut the worst half off of each and made a takedown. ;) :) As you know, just because a stave starts crooked doesn't mean it has to end crooked. :D

George
Title: Re: Saturday Bow
Post by: Rick Wallace on August 15, 2011, 01:42:04 am: Now that is cool! nice work! ;)
Title: Re: Saturday Bow
Post by: George Tsoukalas on August 15, 2011, 11:51:50 am: That is some nice art, George. You did well with the bow too. Jawge
Title: Re: Saturday Bow
Post by: gstoneberg on August 15, 2011, 12:09:01 pm: Yea, I'm liking this trade a lot!

Makenzie, would you mind if I reposted those pictures over on the TexasBoars forum? I think that'd get some attention for sure.

George
Title: Re: Saturday Bow
Post by: makenzie71 on August 15, 2011, 01:06:31 pm: Share away...but send me the link, I like to see what's said. Maybe I can even snag a few more customers lol
Title: Re: Saturday Bow
Post by: gstoneberg on August 15, 2011, 01:27:24 pm: PM me your web page and I'll include it in the post. There's a couple guys I think would be very interested. Maybe more if you can do guns as well. George