Primitive Archer
Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: YewArcher on June 27, 2007, 09:41:33 pm
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Here is the Potowotami Replica that some of you saw a preview of in the vice on the other thred. Just got her finished up this evening thanks to bad weather and canceled flights!
The Potowotami tribe is from north east Michigan.
Specs:
Ash selfbow
Lenght=60" (I cheated here a bit as the original is 54". The fellow who will be shooting this bow will want a longer draw))
Width=1.25 at grip 1 5/15" scallop
Weight = 50#@27"
String: Linen
String Follow: .75" when just unstrung. perfetly flat when rested.
Unbraced side profile:
(http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d114/yewarcher/potowotami%20bow/sideprofile.jpg)
Belly
(http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d114/yewarcher/potowotami%20bow/belly.jpg)
Back
(http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d114/yewarcher/potowotami%20bow/back.jpg)
Braced
(http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d114/yewarcher/potowotami%20bow/braced.jpg)
Scallop close ups. On some of these you can see the emearld ash borere damage. It does not effect the bow.
(http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d114/yewarcher/potowotami%20bow/scallop1.jpg)
(http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d114/yewarcher/potowotami%20bow/scallop2.jpg)
(http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d114/yewarcher/potowotami%20bow/scallop3.jpg)
(http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d114/yewarcher/potowotami%20bow/scallop4.jpg)
(http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d114/yewarcher/potowotami%20bow/scallop5.jpg)
Bottom Nock
(http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d114/yewarcher/potowotami%20bow/topnock.jpg)
Top nock
(http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d114/yewarcher/potowotami%20bow/bottomnock.jpg)
Braced nocks...notice the knots
(http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d114/yewarcher/potowotami%20bow/bracednock1.jpg)
(http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d114/yewarcher/potowotami%20bow/nock2.jpg)
Close up of dogwood shoot arrows and trade points
(http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d114/yewarcher/potowotami%20bow/points.jpg)
Full draw
(http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d114/yewarcher/potowotami%20bow/fulldraw.jpg)
This was a really fun bow to make. Its always nice to take a break from sinewd bows and make a simple selfbow. I also liked working with Ash. Its a nice wood and I am very pleased with the overall stringfollow this bow took. .75 just unbraced and creeping back to flat within a few minutes is pretty good for a rather short white wood bow. This stave also had abut a 125 degree propeller twist and was very snakey. Shows ya what can be done with heat. This style of bow really calls for a nice straigt profile. She shoots very good. I may make another for myself one of these days. I cannot even guess what the orignal makers put the scallops in for except maybe for decoration. Any insite would be apriciated.
Thanks for looking!
SJM
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WOW! That is a beauty. Tiller looks really good, nice arc. Scallops look pretty cool also. Job well done!
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Very nice bow.You are making some nice replicas.I'm with you,it seems like if anything the scallops would be on the other side of the bow.That way you could at least get closer to a center shot.
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Thanks guys.
Actually the bow is 1.25" all the way with outh the scallops. Alomots pictire that scallpps are attached meaning that the center of the string tracks throth the center of the 1.25" main bow. So no closer to center on that side. Good thought though!
SJM
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That is insane, crazy, and sooooo coooool! I love it!
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Very nice bow. I like the tiller and the the design. Good job
Ron
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nice bow I like the scallops
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What a beautiful bow. I actually like the looks of this one to the last one you showed us, and that one was special as well. I always feel you could slip one of your bows into an anthropology museum display and no one would be the wiser.
Dane
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VERY NICE!!!! this is one i really would like to see for real!!! - liked the looks of these bows when i first X saw one pictured. is it an extra effored for tillering to have these scallops on??
but i'm also impressed of how you managed to have this many pictures in one post and how you got the words in between and underneath! ... and i'm sure not the onlyone impressed by that :o :o :o :o :o :o :o
frank
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A real fantastic bow, yew archer!
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Very Cool. 8) 8) 8) Perfect tiller, too. I have one of those scalloped Seneca bows on my "when I get around to it" list.
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Cool bow,tiller looks right on.Mighty fine bow. :)
Pappy
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I had never heard of or seen one of these bows. I would have thought it risky to cut across the grain with the scallops like that for fear of a splinter popping up. I guess not...
Great looking bow, with a good tiller. I've never had good results with ash, this bow turned out really nice! :)
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man your doing some great work. wanted to build that one for a long time now. peace
p.s. the fletching on the wraps looks mean . have you shot those without losing flesh. lol
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Theory number one concerning the scallops:
If the tip of the bow broke off, the scallop below it could act as a nock and you wouldn't go home hungry.
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Great theory, Simon. I can't back this up, but my feelings are that they are strictly decorative, or perhaps part of that people's religion or mythologies? Or, this sounds silly, maybe a measuring stick of some sort? Or maybe the original bowyer felt they looked cool? :)
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You are posting some really different and interesting bows. Should think gift shops and museums would be interested in your products. Very nice in terms of "primitiveness" and a great tiller, too.
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Thanks for all the complimets guys!
Oldbow and Dane, Thanks very much. I think those are some of the niceset compliments on my work that I have very recieved.
Jamie, No problem shooting them off the hand. They are allot smother then they looka nd besides that area iof my hand is like leather.
Gregb, Never even considered cross cutting the garin like that as a potential problem. Lots of Native A Bows are made with these. Time tested design.
Frank, The scallps make it no harder to tiller. Routine.
Again, Thanks for the complimets,
SJM
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I'm really glad you posted this bow as the Potowotami tribe is a local tribe here the Upper Peninsula
of Michigan and ever since I saw a picture in TBB I've wanted to make one. If I ever get an opportunity
to talk with an elder I will ask about the scallops. BTW awesome bow I love your replicas.
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Dana, Thats awsome. maybe one day I could show my replicas to them and see what they think. Do you think they would take the time to chat with me If i drove up?
SJM
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This design could have come to the "orginal" maker as a vision. A lot of ideas came to the Native peoples in visions and were acted upon, as this bow could have been. It probaly had a spiritual reason for that person and then may have been copied by others. That is how the Native people learned new things, visions. Then they were sometimes expected to teach others what the vision was and the why and what. But also sometimes they were to be shared only with their spiritual leader or teacher. A vision is a powerfull thing and was not something taken lightly.
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makate,
I like that explanation allot. Good thoughts.
Thanks for sharing.
SJM
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Don't know how I missed it--That sure turned out nice! That has got to be the strangest bow design ever.
J. D. Duff
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Great project. The scallops must have been really time consuming for the indians to cut in.
Dave
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Ahhh, there it is! Great looking bow! I love all of your replicas.
Sean
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A real beauty...like the tiller too!
R
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I can't speak for them but I can't imagine them refusing to talk about their heritage and traditions.
I could probably get you a phone number so you can call. Drop me a PM