Primitive Archer

Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: zenmonkeyman on November 27, 2011, 06:09:59 pm

Title: Bear Down
Post by: zenmonkeyman on November 27, 2011, 06:09:59 pm
As previously seen in: http://www.primitivearcher.com/smf/index.php/topic,28310.0.html

Had lots of difficulty with this bow.  I roughed it out green, then watched the twist actually tighten as it dried; the bottom limb in particular has near 180 degrees of twist... Got carried away with the roughing as well, she almost came in underweight... Paid too little attention to lateral pin knots and had to reinforce with patches... 3 times lost tip overlays and had to redo... 2wice belly reinforcements... but the results:
Saskatoon (serviceberry ie amelanchier alnifolia) selfbow, rawhide backed, 59 3/4" T2T, 59 1/4"N2N, 40#@28", elk hoof tips and belly patches, leather shelf and handle pad, 13 striped gopher skin arrow pass, leather grip, india ink "decoration/camo", Krylon sprayed finish, bear grease  ;) waterproofing, and brown shoe polish because the white parts were still too white.  Not the fastest thing in the world, but then I never tried it with 9gpp arrows.  With my 500gr arrows, maybe 140fps.  Enough to punch through a small bear anyways.
Now I know y'all want to see some pictures and I'm not here to mess with you:

with my split poplar log arrows:
(http://i80.photobucket.com/albums/j191/zenmonkeyman/CIMG2783c_1_1-1.jpg)

She took some set but not bad!
(http://i80.photobucket.com/albums/j191/zenmonkeyman/CIMG2784c_1_1.jpg)

(http://i80.photobucket.com/albums/j191/zenmonkeyman/CIMG2786c_1_1.jpg)

Belly patches.  Stupid pin knots.
(http://i80.photobucket.com/albums/j191/zenmonkeyman/CIMG2797_1_1-1.jpg)

(http://i80.photobucket.com/albums/j191/zenmonkeyman/CIMG2796_1_1-1.jpg)

(http://i80.photobucket.com/albums/j191/zenmonkeyman/CIMG2791_1_1.jpg)

(http://i80.photobucket.com/albums/j191/zenmonkeyman/CIMG2787c_1_1.jpg)
Title: Re: Bear Down
Post by: Kpete on November 27, 2011, 06:16:37 pm
Sorry it didn't come out quite like you wanted. Sounds like you kept at it and I like the different things you did with it.  I like the full draw picture too.
thanks for the pics
Title: Re: Bear Down
Post by: Pat B on November 27, 2011, 06:24:52 pm
She looks pretty good to me and definately bear worthy! Cool bow!
Title: Re: Bear Down
Post by: Dazv on November 27, 2011, 06:27:39 pm
very nice
Title: Re: Bear Down
Post by: Gordon on November 27, 2011, 06:35:38 pm
Yep, those pin knots will get you if you are not careful - and serviceberry is full of them. Good job keeping at it. The tiller looks perfect for a bendy handled bow. I love the arrows.
Title: Re: Bear Down
Post by: Ifrit617 on November 27, 2011, 06:56:06 pm
nice job! You fixed those problem spots up nice.
Title: Re: Bear Down
Post by: PEARL DRUMS on November 27, 2011, 08:22:14 pm
One bow and allota learning, cant go wrong there. Cool full draw shot for certain.  Way to stick with it to the bitter end. I dropped a bow off my tree and whacked a finished tip overlay loose.......made me sick.
Title: Re: Bear Down
Post by: blackhawk on November 27, 2011, 10:13:33 pm
I like it...nice full draw :)
I had a nock overlay pop off while shooting in a bow once...scared the crap out of me and thought the bow went boom...but it was ok and I tucked my tail between my legs and glued a new one on :laugh:
Title: Re: Bear Down
Post by: zenmonkeyman on November 28, 2011, 10:41:13 pm
Thanks for the kind words guys!  If I half deserve them I'm honored.  :) An extra note about the arrows:  When I first started cutting those lightning zigzags into the fletchings, I thought to myself "Whoa what are you doing you idiot! Those things will hiss through the air like crazy!" but I'm delighted to tell you they are very quiet, quieter than several smooth-cut arrows I've made.  Not sure why.
Title: Re: Bear Down
Post by: TurtleCreek on November 29, 2011, 02:08:44 pm
  You certainly are a determined bowyer!  Nice bow and great job making it work
Title: Re: Bear Down
Post by: MWirwicki on December 02, 2011, 10:46:55 pm
Maybe it's the camo decoration... maybe the perseverence.  But I like it; I like it a lot.  Congratulations on a great looking bow!