Primitive Archer

Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: Matt S. on January 22, 2012, 06:41:36 pm

Title: Maple Backed Cherry (Lots of Photos!)
Post by: Matt S. on January 22, 2012, 06:41:36 pm
Here's a bow I finished this past December and have only now taken some photos and posted here. This is a laminated bow, made from a Black Cherry and Maple boards. It is a light-weight target bow, perfect for my wife or any one who wants to shoot some arrows for a few hours without feeling it in his/her shoulder afterwards. Despite its light draw weight, it still shoots really well and is a fun bow.
Here are the bow's specs:
length: 64" tip-to-tip
draw: 30# @ 28"
set: none, nada, zero. Probably just means it's over built :P
width: 1.5" for center of bow, tapering to about 3/8" at nocks
finish:  2 coats of BLO followed by 4 coats of wiping varnish. The wood combination is stunning!

And here are all the photos!
(https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-5rs1g67t058/Txx6564yaOI/AAAAAAAABWY/lj3SF3AnsXo/s576/31_woodcontrast2.jpg)
(https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-55mV8fqxYr0/Txx67UNHlDI/AAAAAAAABWY/a72rdvA3s-Y/s576/31_woodcontrast.jpg)
(https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-9vnZO38qQD0/Txx667WBHaI/AAAAAAAABWY/ajwhHUx0O7I/s640/31_lowertip.jpg)
(https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-GtDlIMbhxbo/Txx68-cm3BI/AAAAAAAABWY/VDjPRDoIa5s/s800/31_uppertip.jpg)
(https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-AAq3pW78o0k/Txx677NFzFI/AAAAAAAABWY/DMVDYrsBDho/s800/31_set.jpg)
(https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-5eS3TqheNiQ/Txx7BPWRkNI/AAAAAAAABWY/1B5mmzT4YQ4/s576/31_fulldraw1.jpg)
(https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-d2VM1f8LiTg/Txx69cANUNI/AAAAAAAABWY/aJoAQV18dWo/s576/31_fulldraw2.jpg)
(https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-EDfalSzQa-M/Txx645Jb1kI/AAAAAAAABWY/g5pJzPCQmwI/s576/31_fulldraw4.jpg)
(https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-CPpchT5Zho0/Txx64yQqDhI/AAAAAAAABWY/DN4mzJBLESM/s576/31_fulldraw5.jpg)
(https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-OXYnugvZgJY/Txx656nwSvI/AAAAAAAABWY/HF_tto73hC0/s576/31_fulldraw3.jpg)

Any comments, suggestions or criticisms welcome. Thanks for looking!
Title: Re: Maple Backed Cherry (Lots of Photos!)
Post by: missilemaster on January 22, 2012, 06:44:05 pm
Beautiful tiller on that one! The color is gorgeous, great work.
                                                        Cody
Title: Re: Maple Backed Cherry (Lots of Photos!)
Post by: bow101 on January 22, 2012, 07:02:55 pm
Nice looking bow, cherry is a very ince colored wood and gets better with age.
What are you using for string if you don't mind me asking.
And is there an alternative to anything besides B-50 whree i have to spend countless hours making bow strings..?

cheers
Title: Re: Maple Backed Cherry (Lots of Photos!)
Post by: HoBow on January 22, 2012, 07:22:35 pm
She's a beauty and the full draw looks amazing.
Title: Re: Maple Backed Cherry (Lots of Photos!)
Post by: ErictheViking on January 22, 2012, 08:19:34 pm
Your right the colors are sweet. almost as sweet as the tiller. good work
Title: Re: Maple Backed Cherry (Lots of Photos!)
Post by: half eye on January 22, 2012, 08:26:01 pm
Nice circle there, Matt......well done.
rich
Title: Re: Maple Backed Cherry (Lots of Photos!)
Post by: okie64 on January 22, 2012, 08:27:40 pm
That is a great looking bow and the tiller looks awesome. I tried a maple backed cherry one time and mine didnt turn out as good as yours. Great bow.
Title: Re: Maple Backed Cherry (Lots of Photos!)
Post by: dbb on January 22, 2012, 08:32:04 pm
Nice work,both tiller and looks!

/Mikael
Title: Re: Maple Backed Cherry (Lots of Photos!)
Post by: coaster500 on January 22, 2012, 10:33:46 pm
You've got that one bending spot on!!!

Nice job :)
Title: Re: Maple Backed Cherry (Lots of Photos!)
Post by: Sidewinder on January 22, 2012, 11:35:24 pm
Yes stunning combo. Nice work.   Danny
Title: Re: Maple Backed Cherry (Lots of Photos!)
Post by: gstoneberg on January 23, 2012, 12:04:01 am
Very nice!!

George
Title: Re: Maple Backed Cherry (Lots of Photos!)
Post by: bryan irwin on January 23, 2012, 12:14:45 am
very nice tiller looks great
Title: Re: Maple Backed Cherry (Lots of Photos!)
Post by: seabass on January 23, 2012, 12:51:56 am
your tiller is spot on. nice job buddy. cant wait to see your next one, Steve
Title: Re: Maple Backed Cherry (Lots of Photos!)
Post by: Cameroo on January 23, 2012, 01:18:32 am
That's a beauty, I like your style! :)
Title: Re: Maple Backed Cherry (Lots of Photos!)
Post by: Jimbob on January 23, 2012, 01:22:48 am
That sir, is a beauty.  I really like the wood combo!
Title: Re: Maple Backed Cherry (Lots of Photos!)
Post by: RyanY on January 23, 2012, 03:27:25 am
Excellent bow! Thanks for sharing.
Title: Re: Maple Backed Cherry (Lots of Photos!)
Post by: Pappy on January 23, 2012, 08:20:38 am
Very nice job. :)
   Pappy
Title: Re: Maple Backed Cherry (Lots of Photos!)
Post by: gmc on January 23, 2012, 08:34:33 am
Super nice looking bow, the tiller looks spot-on from here.

Excellent job on that bow.

Title: Re: Maple Backed Cherry (Lots of Photos!)
Post by: blackhawk on January 23, 2012, 09:19:36 am
By the pics that combo looks like the cleanest piece of yew I've ever seen...looks like a pleasant sweet shooter
Title: Re: Maple Backed Cherry (Lots of Photos!)
Post by: Matt S. on January 23, 2012, 10:58:52 am
Thanks for all the very kind comments! As always, it means a lot.

Nice looking bow, cherry is a very ince colored wood and gets better with age.
What are you using for string if you don't mind me asking.
And is there an alternative to anything besides B-50 whree i have to spend countless hours making bow strings..?

cheers

This string is B-55, which is very similar to B-50. There are a multitude of options as far as string material to choose from, but I don't see how the string material would effect the construction time. It takes me about 10-15 minutes to twist up a string.
Title: Re: Maple Backed Cherry (Lots of Photos!)
Post by: Parnell on January 23, 2012, 11:00:21 am
I bet that goal-keeper soiled himself looking at you draw the bow!
Nice combination and very clean bow.  I love maple backing, I'm surprised I haven't seen more use out of it with it's easier availability. 
Title: Re: Maple Backed Cherry (Lots of Photos!)
Post by: lesken2011 on January 23, 2012, 11:21:36 am
Nice work. I really appreciate you guys working with boards. I haven't made the leap to staves, yet, and it's nice to see some of the art created with lumberyard materials. It gives me hope.
Title: Re: Maple Backed Cherry (Lots of Photos!)
Post by: Dvshunter on January 25, 2012, 08:19:14 pm
Noce looking bow. Very clean and great finish.
Title: Re: Maple Backed Cherry (Lots of Photos!)
Post by: HickoryBill on January 25, 2012, 11:13:55 pm
Maple backed cherry..the new poor mans Yew??? Great looking bow and awesome tiller.
Title: Re: Maple Backed Cherry (Lots of Photos!)
Post by: bow101 on January 26, 2012, 04:14:29 pm
Thanks for the string info Matt S..

Thanks for all the very kind comments! As always, it means a lot.

Nice looking bow, cherry is a very ince colored wood and gets better with age.
What are you using for string if you don't mind me asking.
And is there an alternative to anything besides B-50 whree i have to spend countless hours making bow strings..?

cheers

This string is B-55, which is very similar to B-50. There are a multitude of options as far as string material to choose from, but I don't see how the string material would effect the construction time. It takes me about 10-15 minutes to twist up a string.
Title: Re: Maple Backed Cherry (Lots of Photos!)
Post by: adb on January 26, 2012, 04:23:24 pm
Nice bow! One of my favourite wood combos. Your tiller is perfect.
Title: Re: Maple Backed Cherry (Lots of Photos!)
Post by: PaulN/KS on January 26, 2012, 04:59:17 pm
Great looking bow. If I might ask, what glue did you use..?
Title: Re: Maple Backed Cherry (Lots of Photos!)
Post by: Josh B on January 27, 2012, 12:43:52 am
That tiller is beautiful !!! :o Great looking bow all around sir!!  Josh
Title: Re: Maple Backed Cherry (Lots of Photos!)
Post by: frankherk on January 27, 2012, 02:47:39 am
Nice ! That bow just looks- well, clean I guess.  Probably sounds like an ambiguous response, but I mean it as a compliment.  It looks like there is nothing but bow there and a beautiful one at that.
Title: Re: Maple Backed Cherry (Lots of Photos!)
Post by: Matt S. on January 27, 2012, 11:23:08 am
Once again, thanks for the generous compliments fellas!

Great looking bow. If I might ask, what glue did you use..?

Titebond III, my go-to glue for just about everything ;D

Nice ! That bow just looks- well, clean I guess.  Probably sounds like an ambiguous response, but I mean it as a compliment.  It looks like there is nothing but bow there and a beautiful one at that.

Thanks! I'm beginning to fall in love (all over again) with the simple D-bow. "Clean", "Simple" and similar adjectives are huge compliments to this primitive archer ;)
Title: Re: Maple Backed Cherry (Lots of Photos!)
Post by: PaulN/KS on January 27, 2012, 04:57:22 pm
Thanks Matt.
I would not have thought that TB3 was strong enough for a bow that is laminated...