Primitive Archer
Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: half eye on February 11, 2013, 02:02:56 pm
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Just finished tillering out this little elm bow. The stave had pretty cool "w" at the grip area. So I made it centered on that. Tillered it out and ya know I usually leave the wood "as is", but this had one limb refexed in the outer 1/3 and the other was sort of flat with a deflexed outer foot. So after tillering I steamed in some 6" reflexed ears cause the bow was light, went from 39# @ 26 up to 42# after the steamed tips.
My major mistake was doing the elm right after the 2 ironwood staves so by hackin it to those rough dimensions the elm came in too light for my liking. Shoots real smooth and easy, and has decent speed with some of my 5/16" birch (370 grains/about) but the 650/700 grain huntin arrows slows it down some >:D
Allmost forgot, the bow is 1-1/8 wide and tapers to 1" tips and weighs 7 ounces with the grease/pitch finish and it's string. enjoy the photo's fellas, comments allways welcome.
rich
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Nice little bow Rich. I have done the same with not thinking of the wood denisities before roughing out. ::)
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nice one rich, man you get more good bend out of a short unbacked bow than anybody, Bub
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Very nice! That bow is LIGHT... :o
Do I get it right, you steamed one of those reflexes, while the other is grown? Did you loose much of the steamed reflex? Heat treat it?
This is a lovely little bow, the bend is impressive.
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Nice bow Rich, excellent tiller as always. I need to 'learn' you the 'pinch grip' >:D
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Awesome tiller and wonderful bow Rich!
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Unbelievable bend...That bow would be a joy to carry in the woods.
Don
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Rich pull that little sucker to 26" and snap a pic. I wanna see it! I love seeing shorty bows bent way past half their length.
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Rich pull that little sucker to 26" and snap a pic. I wanna see it! I love seeing shorty bows bent way past half their length.
This posts leads me to a question,that i have had for some time,for you ultra short selfbow guys.
Realistically,How long of a lifespan,do you guys expect of these bows,being used at those type draws and shot often?Im not being critical here,this is a serious inquiry of your experience and something ive often wondered about.Thought id finally ask the question.
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Good question Traxx. I am also curious. Half eye's bows are exceptional.
What is your tillering setup like half eye?
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Looks like you cranked out another one, Rich!! 8)
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Looks good rich. And you got good draw length.
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Thanks for the comments fellas it's appreciated.
As far as the longevity goes I haven't had any blow from use. I've blew some up before I changed how I tiller them. Just because this bow is capable of 26" of draw doesn't mean I'm gonna max it out every shot. My normal draw is 25 inches (with reg string grip) and about 23" with the secondary grip. The photo I posted I didn't remember to overdraw the darlin so I reshot the pic.
Hrothgar: the secondary pinch is as close as this old cripple is gonna get :D
Pearl Drums, took pics just for you.....I dont lie, If I say it will go 26 them it will.....but here's your proof, hopefully it satisfy's ya.
Dictionary, be glad to tell ya how I tiller. Send me a PM or email me at rousseau.rd@att.net
here's the pics
rich
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talk about grip it and rip it!!!
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String angle past 90 degrees on that one... Wow way to go Halfeye!
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I never said you lied you ol' grump. I just said I wanted to see it full draw.....jeeesh...
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Another nice shorty Rich, amazing! After these last two you posted I'm unable to think about anything other than making a short bow.
Gonna have to get started on one soon. Maybe I'll try something in the 50" - 52" range, that will be a challenge for me.
Greg
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Halfeye,
I would be willing to bet,that all would appreciate a post describing your tillering technique.I know i would appreciate it.
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Nice bow Rich.
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Traxx,
I'll see if I can find another stave someplace (we got 5 feet of snow in the woods right now) but pretty sure I can come up with one. Will do a step by step in the how to threads.
Hope it helps you out some. Probably aint the way most do it, hell it may not even be the "right" way but happy to show how I do it
Thanks again fellas.
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You are flat amazing with those bows Rich just love seeing them
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Love seein your bows Rich. They are always awesome and impressive. X4 on the tillering technique demo. I have learned lots just reading your posts and recommendations so bring on the demo and learn us more......
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I'd like to see you do a step by step also.
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I also would take great interest in your build along.
Don
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Thanks fellas, I'll try to get my sorry old butt out to the wood lot today and cut a couple of stave from some dead standing Ironwood. I hope ya aint to disapointed though, you probably aint gonna believe how few tools get used.
rich
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Very nice!
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Come back and looked at this one repeatedly. Very nice as all yours are. Your bows are a clinic in short bow building.
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Way to push the limit Rich. great looking shorty. (the bow i mean) ;D
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Halfeye,
I would be willing to bet,that all would appreciate a post describing your tillering technique.I know i would appreciate it.
I was thinking the same thing when I read traxx's post.
Looking forward to your build along.
Keith
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Rich what can ya say??? You get so much out of so little!!! Well done!!!
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Rich,
As the old sayin goes,You can learn somethin from anyone.Who knows,i may like your way better and the Fewer tools thing,is always a plus in my book.
Lookin forward to it.
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ok, so, ill give you my address and shipping for when your ready to send it my way. lol. nice work!!
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I am late getting in on this one but, WOW! You got all the bend out of that little sucker Rich. I know what you mean about elm - I think it likes to be a little wider than than that ironwood you've been working with. That one looks awesome and I am gonna echo what has already been said about your posting a build along. I would sure like to see it. You make a great bow brother. That one you sent me is still flinging arrows just fine. ;)
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Thanks again fellas...Howard it's started....I got me a Hrodes special that shoots real good as well.
rich
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That's one awesome bow my friend!! You did it again!
Tattoo Dave
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That is amazing! and it is not even a bend in the handle style. Now the finish I would like to know more about it. Never heard of a pitch grease finish. How do you make it if you don't mind me asking?
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I've got some of that special sauce pine pitchgrease finish and I love that stuff, works great and smells good
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WOW,Now that's bending a short stick a long way,very nice job on that one. :)
Pappy
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Thank you fellas, I usually dont make stuff that short or pull that far really getting my "feetwet" on Ironwood in various stages of dead and standing, new, etc. Thanks Pappy.
What I use for finish is a "tweeked-down" version of the NA wood treatment in this area. They would have soaked the bow in bear or deer fat (liquified and hot) then "warmed near a fire" followed there after with coats of fat/beeswax and more fat every so often. The elders told me "it keeps the woods elasticity". I did not care for the feel of it and the wife wasn't wild about the smell in "her" house. So here is what I made and use.
I start with spruce gum (there's a lot of blue around here but I dont think the species matters). I'll melt that down till I got about half of a quart saucepan full and add into it about 2 cups of rendered fat (have also used crisco) I then add beeswax untill the stuff is a little stiffer than toothpaste when cool. The way I check that is take your stir stick and wipe some paper or carboard and when the smear is cool you can feel the consistency. When it's all done just set it aside for use when you want it.
How to apply: I use a small flat stick to spread it one the bow (1/2 at a time) then use a hair dryer or heat gun to heat up the goo. The wood will suck that stuff right up. Now buff the excess off with a rag and set it aside. In about 1/2 hour that bow should feel smooth and maybe slightly waxy but otherwise dry. Ya can repeat that a bunch of times if you want to but the hot stuff will only go in soo deep. After you are satisfied with the "feel" of the bow's surface give a coat of neutral shoepolish or mink oil boot treatment warm that and buff like shinnin shoes. The maintainance is to use the shoepolish as often as necessary to keep the bow from feeling "dry" to the touch. I do it every time I come in from hunting (shoe polish warmed with a dryer) but that might be overkill. Water, snow and ice.....no problem
no real big secret here fellas.
rich
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very cool bow, enjoying the whole thread. amazing what can be learned if you read the whole
post.
chuck
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Rich you sure got those shorties down pat. great job on a sliver of a stick. Amazing is probabley more appropriate. I will look forward to your post on how you tiller those little dudes. Danny
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That thread is in the how to section and is to the "its a bow stage. 8) I will post pics of putting the pitch/grease on her.
rich
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Thank you fellas, I usually dont make stuff that short or pull that far really getting my "feetwet" on Ironwood in various stages of dead and standing, new, etc. Thanks Pappy.
What I use for finish is a "tweeked-down" version of the NA wood treatment in this area. They would have soaked the bow in bear or deer fat (liquified and hot) then "warmed near a fire" followed there after with coats of fat/beeswax and more fat every so often. The elders told me "it keeps the woods elasticity". I did not care for the feel of it and the wife wasn't wild about the smell in "her" house. So here is what I made and use.
I start with spruce gum (there's a lot of blue around here but I dont think the species matters). I'll melt that down till I got about half of a quart saucepan full and add into it about 2 cups of rendered fat (have also used crisco) I then add beeswax untill the stuff is a little stiffer than toothpaste when cool. The way I check that is take your stir stick and wipe some paper or carboard and when the smear is cool you can feel the consistency. When it's all done just set it aside for use when you want it.
How to apply: I use a small flat stick to spread it one the bow (1/2 at a time) then use a hair dryer or heat gun to heat up the goo. The wood will suck that stuff right up. Now buff the excess off with a rag and set it aside. In about 1/2 hour that bow should feel smooth and maybe slightly waxy but otherwise dry. Ya can repeat that a bunch of times if you want to but the hot stuff will only go in soo deep. After you are satisfied with the "feel" of the bow's surface give a coat of neutral shoepolish or mink oil boot treatment warm that and buff like shinnin shoes. The maintainance is to use the shoepolish as often as necessary to keep the bow from feeling "dry" to the touch. I do it every time I come in from hunting (shoe polish warmed with a dryer) but that might be overkill. Water, snow and ice.....no problem
no real big secret here fellas.
rich
another recipe for the book :)