Primitive Archer
Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: Academonicon on December 09, 2014, 12:01:13 am
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I've had this narrow hickory board sitting around in the basement for a while and wasn't really sure what I wanted to do with it, but it occurred to me that I wanted a bow that was really long and skinny, and flipping through the Traditional Bowyer's Bible, I rediscovered the weird design that is the English longbow. Curved belly?! Square cross-section?! What is this madness??!!! I had to try it.
The bow actually ended up coming out really nicely. It's about 69" tip-to-tip, pulling 65# at 27". It tapers from 1.5" to 0.5" at the tips - truth be told, the board wasn't thick enough to match the technical specifications of the English longbow (with the width-depth ration of 1 to .66), so it's a sort of flattened version of the design. The tiller is a pretty even D-curve, with a little more bend in the top limb. I haven't taken it out for a test-drive yet, but I'm anticipating about 1.5-2" of set. The bend goes through the handle, which is built up with a couple layers of rawhide on the back and leather on the belly, and wrapped again in corseted black leather. The finish is one coating of Minwax "Gunstock" (which I LOVE), and three coats of tung oil.
And why's it called "Skinny Pete?" I dunno. Why isn't your bow called that?
(https://fbcdn-sphotos-a-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-xpa1/v/t1.0-9/10354740_947811888597515_253214250463601220_n.jpg?oh=2bb41932e9746ba9b4e80ee50838274c&oe=5504F2F7&__gda__=1426802378_3e102ff09b187c6b799ddedfa8e9c12e)
(https://fbcdn-sphotos-b-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-xpf1/v/t1.0-9/10678856_947811908597513_6233609776015732815_n.jpg?oh=30cfd23a55a389494177e9041da15825&oe=55087759&__gda__=1426247731_c2bcf80c2d75fbfeac0ce7a4a27049c8)
(https://fbcdn-sphotos-h-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-xap1/v/t1.0-9/10511239_947811918597512_8076651896266461170_n.jpg?oh=3b7bf79d94827e12dc6b7d2421b986ef&oe=55096929&__gda__=1426154229_e55106efb260631166e54bb87065e423)
(https://fbcdn-sphotos-b-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-xap1/v/t1.0-9/12912_947811821930855_9079569137485900694_n.jpg?oh=dd207cf1de4667535ea7ea4e262fca7a&oe=5519AEF7&__gda__=1425889178_2682d4ed5b74f98d72a632149a97f2ee)
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Good use of that thin piece of hickory :)
If you try another aim for an elliptical tiller. ELB's have a lot of thickness taper and respond much better with an elliptical tiller. Can you see how yours is bending a lot near the handle? The wood is thickest there so should be bending the least there. As you go out towards the tips the bend should increase.
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Good work. I would agree with Mike with tiller design. Your top limb looks a little flat hitting that outer third.
Did you heat treat that hickory at all?
Nonetheless, good work!
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Thanks guys! I knew what I should be shooting for with the elliptical curve, but after doing nothing but flatbows since I started bowyering, I think I was just fighting my instinct and didn't put enough time into focusing on the ends of the limbs. And yeah, Parnell, I think you're right about the tiller on the top limb. C'est la vie. Things to aim for in the next one!
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Oh, and I forgot to answer your question Parnell: No, I didn't heat-treat it. Thought about it, and just got lazy with so many projects going on at once.
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Hickory loves the heat. Big time. I heat it early, midway through tiller, and again just before full draw. But, I live in S Fl. and it's pretty much required down here. You can heat it until it's basically blackened and just before an ember ignites. A quick sanding takes it to the toasted brown. Slow, deep heat.
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Nice work. I would definitely heat treat the inner half of limbs. And consider flipping the tips a couple of inches, if the bow gets that much set.
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I like the finish, did you stain it?
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Thanks, Peacebow. I stained it with Minwax "Gunstock" and went over that with a couple layers of tung oil.