Primitive Archer
Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: jareddchazen on June 03, 2019, 05:13:26 pm
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This bow has a short story over a long time. Two years ago I found a dead straight grained board of Easter Red Cedar that was 8 feet long, 8 inches wide, and quarter sawn. I made a Meare-Heath replica with it and had more than enough to make a longbow. The Meare-Heath is a 90% finished project. I was worried that it wouldn't hold together being as ERC has a low tension to compression ratio, so I backed it with linen then set it aside. Life, work, all that jazz got in the way until a few weeks ago. I picked up the ERC longbow, planed off the linen, ripped down some quarter sawn white oak and glued it all up. Here is the result.
I was originally going to have self nocks, but when I had a small split at one of the nocks in the oak, decided to put antler tips. The wood tips would have extended a couple inches in the fashion of the bows found in Scandinavia and Ireland (possible "Viking" bows). The antler was put on to replicate the deflexed tips. I kept the outer 3rd or so of each limb stiffer, but still bending.
Now onto the important stuff:
Draw: 59 lbs. at 28 in., was going for 50-60 lbs, when the tiller came out good at 59 I called it good.
Length (NtoN): 67 in.
Width at arrow pass: 1 in.
Width at mid limb: 7/8 in.
Width at nocks: 9/16 in.
Thickness at arrow pass: 3/4 in.
Thickness at mid limg: 5/8 in.
Thickness at nocks: 9/16 in.
Thickness of backing: 1/8 in.
I don't have a way to measure arrow speed, but it's faster than any other longbow I've made.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/47996862001_46082bd03a_c.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2g8jsTt)
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/47996905037_200b070911_c.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2g8jFFt)
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/47996940286_5ddf5f37aa_c.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2g8jSad)
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/47996904417_2731eebef0_c.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2g8jFuM)
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/47996941996_ac5b0ae384_c.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2g8jSEG)
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/47996940216_c925eb4a20_c.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2g8jS91)
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Very nice Jared! (-S
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Not a big fan of the tips but it is a very nice bend :D :D
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upstatenybowyer: Thank you!
DC: They're definitely not for everyone. The deflex tips in general are odd looking for sure. It took me a long time to warm up to them.
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I hate to be ‘that guy’ but I would bring that bottom limb and a little in the handle around a bit more.
I love white as a backing material stands above hickory in my book. Great nocks👍🏼
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nice curves, I wasn't sure about the tips, but after your explanation I think they look pretty neat.
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Bryce: I did notice the stiff limb in this picture. Previously it was bending even on the tiller stick and in other pictures (taken a couple weeks ago) that I have of it. Hoping it's more the angle of it, I tend to cant my bows when drawing them. But I will throw it on the stick tomorrow and see how she looks. Never not be "that guy."
I'm loving white oak over hickory lately. May just keep up with that.
Rakua: thank you.
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Looks like you have your horn tips turned the wrong way, they usually turn away from the belly. Your string nocks are on the right side.
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Eric: No, they're not. That was intentional. As I said in the post, it is in the same direction as Irish and Scandinavian finds.
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Bryce: I did notice the stiff limb in this picture. Previously it was bending even on the tiller stick and in other pictures (taken a couple weeks ago) that I have of it. Hoping it's more the angle of it, I tend to cant my bows when drawing them. But I will throw it on the stick tomorrow and see how she looks. Never not be "that guy."
I'm loving white oak over hickory lately. May just keep up with that.
Rakua: thank you.
Sometimes our dominant eyes sees things different than the other. Flip it around a few times on your tiller setup. Sometimes I’ll take something round like my coffee mug (I think del uses a CD) and check the tiller against that curve.
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Going to do that tonight after work.
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Bryce: Checked the tiller on the stick using your method, looked good. Flipped it, still looked good. Hoping it's just angle, lighting, optical illusion? I don't know. I do appreciate the advice and will do that from now on just the same.
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Double check where your handle is set on the top and that the pull string is where you nock an arrow. Sometimes that can make a difference. Most of my nock beads are at about 1/2” above the rest, and the arrow goes underneath. I start there and can adjust if need be.
Either way it’s only slight. a 1/4” positive tiller is considered normal with a longer upper limb.
I wouldn’t worry too
Much about it.
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Bingo. Nocked in the picture an inch or so higher than on the stick.
Thank you!
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Bingo. Nocked in the picture an inch or so higher than on the stick.
Thank you!
Right on 👍🏼
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Nice bow with the colors of ERC, I have a theory why the tips were deflexed which is to prevent overdraw by making it stack at the specific draw weight, just a theory but it makes a little sense.
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I've heard a couple theories. That one is new to me. The one heard that caught my attention was they were basically handles for stringing.
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Nice bow with the colors of ERC, I have a theory why the tips were deflexed which is to prevent overdraw by making it stack at the specific draw weight, just a theory but it makes a little sense.
Except the string isn't out at the end of the horn :)
I've heard a couple theories. That one is new to me. The one heard that caught my attention was they were basically handles for stringing.
I don't know that I would want to bend a bow by pulling on glued on tips. :o
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Nice bow, its always refreshing to see a new style or design pop up.
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DC: I wouldn't think of doing it with antler tips, but reconstructions, I have seen strung that way.
Hrothgar: Thanks. I know the look isn't always popular, but I like it.
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Sweet Bow!
Love the tips. Keep up the good work.
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@Tillstave I'm really enjoying this bow. Still not sure how fast it shoots, but it's quick.