Primitive Archer
Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: DC on June 04, 2020, 06:17:45 pm
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I'm playing with this new(to me)handle and now that I've got it clamped up(not glued) the fades look very abrupt to me. I've taken a picture comparing the limb thickness of the experiment and my best bow. You can see on the BB that the "fades" go out almost 9" where the new bow is quite short. This pair of Yew bellies are quite thin, about .300" thick and with the Boo the total limb thickness will be about .450" just out of the fades. 1 1/2" wide, 66" long going for 40#. Do you think it's going to bend too much right out of the fades and maybe for this one I should include a power lam? I deliberately chose my worst pieces of wood for the first one so that if it's a success I should be OK for others. Sorry for the pic quality. I just can't seem to get a clear pic lately. Hopefully you can see it well enough to comment
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That looks very abrupt to me. A power lam seems like a good idea if you can't redo the riser with longer fades and a larger radius on the riser.
Mark
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When you are doing these 'up the ramp' laminates you should make the riser fades longer like 3" minimum. with a more gradual fade.
A powerlam or tapered backing would be good here.
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I had already cut out the Black Walnut riser so I didn't want to waste it. I'll use a power lam and modify the riser next time if the belly isn't thick enough. Thanks
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This looks like quite a neat way to get a little more length out of two belly pieces and saves a splice. I have been cutting my bows out in “pyramid shape” such that the pieces between two adjacent full length bows are wide enough to make another bow if spliced together - it seems to maximise what I can get out of a plank. Might try this instead of a splice on the shorter pieces. Enjoying watching this progress.
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The Black Walnut and the Yew looks pretty good. I should have taken a pic. I'm gluing the power lam on now so it's all covered in bike tube. It's in the truck hoping for the sun to peak through. It's a bit of a fiddle to get the curve on the riser to match the curve on the belly lam. It would have been easier if I'd made the riser a bit longer but then you start cutting into working limb.
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Looking forward to see how this one turns out(I think it should work well). Really thinking outside the box DC.
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Here's a peek. Crummy pic again. I need a new camera.
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That's the job :)
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Nice job on that one DC. You always seem to be busy at it.
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That looks great. I'd be a bit worried about Black Walnut in that scenario though. I'd prefer a piece of Ipe with a power lam feathering the transition.
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I wondered about the BW but decided to go for it mainly because I was looking for a dark wood to hide the glue lines ;) That is a power lam on the top. I got the riser to taper in to the belly nicely but then I decided to put on the PL and now I'm going to have to fiddle a bit to get a decent glue line where the Boo, the belly and the PL meet. It would be easy if I didn't have to worry about the thickness of the Yew belly. I have to make it all blend by feathering the PL. My job for the day. Maybe squeeze in the recurves too. :D
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I look forward to seeing the whole bow on the tree. Just for curiosity sake, what is wrong with black walnut for the riser block?
Mark
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I'm not sure. I just shy away from using non bow wood anywhere in a bow. I'm sure this one will not bend much(if at all) being so short but I can maybe see a problem if it reached out into the limb a little further. I asked this same question in another post and never got an answer. https://www.primitivearcher.com/smf/index.php/topic,68217.0.html
Last post.
My gut says you could use a piece of generic 2x4 but I'm not about to risk a week of work on a gut feeling.
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My gut says you could use a piece of generic 2x4 but I'm not about to risk a week of work on a gut feeling.
I have seen people mention using black walnut for core lams in multi-lam bows, so I never considered it to not be a bow wood of some sort. I would be concerned about SPF lumber failing in compression at the handle if you used it for a riser, but walnut is not at all in the same strength category as softwood construction lumber.
Mark
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I'm going to have to fiddle a bit to get a decent glue line where the Boo, the belly and the PL meet. It would be easy if I didn't have to worry about the thickness of the Yew belly. I have to make it all blend by feathering the PL.
Seem you have the area of most concern still left to do. Guessing walnut is fine where it is.
is the link to the youtube video a hint about where the limbs are going?
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I don't know how that YouTube link got there. It's fixed now ;D ;D
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Black Walnut is considered a bit weak and light for the stresses on a riser. On the other hand this is a lighter weight bow.
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Here's where I got to. As soon as I finished the glue up I noticed that I had too much(18°) deflex. I'm not sure how that happened. I'll have to take a close look at my riser pattern. Anyway I continued on. It took about an inch of set and ended up with no reflex to speak of. I shot it on the machine and got 170fps at 25" draw. I decided to ty and take some of the deflex out so I'm going to cut out the area marked in tape and bend the boo and the powerlam to get 4+" of reflex. I will probably only shoot it on the machine so I'm not too concerned about safety. I'll keep an eye on the set and maybe drop to 35#.
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Walnut is a excellent core wood and ok in a riser up to about 45#. My wife has a glass recurve that is a fantastic bow . Won several state championships with it. Arvin
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Problem with Black Walnut is when you glue it up to a harder wood and its not completely covered or lamed over.
Wood is very open grained and very soft. If theres any flexing stress over time the walnut unsupported will give up the ghost.
I have BW pig bow 56” glass and put in maple triangle fades even with glass. To risky to leave it that this even under glass!
HH~
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197,196,195,194 >:( >:( :( :(
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I decided it was no good to me like that so I thought I would try a Del's patch. After a bit of rasping I could see that this was a good decision. It's amazing that you can cut something 3/8" thick and manage to capture something like this right in the middle so it doesn't look too bad from either side. It never occurred to me that they were joined. I rasped it down almost to the boo on this side and just to the corner on the far side. Then I worked up a patch on the belt sander. I test fit it using clamps and it looks like a good fit. Glued it up with epoxy and we'll see in the morning.
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More
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And here it is finished. It ain't pretty but it works. It was the best match for colour and grain that I could find. It still shoots in the mid 190's. I guess I'll have to shoot it a bunch to see if if will last. Haven't shot for a while. This one is sure s dog's breakfast. ;D ;D
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I’ve loved this thread. Learnt a lot from it. That bow has a lot of character and that fact it still shoots at all is testament to your skills.
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Thanks Tommy :D It's not the kind of character that I like in bows but once something starts to go west it's a good exercise to chase it to the end. You have to learn something.
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And here it is finished. It ain't pretty but it works. It was the best match for colour and grain that I could find. It still shoots in the mid 190's.
You might be the only one who complains about a rescued bow that had nearly everything go wrong and still shoots in the mid 190's @ 10gpp. I hope it lasts for years and gives you lots of enjoyment. If you can't stand the sight of it, send it my way and I will give it a good home. ;)
FWIW, my 'artistic' sense likes contrast, so I wouldn't have worried at all about matching colour and grain for the patch. It adds visual interest and character to a bow with a great story. Of course, as an engineer no one has ever accused me of having any artistic ability at all...
but once something starts to go west it's a good exercise to chase it to the end. You have to learn something.
It is always worthwhile to do that as an educational experience.
Mark
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Thanks Mark, I'm sure there a lot of guys could reach those speeds if they built a shooting machine. Made a world of difference.
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Thanks Mark, I'm sure there a lot of guys could reach those speeds if they built a shooting machine. Made a world of difference.
What do you think it would do if you finger released?
Mark
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I only draw 27" on a good day so that slows it a bit but the major problem was being able to get the arrow through the sweet spot of the chrono. I could shoot 10 arrows and have seven error mesg. And the 3 good shots could vary by 10fps. I'm not sure I ever got 180 with my fingers. The machine is solid. One arrow is all it takes. Ten arrows will be all within 2 fps. I haven't shot through the chrono for a long time. I plan on doing it some day.
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there seems to be some tricks to getting good lighting to reduce errors also.
there was also a post a while back where, I wish I could remember who, made a release for his machine that emulated a finger release.
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I'm pretty sure that the errors were caused by me. I tried shade, open sun and the little diffusers in both. It would be nice to find out I'm not a klutz but I don't think that's going to happen. If it involves hand eye coordination I won't be much good at it.
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Well I'm pleased. I set up the chrono in the backyard and took a about ten shots.
Four of them were over 190. Two were 195. I was really concentrating on my draw length. I'm 6'1" so my DL should be over 28 if I stretch so that may account for the speed. Only one ERR so that was really good. Next time I'll put some tape on the 28" mark so I've got a better idea of what's happening.