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Author Topic: Building an ash flatbow  (Read 5682 times)

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Offline ice126

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Building an ash flatbow
« on: February 12, 2012, 10:39:46 pm »
Hello I was wondering if i could get some advice on building a ash flatbow. I plane to split the wood this summer but i want to plan it all out first before i go right into it. I am a long time archer/ bow hunter and i want to get into becoming a bowyer. I have some books but they seem somewhat confusing. So any help I can get i would love like tips about ash flatbows and designs ideas ect.

Thanks for your time -John Ferrone
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Offline toomanyknots

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Re: Building an ash flatbow
« Reply #1 on: February 12, 2012, 10:47:14 pm »
I would say that a pyramid limb bow is one of the top designs, easy to tiller and good performance/low set.
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"The way of heaven is like the bending of a bow-
 the upper part is pressed down,
 the lower part is raised up,
 the part that has too much is reduced,
 the part that has too little is increased."

- Tao Te Ching, 77, A new translation by Victor H. Mair

Offline ice126

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Re: Building an ash flatbow
« Reply #2 on: February 12, 2012, 10:57:45 pm »
Thanks I will  look at that. I was wondering if anyone out there could help me go along when I build this bow. I would greatly appreciate it.
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Offline nativenoobowyer86

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Re: Building an ash flatbow
« Reply #3 on: February 12, 2012, 11:00:49 pm »
Post pics and explanations, and ask lots of questions.  We would all like to go along :)
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"If it feels like ur life is about to fall apart, back it with some rawhide an hope it holds together"

Offline Carson (CMB)

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Re: Building an ash flatbow
« Reply #4 on: February 12, 2012, 11:37:17 pm »
I have worked with oregon ash and have heard that white ash is similar.  It seems like a good bow wood to me. What kind of ash do you have your eye on?
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"The bow is the old first lyre,
the mono chord, the initial rune of fine art
The humanities grew out from archery as a flower from a seed
No sooner did the soft, sweet note of the bow-string charm the ear of genius than music was born, and from music came poetry and painting and..." Maurice Thompso

blackhawk

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Re: Building an ash flatbow
« Reply #5 on: February 13, 2012, 12:33:57 am »
where do you live?.. there might be someone near you who wood be willing to help you firsthand ;)
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Offline Slackbunny

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Re: Building an ash flatbow
« Reply #6 on: February 13, 2012, 01:21:05 am »
You can't really plan too far ahead until you get your stave roughed out and can see what you are working with. You can pick out a general style and rough dimensions, but chances are once you actually get down to working the wood, you will need to make changes and compromises to work around what the wood gives you.
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Offline ice126

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Re: Building an ash flatbow
« Reply #7 on: February 13, 2012, 08:01:52 pm »
Do you guys have any rough designs/plans I could use like the pyramis bow limb design or something like that.
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Offline JW_Halverson

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Re: Building an ash flatbow
« Reply #8 on: February 13, 2012, 08:30:07 pm »
I reckon you could go with an inch wide handle that is 4 inches long, fadeouts of 2 inches on either side of the handle, then 2 inch wide limbs tapering to 1/2 inch at the tips.  Length should be at the very least twice your draw length plus the 8 inches of handle/fadeout area. 

To echo another post, where are you located?  Chances are we have someone nearby that might even be available to work with you on the bow. 

Secondly, what species of ash do you have in your crosshairs?
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Guns have triggers. Bicycles have wheels. Trees and bows have wooden limbs.

Offline bubby

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Re: Building an ash flatbow
« Reply #9 on: February 13, 2012, 09:16:37 pm »
i suggest that start with some boards for bow wood, you will get some good practical experiance, probablly some good bows and it will fill the gap while your wood season's, Jawge's site will help you a ton and it's at the top of the how to build-a-long page, Bub
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failure is an option, everyone fails, it's how you handle it that matters.
The few the proud the 27🏹

Offline ice126

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Re: Building an ash flatbow
« Reply #10 on: February 13, 2012, 11:26:08 pm »
 live in upstate new York in the Adirondack mountain wildlife park. I am looking at a piece of white ash. Or I am also thinking about making it from iron wood.
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Offline PEARL DRUMS

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Re: Building an ash flatbow
« Reply #11 on: February 14, 2012, 11:26:43 am »
I would go with the Hop Hornbeam rather than ash.
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Only when the last tree has died and the last river has been poisoned and the last fish has been caught will we realize we cannot eat money.

Offline ice126

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Re: Building an ash flatbow
« Reply #12 on: February 14, 2012, 09:22:24 pm »
Would any of you guys be willing to mentor/help me via Skype or other online things on how to build a bow and then oversee me while I start out on my own. I know its a lot to ask but I would be willing to pay and you would always have a free meal at my restaurant in lake George New York.
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Offline Buckeye Guy

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Re: Building an ash flatbow
« Reply #13 on: February 14, 2012, 11:51:35 pm »
Just start in and We will all help you for free !
Almost ,you just have to keep passing on the tradition to others !!!!
Its easy as falling off a log !
Tell us what you are thinking and we will help guide you ,just tell us before you do it as its easy-er to keep you on track that way than try to it fix later !
Go
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