My First Bow - A Self Bow

[ConorO]

Hello! I've made quite a bit of progress! Please excuse the poor quality of this picture, it was taken with my phone and the only thing available at the time... However, in this photo, I have the bow tillered to 30" with a long string made of paracord. At this length, with the long string, it's pulling about 35#. I am hoping for around 40-45# at 28" when all is said and done. How do you think it's coming along? There's a definite hinge in the left limb right off the fade, but what do you guys think? Any pointers/directions/advice? I'm hoping to have it done by Christmas  .

Thank you!

*P.S. I can upload better pics this weekend.*

[bow101]

Hinge on the left and right limb kind of flat.  Don't pull beyond your draw weight or she will take a lot of set.
Slow and easy should get it right, haste makes waste.., trust me I have built 10-12 and broke most.

[mwosborn]

I suggest you address the hinge that you pointed out in your left limb.  I would not pull any further with the long string.  I would have gone to a shorter string sooner - a string just a smidge longer than the bow.  Then to a low brace after the limbs are bending evenly 6-8 inches.  At this point, I would scrape a bit just outside that hinge and try to improve that area and then go to a shorter string.  The right limb looks like it will be stiffer and will need to be evened up with the left after you address the hinge.  It (right) is not bending badly though.  Like has been said "go slow".

[SLIMBOB]

That hinge will likely kill the bow if it's not addressed soon.  If you have a 6 ft string that should have a breaking strength of 200lbs, but it is thin in one little spot, and that spot would break around 100lbs, then you have a 6ft string that will break at 100lbs.  Same with your bow limbs.  A 40lbs hinge on a 50lbs limb is a 40lbs limb.  Or a broken limb (ruined at least) if pulled much beyond that.  Fixable.

[ConorO]

So what do you recommend? Evening out the rest of the limb?

[SLIMBOB]

I would yes. Like the string analogy above, any additional strands on that string along its length beyond 100lbs is dead weight. Same with the additional wood on your limb above the weight limit of the hingy spot, dead weight. Worse, it forces that spot to do more than its share of the work. Take the extra wood off and even out the work load along the entire limb. The unknown is what the weight limit is on the hinge. A straight edge will allow you to figure that out.

[ConorO]

This makes sense... Thank you guys for all the help and advice, I'll keep you updated!

[ConorO]

Hey guys, I'm making the final bowstring today. The bow measures 68" from tip to tip and 66" from inside of nock to inside of nock. I've heard some people recommend making the string 2" or 3" shorter than the bow itself. What general rule of thumb have you guys found useful for this? Thanks!

[SLIMBOB]

Last one I twisted up with double loops I had to make 4 before one fit properly.    Still cant figure out what happened.  Forever I did a loop on top and bowyers knot on the bottom.  Last 4 or 5 I have been doing double loops.  Someone else can set us both straight on that one.

[ConorO]

A  bowyer's knot, eh? That is something I'm "knot" sure I know how to do... duh dum tss!  I was thinking of doing a flemish twist string.

[SLIMBOB]

The bowyers knot just allows you to adjust the length of the string at the knot.  Do a google search on it.  Simple knot.

[Zion]

Isn't it practically the same thing as a timber hitch?

[SLIMBOB]

Yep.

[RyanR]

Hello! I've made quite a bit of progress! Please excuse the poor quality of this picture, it was taken with my phone and the only thing available at the time... However, in this photo, I have the bow tillered to 30" with a long string made of paracord. At this length, with the long string, it's pulling about 35#. I am hoping for around 40-45# at 28" when all is said and done. How do you think it's coming along? There's a definite hinge in the left limb right off the fade, but what do you guys think? Any pointers/directions/advice? I'm hoping to have it done by Christmas  .

Thank you!

*P.S. I can upload better pics this weekend.*

I think its better than my first one. Get something with a straight edge 3 to 6 inches long and run it across the belly of the bow to look for flat spots. Scrape wood off the flat spots to get the whole limb working. It looks like both limbs are stiff mid limb. Good luck.