Re: Need some help

[Jess Prater]

Here is another reason--

In 2001 I bought a self flat bow in Duluth, MN.  I don't know who made it but afterward found the website of an Indian gentleman in this state that makes commercial Plains Bows.  I looks like his so I'm thinking it is.  In 2003 I lost the bowstring.  Now that I have brought it out after re-reading TBB, I don't know what length string to use.  I will have to guess, but am unsure how far to string the bow.  If my memory serves me the tag on the bow said 70# at 27 or 28.  When I first bought it, I used commercial aluminum arrows that worked fine.  I would like to make wood arrows for it now, but haven't gotten to the point of knowing what I am doing.  I bought some 3/8" Oak and Popular dowels, but don't know anything about splining yet. This is confounding me greatly.  I wish I had all the pertinant information on the bow.  The bow length is 60 3/4" N-N, the handle is 1" W X 1 1/2" deep, the limbs are 2" W X 3/8 D at the widest part tapering down to 5/8" W X 1/4" T at the nock.

What do you guys suggest?  Trial and error?

Jess Prater

[DanaM]

Jess I split your post into its own topic, think you will get a better response this way.

Do you know what type of wood it is? Is it sinewed? Is it recurved? 70# sounds like a lot of weight for the dimensions you give. As for a string length you most likely want a brace height in the range of 6", make a flemish twist string with one loop and a timber hitch on the lower limb and its easy to adjust for proper brace height.
As for arrows, you need to get it strung and measure the weight so you know exactly what your dealing with. Some other questions is it center shot? does it have a rest of do you shoot off the knuckle? One word of caution if the bow hasn't been shot in 4 or 5 years, I would make sure its neither to dry or to wet, string and leave it braced for a little bit, then pull it back maybe 1/4 of the draw length. then unbrace it and let it rest. Then over a period of a few days slowly bring it back to full draw.
Hope this helps a little bit.

[Marc St Louis]

Jess
If it's a straight limbed bow then just make the string 3" less in length than the nock to nock length. If you are going to use a FF string then make it 2 1/2" less.

[Jess Prater]

Many thanks, Dana and Marc!!

Maybe this won't be as hard as I thought it would be.  Dana, it looks like Oak to me.  Whoever did this did not follow a ring, but the rings are parallel to the length of the bow.  There is a glued on handle.  It is plain, not sinewed and straight limbed.  I don't trust my memory as to the exact poundage, but I remember it to be an arm killer with a lot of arm shock when you let the arrow go (Maybe that's due to the stiff aluminum arrows I used with it.).  There were 5 or 6 of these bows for sale and I picked the one with the highest poundage. Once I get a string on it and some kind of scale, I'll know for sure.  There is no provision for centering the shot.  I set the arrows on my knuckle.  It has been sitting in my house (The mechanical room basement), but I will bring it back slowly when I get a string.  A 6" brace height which will be about 3" less than my nock to nock distance?

I have an Osage billet on the way from e-bay and plan to try my hand at building a bow from wood from where I grew up.

Thanks again guys,

Jess Prater

[DanaM]

Probably closer to 4" less Jess, have fun eh.