Introduction - Flat bow Questions. Maybe from ash.

[bitterman]

Thanks now time for some arrows

Need to pickup a board to give a board bow a try (will go much slower on this one and go for 45lbs at 26" and whatever it gets at 28" so my son can deer hunt with it and I can still shoot it and will still work for him as he grows)... I am thinking hickory as it should be very durable. We will see.

Arrows are next so can shoot the bow in.. also want to let is dry some and get it down to 8% if I can, then finish sand.. and oil finish. I think I will but a small re-curve in the limb.. enough to account for some the sting follow.. and also make it a little more zippy.. I will chrony it when its all perfectly dry sanded and finished.

Can't believe I waited so many years to try making a bow.. Its a blast.. will keep working at things hopefully get better at tillering.. and make a better bow each one I make. WE will see how many bows it takes till making something respectable.
 
This one was only a Saturday and Sunday so maybe 2 days to get to this stage

Bruce

[George Tsoukalas]

Excellent tiller on that bow! Very impressive. Jawge

[bitterman]

Thanks Jawge

[bjrogg]

I like your tiller Bitterman. Your not totally cured ash will take more set than a totally cured one would. I personally probably wouldn't recurve the tips on this one. It would probably make your set problem even worse. I think I'd keep that one as it is and call it my first respectable bow. I'd recommend making a bow for yourself and another for your son. Drawing his bow an extra two inches might not seem like much but it will cause more set and wear it out faster. It is probably long enough to handle it though so on a dry cured stave might not be a problem.
Look forward to seeing more bows in future. It'd be great to see some hunting stories to.
Bjrogg

[M2A]

Great bow there. Congrats. Nothing like making one for your son.

Tiller looks good to me. I agree with Bjrogg. Sand it, put a finish on it and let your son shot away. While he is shooting this one you can be working on the next. If you try and recurve and it goes bad then your left with nothing. You done good, let him enjoy your hard work now  mike

[bitterman]

Thanks guys,

I have been already pulling it to 28" for tillering etc.

I am letting the bow dry out more over the next couple weeks and then I will sand it with my son (will put him to work on it actually ). I have tried and true varnish oil to put on the bow.. I think that should protect it nicely. I have some cow hid to use for a handle wrap.. but might look for a piece of deer hide.  Need some beaver pelt for string silencers also and some b50 to make a proper sting once its all done and ready for its real string.

I need to cut the limbs down a bit (1" on each end). the bow was designed to be 68" and 66" from notch to notch. I was think of putting tip overlays on to dress things up a bit.. if I find an deer shed.. would use that I think.

I expect only thing son will use this for is target practice, squirrel and rabbit hunting.

Should I try heat tempering it?  Would help with drying further but I am afraid might cause a crack.

1 down 100's to go, thanks for all the help in info on this site without it I could not have done this!

Bruce

[M2A]

I'd give it time to dry before shooting anymore. If you have AC in your house, that should be enough to do it in a few short weeks. A small scale helps....keep weighing it until it stops losing weight. Then check tiller again. I understand how hard it is to wait on things like that with your 1st bow

Heating very well may cause cracks. It may also change your tiller more than you expect when already drawn to 28" . Most folks seem to heat treat belly wood at 20 inches or so, that way they have room to make adjustments. Great 1st bow.  Mike           

[bitterman]

Thanks Mike,

thats exactly what I have been doing. I have been leaving the bow unstrung and in the house to dry.  Limbs are stiffing up some so might gain some lb's once dry. Its getting to the point I expect I can sand it and clean it up soon.. In just over a week.. (It will be sitting for over 2 weeks at that point) I will be at the camp with my son.. and he wants to use it then, maybe get a rabbit.

I will be carefully that the tiller is not affected when sanding will keep it even as possible. Better to have an ok tiller at lighter weight than a ticking time bomb... so if needed I will tweak things but so far so good.

I am going to cut 1" off the end of each limp.. and then but the string groves in. This will increase the weight.. and should make it about perfect for his 26" draw. I will slowing work things out see if it will do 28" for me.. but I can always short draw it. Should be a bunch of fun for my son and me.. So nice to see such a nice smile on his face.

I am going to get a couple boards for sure to make 2 bows... looking for some hickory..

I might get some sinew for this bow for insurance and I know this will make the bow a bit snappier also.. Definitely taking all your advise on leaving things as.. and shooting this bow to give time to make him another better bow and one for myself. I might aim for 60lb for a bow for me and then lighten it once it breaks in nice to say 52 or 53 lbs at that I could legally hunt moose or even bear with it and would be decently fast for deer hunting.  Totally different game with a self primitive bow than a compound..

Son is asking about flint napping also.. so that could be fun for him also. However not sure they are legal to hunt with here in Ontario Canada.

Bruce