250 pounder attempt

[rudderbows]

Craig, I did get the glue ups done. they are huge.  80" by 1 1/2 by 1 1/2" thick. I made a 180 pounder out of a different 76" boo hickory and found that I still could have achieved the a bigger bow from the same size stave because I cut off too much wood to begin with for the stave. . That one was made of bamboo backed Hickory, . The 4 I glued up for the big beast : two are boo on hickory and the other two are boo on Ipe.  After making 180-pounders with 76" boo hickory I am sure the 80" bows will work for something even bigger.   I dont get a chance to come back here as often as I would like because we are swamped with work. However, dont take that as a failure. I always keep my word. If I outright fail at the 250 beast bow I will eat some crow for you gents and tell you. But after making a few other warbows at 180 I am certian I can do it.

ryoon4690,

Why you are getting involved with answering a question directed at someone else? On December 14th  Rudderbows stated "This next weekend are the first glue ups for the big monster bow. Cant wait to finish the week ion the shop to give it a try." and I have been waiting for the results but have only heard silence.

Contrary to your implication I believe a 250 lb bow can be made, of course it can if you make it long and wide enough, I just do not believe it can be pulled by one man.

If as you claim "we're working on this together" why do you not know what he is doing? If you are working on it what precisely are you doing?

By the way If one is skeptical about the possibility of such a bow why would one attempt to build one, it would be illogical.

Craig.

[RyanY]

Well I don't own that bow. I drew it at MOJam last summer. The bow I'm working with again is 110#@28". It's 149#@32". I actually took it out about an hour ago and was getting some better distance on it. I think I can get it back better if I keep my bow arm straight with my body. Again adb I'm just doing this to have fun. If I never draw 110# I would be fine with it. I'm just giving it my all. Imagine I'm just an enthusiastic warbow shooter who wants to draw as heavy a bow as I can. That's what I'm doing. If I ever made it to 250# then I'd shoot rudderbow's bow. That's all. I'm not saying it's going to happen. Just saying if it did, I'd shoot his bow. 

Rudderbows - Good to hear that. I can't wait to see it. 

[RyanY]

Well here's something. This is a pic of me just a little bit ago drawing the bow rudderbows made me. I still need to work on straightening out my arm and shoulders to get them perpendicular to the bow. My drawing arm feels great doing this. Not overstrained at all but just a little tired just like working out any other muscle in the gym. I'm not going to say what I think the draw length is but here are the increments so you guys can guess what I'm pulling. Cheers!
110@28
118@29
125@30
133@31
142@32
149@33

[Steve Cover]

250# draw bow?
Thanks in advance,
Steve

Steve... google english warbow society. They have arrow specs for these heavy bows on their website.

Thanks, I'll do that.

Steve

[Ian.]

Can you make an arrow with inch marks painted black white so we can see what you are pulling.

[adb]

Yes, ryoon, you need to draw the bow with an arrow shaft on it. That way you'll be able to tell where you're at. If I had to guess, I'd say you're drawing about 27-28". So, maybe about 100#, if the bow's draw weight is accurate. You're bent forward at the waist and you're tipping your head forward, all things to make it look like you're getting more draw length than you actually are. You're also drawing the string with your entire hand (all four fingers), not the normal three of modern times, or just two fingers of medieval archers. You need to "shoot in the bow", using your entire body, not just your arms (as you're doing).
This is what shooting in the bow looks like:

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[adb]

I am cetainly no expert, or claim to be. Here I am, shooting a 90#@32" yew self warbow. That's a 31.5" shaft, bye the way (that's measuring from the valley of the nock, to the base of the head). I can pull 110#, but this takes some serious patience... years of practice.

ryoon, you're truly fooling yourself, and I ecourage you to take caution before you seriously hurt yourself. Your technque is flawed, and before you do your young body some lasting harm, SLOW DOWN. This isn't about macho young men proving their toughness. Like most things that are difficult, it takes time and patience to master. The tendons in your hand, wrist and arm all need time to strengthen and develop. This happens over a period of years, not a few months.

Do you really think rudderbows cares if you hurt yourself?

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[RyanY]

I do understand my form is flawed and that's something I need to work on. As with anything, heavier weight is going to hurt form. I've spent countless hours watching videos of warbow shooters and looking at pics. I understand your concern adb but I'm fine. You can't do anything to stop me. And I know rudderbows cares about my well being. He's a great guy and I don't know who he doesn't care about. He's sending me some proper arrows so I'll get some on the string soon. CAN'T WAIT! 

[CraigMBeckett]

adb,

I would give up mate, he will not listen. Remember with youth comes both rashness and a belief in ones indestructibility, let us hope that he does not live to regret his folly.

Rudderbows

Would prefer it if you managed to keep us better informed of the progress.

Craig.

[Ian.]

You'll get to a point when you will get so frustrated that you will give up, and untill then good luck.

[mullet]

  If you want to get stronger, a Bowflex exercise machine would be safer.

[adb]

I do understand my form is flawed and that's something I need to work on. As with anything, heavier weight is going to hurt form. I've spent countless hours watching videos of warbow shooters and looking at pics. I understand your concern adb but I'm fine. You can't do anything to stop me. And I know rudderbows cares about my well being. He's a great guy and I don't know who he doesn't care about. He's sending me some proper arrows so I'll get some on the string soon. CAN'T WAIT! 

Well, that's where your thinking is flawed... good form should come BEFORE more weight. No, I can't do a thing to stop you, why would I try? I am trying to offer you some advice... take it, or leave it.

One last thing... ask Jim if he's willing to cover the cost of your surgery, if you do hurt yourself.

[RyanY]

I understand that but this bow is what I have to work with. If you're that concerned then send me a bow that's lighter and I'll work up with that. I don't know why there's so much animosity in this thread. I feel like you guys are mad at me  . I feel like things would sound different if I had made this bow myself and just explained that I wanted to work up to shooting it (which is exactly what I'm doing minus the part where I made the bow). If it makes you guys happier, I do plan on finishing up a warbow I started. Hopefully it will turn out around 120@32. I do feel that form is important plus getting it back all the way will help utilize the entire muscle group involved by getting a full extension.

[adb]

Not mad at you, ryoon, just trying to get you to think clearly and not hurt yourself. Shooting heavy bows is not a lark, or a fool's errand. And no, I'm not sending you a bow... you can make your own like everyone else. As you'll find out, getting even a 120# bow "all the way back" is not easy, never mind 250#. When it comes to shooting 100+# bows, form is everything. Be realistic.

[RyanY]

Okay. I know it's not a lark. I'm taking this very seriously. I understand that it can be easy to hurt yourself when drawing heavy poundage. Right now drawing this bow I'm not over straining myself. I just want to work up to heavier draw weights. Maybe I need to start lower if that's really what you mean. I think the argument here is that if I'm going to try and work up to heavier weight's I shouldn't just jump up to a bow like this? When Jim said he was sending me a bow I thought that this weight would be manageable so this is what I'm working with. Maybe for the sake of getting form right, which I do understand is vitally important, I should go a little lighter.