My first self bow.. Its a shooter!!!!!!

[Scott Gray]

I want to give a big thanks to all the folks here at PA. Though I don't ask a lot of questions I do a lot of searching and reading to make up for it. The amount of knowledge to be gained here is amazing.

I started out with a roughed out hickory blank that I purchased from Mike McGuire at the Howard Hill Shoot the first weekend of this month. One limb had some twist to it that I took most of it out with dry heat. The blank was cut using a band saw I imagine because the limbs were thicker on one side and thinner on the other. It took a while to tiller due to the humidity here in Alabama. I would work a while then put it in the hot box 'till the next round. I still have to finish shaping the handle, stain it and apply some tung oil. It is approxiamately 66.5 inches NTN. 1 3/4 at its widest point tapering to 5/8 at the tips. Draw weight feels like low to mid 50's.

[Lombard]

Congratulation on your first bow. Could you give us a full draw picture also?

[half eye]

very nice bow, but them damned bow buildin bugs is everywhere....and now that ya been bit, it's probably gonna be terminal, eh?
Rich

[Scott Gray]

Rich,
I haven't even finished this one and am already talking about the next one

[HatchA]

Rich,
I haven't even finished this one and am already talking about the next one

Aye...  he's one of us... 

[Scott Gray]

Here is a full draw pic. Tiller may need tweeked what do ya'll think?

[Del the cat]

Sweet... Are the limbs equal length? I think I'm used to seeing the lower limb a tad shorter that the upper, so it looks a whisker unusual. Tiller looks pretty good to me, smooth!
There's something V satisfying about a self bow.
well done
Del

[Scott Gray]

Del, the limbs are equal length. I figured tillering limbs of equal length for my first would be easier. But, what do I know, I am a newbie

[4est Trekker]

Nice work, especially for your first.  Both limbs are bending very gracefully.  However, the bottom limb is bending more, especially out of the fades.  You shoot with a really low wrist, which will cause the bottom limb to travel further, and therefore bend more.  Flip the bow and take another picture of the tiller.  That could fix the problem simple as that without any wood removal or loss in draw weight.  If not, you'll need to tweak the tiller ever so slightly.  Alternately, you could simply take a few scrapes at a time off the inner third of the top limb in the picture to get it bending more.  That will cost you a few pounds, but what the hay?  Again, fine work! 

[Bill Skinner]

What are you going to do with all that osage you got squirrelled away?  Break it out and get to work.  To me, the bow looks great.  I noticed you were taking notes at the HH.  Bill 

[Pat B]

Generally Mike McGuire's wood is fairly fresh so you might find this bow increase in weight over the next year as it cures out. 
  Excellent first bow. I started making asymmetric limb bows years ago because that's what all the books taught. Now I like them with even limbs because it is easier for me to see good tiller with even limbs. 

[Scrub_buck]

Nice looking bow Scott.  Congrats!  

The good folks here have helped me out a good bit.  I am sure that will continue as I stumble my way through figuring out how to make a good primitive bow.

Some folks will tell you hickory doesn't work well in the south.  My buddy Don shot a hickory bow I made at the last Hill shoot and it did wonderfully even with all the humidity.  It may affect it some, but if you get her sealed well, it ought to last a long while.

After doing a few hickory bows and a couple of osage ... NOT chasing a ring makes the white woods seem easier to make.... just from a time standpoint.  I just found a patch of osage in South Montgomery Co last week the farmer is going to let me pillage ... but I always keep an eye out for a good clean piece of hickory while I am cruising timber.  

As much hickory that exists in central and northern Alabama ... its hard to ignore.    

[Scott Gray]

Thanks fellas, and Bill I was paying attention I was watching Mike help folks build and was soaking up the info he was giving out.

I learned a lot on this build and hope to apply it to my next one.

[Scott Gray]

 As much hickory that exists in central and northern Alabama ... its hard to ignore.    

My brother John and I were talking last night and agreed to harvest a hickory tree or two next spring

[jp gray]

it spits an arrow pretty dang good,i was amazed when i went over there last night  ,and its very quiet too.