(New tiller pics are on pg 2)
Here's my latest attempt, which took a lot of pain. I had some ERC logs around 35", that I'd salvaged from a neighbor's brush pile. I had intented to make arrows from them, but a couple pieces just looked like bow billets to me. I didn't have much width or length, so I didn't want to give up 4" to splice them. I've been wanting a takedown hunting bow anyway, so I tried my hand a using a metal bow sleeve, per Jay St. Charles in TBB Vol 3.
ERC is notorious for breaking, but I got my heart set on making a T/D selfbow of at least 55 lbs, using a thin layer of sapwood for the back. I had just got it tillered to full draw, when one limb exploded on the tiller tree. Being bull-headed, I made a third limb and tried again. This time it made it to completion, and shot a few arrows. I put all of the finishing touches on it, went to try it again, and BAM! The new limb blasted to bits.
Through my tears, I inspected both busted limbs and determined that the point of failure in both cases was, as you might guess, at the joint of the smaller sleeve insert. Being extremely bull-headed, I made a fourth limb. This time, I put some B50 wrapping around each limb where it enters the sleave. This billet, being my third choice, had some twists and knots that made things interesting.
I got to thinking that corn snake skin would make for a nifty camo. Not having any cornsnakes, I faked it with markers and the sheds of a black racer over the top. I was leary of a knot at one of the tips, so I tried my hand at some elkhorn overlays. (Didn't really know what I was doing here, so I just kinda made them up as I went. Any pointers are welcome.) I put on a basic leather wrap, folded over at the top for a shelf.
The top limb is a tad shorter than the bottom, so I tillered it a bit weaker. I may have overdone this a little. Actually, I expected the short limb to end up on the bottom, but it shoots better this way. Here are the specs:
55 lbs @ 26"
68" nock-to-nock
1.5" wide at widest point, tapering to 1/2" at tips
It's had about 100 arrows through it, and I think it's going to survive this time. There are plenty of things that aren't perfect about this bow, but it's my best shooter yet and I'm reasonably happy with it. I'm still a beginner, so all suggestions are very welcome.
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