Sister Bow to "Ol' HB" (by Mike Brooks) Pics

[ber643]

OK, as promised here are pictures of the sister glue-up to my bow ("Ol' HB") that my bowmaking mentor, Mike Brooks, made into a bow and then turned over to me to sand and finish. This one got kind of nasty with Mike and tried to do a pretty severe limb twist. He tried everything he could to straighten it out - to no satisfactory result. So he decided to back it with Bamboo. That took care of it quite well and made a fine tri-lam out of it - Massaandruba belly, Hickory core, Bamboo Backed. The tip overlays are Bloodwood like mine, but the riser not only has the Brazillian Cherry like mine but also a couple pieces of Purpleheart. Shoots dreamy and as one would expect, the Bamboo makes it faster than mine. After I sanded it, I finished it with five layers of Polyurethane Gloss. I have a coat of past wax to put on it yet. We decided not to wrap the handle in any way to better display the woods. The bow is 67" ntn, 45# @ 28" and Mike told me Sunday to hold on to it and shoot it. He'll get it when he wants to share it - LOL. I really like the bow and think you will too.

Riser (forgive reflections from the gloss):



Limbs Top and Bottom:





At Brace (3):










Full Draws (2):





The arrow is the beautiful Japanese Boo arrow that Art B made and shot, and then presented to me at ATAR this year - it's a real shooter!

[DanaM]

Beautiful bow bernie but I have to ask if it shouldn't bend more near the fades.
Not having any experience with laminated bows I ask only for self enlightenement?

Dana

[ber643]

Dana, since I am pretty much a rank amature at the game , I can't answer your querstion with any degree of certainty. I'm sure others will come along and may have opinions on it. About all I can say is it draws smooth and shoots well. Don't feel bad for asking, that is how we learne.

[Pappy]

Beautiful bow Bernie I like it.Dana I would say yes it should but I am surely no expert on backed bows.
   Pappy

[DanaM]

Thanks fer the answers. Bernie one more question whats that gnarly stick that ya have strapped to the corner post?

[ber643]

LOL - again I don't know - the type of wood, Dana. I have a smaller one that I made into a fancy walking stick and use in my prescribed exercises for Rotator Cuff damage threapy. Mike saw that and then found two twisted ones growing in the woods (one is strapped to the other corner post out of sight - I think perhaps it shows in the original pics of my bow) of definitely different woods. Neither of us know what they are. A vine obviously grew around a sapling (happens regularly in the swampy areas around here). Mike cut them and brought them to me and I have been drying them that way to get them straight. They are interesting but I'm afraid they are a little big around for walking sticks though. I do know they didn't have anything to do with Poison Ivy vines (lots of those around too) as I would have caught it - I always do - LOL Sorry I can't tell you more, Dana.

For info, with Mike's teutoring, I am starting on my first Osage stave bow now.

[Minuteman]

The stairs in yer pic look like a death trap to me, you need a carpenter!

[ber643]

It just looks that way, Minuteman, it is extremely sturdy to withstand our hurricans, etc. Mostly salt-treated lumber (rest is rough hewn hardwood) and every post is set in concrete. Even friends that are afraid of heights (like I used to be  ) go up there and feel safe shooting. It is just that I had to use what I could get my hands on (and can't afford a carpenter -  ). You walk up the stairs half way on one side, turn at a landing and up stairs on the front side to the top - all good wide solid stairs that one can walk right up standing upright. You Shoot from the landing or the top platform (aprox 15-16 ft.) Lots of pics of it, from it, and people shooting from it in the Gallery Pages of my web site. I call it "The Green Monster.) Looks bad but does it's job admirably.

[Pat B]

Bernie, I can't tell what kind of wood the walking stick is but normally it is honeysuckle vines that wrap around them causing the odd spiral shapes on them.   
   You have another nice bow here Bernie. You have been cranking them out lately!...but ain't it about time for a self bow now.    Pat

[ber643]

You probably are right, Pat my friend - there is a lot of honeysuckle around here. Mike did this bow though, I just did the sanding and finish - and get the fun of shooting it  . You also are right about the time for a selfbow thing. I have started (just barely) my first Osage selfbow from a real pretty stave. I will get a pic of the stave and the first few shavings I took off (for seeing what was ahead) before I go any further with it. Forgot to take my camera the other day, and I think it is a stave worth seeing - plus it will be good for record purposes.

BTW - did you notice that arrow Art B gave me at ATAR in the full draw pics above? (Didn't do it full justice.) You could have knocked me over with a feather when he turned around at the kids range and handed it to me. I swear that thing is a "Bullseye Seekin' Missle" no matter what bow I throw it from - as long as I do my part. I'm sure that doesn't surprise you any though.

[Pat B]

Bernie, I hadn't noticed before but now that I look I can see Art all over that arrow. What kind of cane is it. I have a few river cane, a set of 4 bambusa and I've seen a few Japanese Arrow bamboo that he made. Art is the BEST. He is a special guy and a true artist when it comes to arrows. I have never seen one that didn't shoot well. He taught me what I know...and lots of other folks too!...and is generous to boot!!!    Pat

[ber643]

Pat, That arrow is Japanese Boo and I think he said he got the Bamboo from you (while we were communicating about Canes and Arrows since I got to shoot his arrow). I know he said he gets his finest Cane from you, and that doesn't surprise me.