Hazelnut bow build-a-long (fixed pictures)

[Dane]

Gordon, let me join the parade of praise for this buildalong. Wonderful information, and I learned quite a few things from you. I am also impressed with how neat and organized your shop area is. Chaos is more my style, so I have to do better there!

[huntinoly]

Great build along Gordon, I am keeping this one in my favorites so I can look at it when I am building bows. Thats one beautiful bow and it looks like a shooter. I finally have a stave dry enough to work on, got it floor tillered the other day, hope to finish it in the next few weeks. Let me know when the next bowyers meeting is. Greg

[1/2primitive]

Bowmaking is aready an art, but you are one of those rare people who raises the bar........about a mile.
    Sean

[Gordon]

After letting the bow dry for a couple of days I made some minor adjustments to the tiller and then final sanded the bow. I used 100-grit to remove any remaining tool marks and then lightly sanded using 150, 220, and 320 grit paper.

I’m going to stain the bow using an alcohol based dye. I’m going to use a black dye for the handle accents and tips and light brown for the limbs.

[Gordon]

I start by applying the black dye to the area around the handle.



I then use a rag soaked with denatured alcohol and an abrasive pad to feather the color into the limb.





Next I dye the tips black.

[Gordon]

After the handle accents and tips are done, I apply the light brown dye to the limbs.



The dye will raise the grain slightly so after it dries I lightly sand the stained areas with 600-grit sandpaper.

And here is the bow after the stain job is completed.

[BigWapiti]

Just one word, "WOW!"   Otherwise, I'm speachless.  I've been gazing at your bow unable to leave the page.  its a true beauty Gordon, I love the color fade black to brown.

Mike

[koan]

A true Master Craftsmen....Gordon, when they make the 5th Bible, I believe you will be in it......Brian

[Gordon]

Thank you Mike, but there is still more to do - put a border between the limb/snake and tips, stitch a leather handle, build an arrow rest, letter the bow, and put on a finish. Lots to do yet, but the end is in sight.

Brian, I am flattered by your compliment - but I think I have a ways to go before I'm in that league - but thank you.

[deerhunter97370]

Ok Gordon, TBB 6 a chapter on Vine Maple. Joel

[BigWapiti]

Here's a beginner bowyer question that you might help me with:  Since we mustn't violate the back of the bow, the tip inlays have me wondering -- with the inlays you demonstrate a few pages back, you show cutting angularly into the back at the tips to accept the hardwood inlays.  The hardwood adds strength to that area, but still, doesn't this create a place of weakness where the inlaid hardwood meets the existing bow back ?  Since you didn't back the bow up into the inlays, how does it handle this stress?   I certainly feel I'm not explaining my question very well here.  I'll attach a picture - the point in question is where the arrow points; the line between the tip overlay and the bow back itself.  How does the bow wood handle this line between no back and the hardwood inlay?  Do they overlap some that I might have missed in the photos? 

I'm certainly not being critical; being critical would assume I knew what I was doing - and I've proven over nearly a dozen VM logs so far that I very positively do NOT ...yet. 

Thanks Gordon!

Mike

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[RT]

Beautiful bow Gordon, I have to say , I have learned much following this build a long. RT

[Gordon]

Mike,

I design my bows so that the last 2 inches of the tip do not bend. That's why cutting into the back is not a problem.

[BigWapiti]

Mike,
I design my bows so that the last 2 inches of the tip do not bend. That's why cutting into the back is not a problem.

Good to know; I figured you'd have had it figured out - I thnk I might give that a try.  Thanks!

[Gordon]

Actually, it's more like 3" inches of non-bending tip. But who's counting