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Author Topic: My First Bow - A Self Bow  (Read 18055 times)

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Offline ConorO

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Re: My First Bow - A Self Bow
« Reply #30 on: December 07, 2013, 12:19:05 pm »
This is true... However, what do you guys think of a flatbow design for the sake of simplicity and durability? Also, I'll post a picture of the stave tonight!
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Offline ConorO

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Re: My First Bow - A Self Bow
« Reply #31 on: December 07, 2013, 07:45:13 pm »
This is the stave I'm going to be using, by the way.
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Offline TEE TAW

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Re: My First Bow - A Self Bow
« Reply #32 on: December 07, 2013, 07:57:21 pm »
Good luck and do some searching before you get started there are a lot of picks out there that will give you and Idea. There is info out there you 8) just have to search. 8)
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Offline ConorO

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Re: My First Bow - A Self Bow
« Reply #33 on: December 07, 2013, 08:16:41 pm »
Thank you!  8) My biggest obstacle is working with the grain... It curves in a few places. I'm curious about how, if I follow the grain, I will end up with a straight-shooting bow with fairly straight limbs. I mean, the  grain isn't crazily snaky, but there are some curves there... lol  ;)
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Offline ConorO

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Re: My First Bow - A Self Bow
« Reply #34 on: December 08, 2013, 12:00:34 am »
Such as this (I pulled this pic off of the internet), these bows don't necessarily follow every curve of the grain, but I assume that they're sound. What do you guys thing?
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Offline ConorO

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Re: My First Bow - A Self Bow
« Reply #35 on: December 08, 2013, 04:51:49 pm »
Alrighty, I marked-out the bow outline of the stave. When tracing a line down the center along a string, from the center of each nock, I found that the string won't be completely square with the handle. The first line is the center of the handle following the grain, and the second line, either to the right or top, is where the string may fall. It's not largely off, but could this affect the bow's integrity? Thank you for the advice!  ;D

Update: I'm going with a 68" overall bow with 2" limbs at full width. The handle is 1" wide and possibly 11/2" deep. The fades are 21/2". The string doesn't fall exactly square with the center of the handle, but is about a 1/4" off. Is this still doable? Also, is it safe to shift a nock (the last 1/4 of the limb or so) in order to square the bow? There is a curve in there, but it's minor. The shift would have to be 1/4" to 1/2", or do you think I could just leave it as is? The string falls closer to the would-be shooting side, anyway. Thanks!  :)

P.S. What do you guys recommend in terms of limb shape? For example, if I have a 68" bow with 9" of handle area, That leaves me with 29.5" limbs. For how long would you leave the limbs at full width and taper down to the nocks?
« Last Edit: December 09, 2013, 10:13:15 am by ConorO »
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Offline burchett.donald

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Re: My First Bow - A Self Bow
« Reply #36 on: December 09, 2013, 02:17:59 pm »
  Conor,
            Please do follow the grain...A grain run out on a limb can fail. Your limbs, tips and string tracking will come into play later if so desired. Looking at the lines you've drawn that string angle won't be a problem. With a stave bow you will have some form of character and that's what makes them perfect. Later after roughing out you can make heat adjustments for any alignment. Oak lends itself to bending easily. Looks like you done a nice job removing bark and cambium from pics.
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Genesis 27:3 Now therefore take, I pray thee, thy weapons, thy quiver and thy bow, and go out to the field, and take me some venison;

Offline bubby

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Re: My First Bow - A Self Bow
« Reply #37 on: December 09, 2013, 02:35:57 pm »
Go with a straight taper from your two inch fades to half inch tips on us our layout, a pyramid nowhere the length of the limb down to half inch thickness the whole limb to start, that will give you a good starting points, good luck
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Offline bubby

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Re: My First Bow - A Self Bow
« Reply #38 on: December 09, 2013, 02:38:52 pm »
 What draw length and weight are you looking for?
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failure is an option, everyone fails, it's how you handle it that matters.
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Offline ConorO

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Re: My First Bow - A Self Bow
« Reply #39 on: December 09, 2013, 03:24:02 pm »
Thank you guys! But, I'm looking for, roughly, a 40-50 lbs draw weight and at least a 64" length, but right now I have 68". So, you'd recommend just going from the 2" fades to the .5" nocks gradually, but consistently? Is that considered a pyramid limb?
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Offline IdahoMatt

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Re: My First Bow - A Self Bow
« Reply #40 on: December 09, 2013, 04:18:14 pm »
Yes that is considered to be a pyramid style bow.  Just a strait taper from fades to tips.  Making a very elongated triangle shape.
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Offline ConorO

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Re: My First Bow - A Self Bow
« Reply #41 on: December 09, 2013, 06:10:09 pm »
Now, for tillering, should I reduce the nocks to .5", and thin the limbs to the pyramid style before really removing the wood from the belly of the bow? What about the handle? Do you guys have a systematic way you like to go about it?
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Offline wood_bandit 99

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Re: My First Bow - A Self Bow
« Reply #42 on: December 09, 2013, 07:24:26 pm »
Tips should be 3/8" and with oak I would do a more flatbow shape, I would take 2" from fades no taper for 8" then do a convex taper to 3/8" at tips. Then start tillering
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Offline ConorO

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Re: My First Bow - A Self Bow
« Reply #43 on: December 09, 2013, 07:31:56 pm »
By convex do you mean, instead of a straight taper, a bit "bowed" out, or rounded? Ha...  ::) As for the belly of the bow, for the tiller, can it be flat? Meaning, not rounded but straight across? I have seen several people do this, but read others recommend that you round it...

Update: What do you think of 15" no taper (at 2" wide) after fades and 15" either straight or convex taper to .5" nocks? Also, looking at the bow from the side, what sort of taper are we looking for here? What about 11/18" at the fade to 3/8" at the nock? Can the belly tiller be flat instead of rounded? Also, must the fades, if looking at the handle from the side, be consistent without any deviation on both sides of the handle? By this I mean if my handle is 1 3/4" deep at both the top and bottom, with a custom grip in between, must the 1 3/4" deep handle turn into the 11/18" limb in a space of 2 1/2" along a straight angle, or can there be a little bit of a concave curve in there due to the shaping of the handle?

In addition, what do you guys think of Tung Oil for a finish?
« Last Edit: December 10, 2013, 02:05:36 am by ConorO »
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Offline ConorO

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Re: My First Bow - A Self Bow
« Reply #44 on: December 10, 2013, 01:56:35 pm »
Here's where I'm at so far. How does everything look? In particular, I'm curious about that knot I took a pic of from the front and side. Do you think this will pose a large problem? Also, with the tiller, can the belly be flat instead of rounded?

Thanks all!  :)
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