2018 Bow Trade-Completed

[JWMALONE]

Well caveguys looks like my hornbeam will sit in the corner for awhile until I figure it out. Its gonna be a beautiful bow one day.
So I've been working on a backup for my backup. Its hickory backed hard maple. I cut that hickory backing off a 8/4 slab I got at the hard wood store. Very interesting color on it. The grain is straight as I could find, one tiny wave dead center of the handle shouldn't be an issue. I found a couple bows that had backing strips like that so the combo of heart and sap doesn't seem to matter as long as the grain is straight enough.
 Still has lil over an inch and half of reflex, should come out straight when finished.

[penderbender]

JW  that is gonna look sweet! Cheers- Brendan

[JWMALONE]

Yea I think it will to.

[Swampman]

Jw, that is looking real nice. 

I narrowed the handle a touch on my black locust reserve bow just until I could feel the handle start to work.  I just didn't feel like it was doing anything before. I spent some more time shooting it. Here is a braced and full draw picture.  This bow is 54 inches ntn and is about 45 pounds at 26 inches. 





Feedback is welcome as this is the shortest bow i have ever made.

[hoosierf]

Very Nice - how wide are the limbs?

[Swampman]

The limbs are about 1.5 inches wide most of the length. I narrowed the handle just a tad under that to make it a bit more comfortable to hold.

[Mo_coon-catcher]

That looks really good! I bet it shoots well.if I have one to make a second I may have to put one in to have a chance at that one.
Actually I need to get started on bow 1 soon.

Kyle

[Morgan]

That’s a fine looking shortbow swampman! JW, that hickory back will be fine looking. Hoosier, how did your stave look off the form? How do you use a form like that with steam bending? Steam both limbs at once?

[hoosierf]

Morgan here’s the profile off the form. I steam one end at a time but dry heat them in between to set the profile. I need build a caul.

[hoosierf]

My repaired knot. Got it to 28” pulling 54# last night. I need some careful work around my knot as it’s stiff in that area. Pretty sure i can bring it in right around 50# @28”.  I put it back on blocks and did some heat treating and straightening for the final push. As i suspected it probably will take an inch of set but i think I’m pushing it with white wood 2” wide and 65” long with a stiff handle.

[JWMALONE]

Well guys, I heard a loud crack. Sanded it down a lil tillered some more,shot a couple dozen arrows, back on the tree and another loud crack. ,It was a pretty bow and a decent shooter it seemed at a short draw. I believe with the maple I rounded the corners of the backing strip to much. Never fear I got more wood. Just gonna go with hickory and bamboo.  That combo is know to be tough and efficient.

[Morgan]

Looks like it’s coming together Hoosier.
 JW, you’ve been having a heck of a run of bad luck brother.

[JWMALONE]

Morgan, I don't believe in luck. I call it a learning experience a.k.a I screwed up.
Bayou Ben mentioned thinning the backing to thin on the edges, I believe that's what I done. Worked on other materials but not with the maple, lesson learned.

[DC]

JW can you post a picture? I'm deep in the throws of learning maple backing and seeing breaks may help.

[JWMALONE]

DC, it was maple backed with hickory. Bayou Ben said something that got me thinking. What I did was round the corners by marking an eighth  in on the back and an eighth down and removing the wood between. So if you looked at the back of the bow you could see the maple on the sides, which I guess put to much stress on the edges of the maple belly wood and it popped a splinter underneath the hickory backing. This is the only thing that makes sense. The maple I have is good but not suitable for backings.

The area in question is center right in the picture, you cant see it but you can feel a slightly raised spot. As loud as the crack was it had to have been under the backing not in it else it would have blown completely. looks perfectly fine from the side.