My bow, would appreciate some thoughts on it w/pics

[hoppy]

Hi all,
I've read on this site for several years, but just joined because I wanted to post pictures of my bow and get people's thoughts on it.  Hopefully, it's ok that it's a board bow and not a self bow. 

I've made a few kids bows in the past for my son and his friends.   Last fall I built a bow for myself. 
It's a red oak board bow.  Its backed with dynel cloth set in West System epoxy.  The handle and tips are walnut.  I put about 6 coats of tung oil on it and then a coat of spar urethane. 

It's 72" long, 70" nock to nock.  I originally though it was 47# at 28", but since then I've built a tillering tree and it measures 50# at 28".  By the way, I'm measuring from the string side of the handle plus 1 3/4", that's correct, right?

It's taken a couple of inches of set.  The lower limb is weaker than the upper. It also has what looks to be chrysals? but I'm only comparing to pictures I've seen on forums.  That leads me to always have in the back of my mind that it could fail.   

In addition to the bow, I made the string (14 strand continuous b50), a bow stringer, and a finger tab.  I ordered a spline test set of wooden arrows from Three Rivers and have been shooting those.

To me, it shoots great.  It's very smooth and easy to shoot.  I love how light the bow is (just under 22 ozs).
I'm hoping to hunt with it this fall.  I was a little surprised at the arrow speed, I had thought that it should be shooting about 150 fps.  I recently got a chronograph and the fastest I've seen with my arrows (540 grain) is 138.  Is this too slow for hunting?  By the way, I would say I've shot a minimum of 800 arrows with it. 

Thanks for looking and any thoughts you have on it that might go into a next bow.

And now some pics...










Chrysals?




One of my better groups at 20 yards


Today's best shooting at 11 yards

[StickMark]

Welcome.  This is a great place to learn and ask questions.  Here are my thoughts.
First, those look like chrysalis lines.  I got them a lot as I either went too short for a stave, or messed up tiller.
I am, as well, now not a fan of pushing boards into heavy draw, shorter bows.  Why? The history of the board is not known to us; looking at the photos, you have good tiller.  Making the stringer and the tab lead me to think you are a patient fellow, so possibly your board was not the best.  Maybe we should considering ordering staves (Pine Hollow Bows?) or building below 50# when using boards.

Second, looks like you can hunt, presently keeping the shots at the famous 17.6 range.  Good luck.

[Pat B]

A board bow is a selfbow unless it's backed. Sure it's OK.
I think your tiller looks good. You could get the inner part of the left limb bending a bit more and the outer part of the right limb.
Those look like chrysals to me.

[Del the cat]

+1 on what Pat says...
Yup chrysals... I hate them with a passion    But being pragmatic, better to have chrysals or set than a smashed bow.
Del

[ksnow]

Looks like the tiller is pretty close. What is the cross section of the limb? If it has a rounded belly, that could also contribute to chrysals. Red oak likes to have a flat belly. As said earlier, the outer part of the right limb is just a tad stiff. Are the chrysals near the inner part of the right limb?
Boards are wood, we just don't know how they were handled. I've found 50# to be about the upper limit for safety in most boards. Sure, you can get heavier ones, but your success and performance may suffer some.

Kyle

[Badger]

  It looks pretty good but I think you could have gotten a bit more out of your inner limbs, that would have greatly reduced the stress in the mid limbs. Also the cross section as others have mentioned should have been flat or very close to flat.

[Hawkdancer]

Welcome to PA, Hoppy!  These folks have a wealth of knowledge, and are very helpful!  Your own looks nice, and 800 arrows is good!  I am a newbie at building bows, as well!  Try to get to one of the bow meets in your area, and you will learn a lot first hand!
Hawkdancer

[simson]

Good advice already from the others.
Just were I wanna point to: Leaving a bow on a tiller stick in full draw  for long time provoke tremendous stress, set and chrysals.

[upstatenybowyer]

That chrysals pic looks like the back of the bow.  Chrysals occur on the belly.

[Bob Barnes]

That chrysals pic looks like the back of the bow.  Chrysals occur on the belly.

I think it's rounded like the belly..?  definitely crysals...I've seen more than my share of them...   Nice job though!

[bushboy]

Nice work!I like to call them self boards!lol!

[hoppy]

Guys,
Thank you for the feedback. 

Stickmark, I don't know about patient, I'm sure I hurried the tillering or shot it too soon or something.  What is the 17.6 range?

Pat B, I can see what your saying about the spots that could be tillered more.  Should I do it and refinish the bow?  or are you just saying it as those are places I missed?

Del, I like your approach!  so far so good.  If it ever blows up, I'll be bummed. 

Ksnow, Good question on the profile, I was starting to wonder about if it was incorrect.  It is a slightly rounded belly.  Definitely not a flat profile.  I'll have to look again and see exactly where all the chrysals are.  I was shooting for high 40's for the poundage thinking it would be sanded or settle to mid 40's.  I guess perhaps there's room for some additional tillering and still be in the 40's.  (40 lbs minimum for hunting big game in PA). 

Badger, I guess if I retiller, I will focus on those inner limbs as well as the right side outer. 

Hawdancer, thanks for the welcome!  A meet would be great to go to.  I've actually thought it'd be great to have someone experienced shoot my bow just to give me an idea if it's any good or not as I have no reference point.

Simson, good advice,  I was only trying to get one picture of it drawn and the tiller tree was it.  I let it off right after. 

Upstatenybowyer, it's actually the belly, I guess it's that rounded.   The back has dynel cloth set in epoxy and it's opaque, you can't see the grain.

Bob Barnes, correct on the rounded belly.  I hope it lives a long life with the chrysals.

bushboy, good name for them!

I appreciate the feedback from everyone.   I have another bow under construction at the moment, a new kid's bow for my son.  There's a hint to what it is in my last picture. 

[StickMark]

17.6 yards, the average range on trad/primitive bow kills in the Eastern US, some study maintained

[Marc St Louis]

Definitely more bend near the fades.  The right limb is bending nicely but the left is bending too much in the outer

[ohma2]

I think you did a good job with all your equipment.good advice given already.
as said limit you strung tiller time to a minimum, lt does torture a piece of wood.