« previous next »
Pages: [1] 2

Author Topic: 48" Red Oak (first self bow)  (Read 13660 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Offline aznboi3644

  • Member
  • Posts: 802
48" Red Oak (first self bow)
« on: March 13, 2010, 09:42:17 pm »
This is a 48" little bow that I saw laying on the lumber shelf at Menards.  1.25" wide 4 inch handle. 2 inch fades. 1 1/2" at the fades straight tapering to half inch nocks.  I'm not sure about the weight but its not much...around 30lbs at 24".  I added a cable backing to see if it would raise the draw weight and just to see if I could do it.  The bow will still draw back to 24" without the cable backing.  Shoots pretty sweet and very smooth with no stack at all.  I still haven't made some arrows for it but with some incorrectly spined arrows its still pretty accurate.  I would be confident taking small game withing 20 yards.

Took me only 4-5 hours total.  No tillering tree just with a mirror and some hand tools.  Tiller isn't perfect but I said it was good enough.  Set is only 1.75" just unbraced and settles to around 1 1/4" after a couple hours.

I learned A LOT from making this bow...I had my doubts on how far I could pull this back without it exploding in my face...but my confidence has gone up with red oak.  I think I have enough confidence to try a hunting weight board bow.  Thanks everyone for your wealth of knowledge...I've learned so much from this place.

sorry about the crappy web cam pics...i don't have the camera chord atm.



Logged

Offline Barrage

  • Member
  • Posts: 414
Re: 48" Red Oak (first self bow)
« Reply #1 on: March 13, 2010, 10:38:42 pm »
Looks great.  Grats on the first one! :)
Logged
Travis

Offline George Tsoukalas

  • Member
  • Posts: 9,425
    • Traditional and Primitive Archers
Re: 48" Red Oak (first self bow)
« Reply #2 on: March 13, 2010, 10:39:56 pm »
Tiller is excellent. Very nicely done. Jawge
Logged
Set Happens!
If you ain't breakin' you ain't makin!

Lombard

  • Guest
Re: 48" Red Oak (first self bow)
« Reply #3 on: March 13, 2010, 11:37:54 pm »
Congratulations, looks like a fine little bow. I like working with Red Oak, well I actually like working with any wood that makes decent bows.  ;)
Logged

Offline Josh

  • Member
  • Posts: 3,367
  • Silence is golden but duct tape is silver.
Re: 48" Red Oak (first self bow)
« Reply #4 on: March 14, 2010, 12:25:02 am »
cool bow man tiller is great on it. red oak rocks, doesn't it?
Logged
“The trouble with quotes on the Internet is you never know if they are genuine.” —Abraham Lincoln

Offline Pat B

  • Administrator
  • Member
  • Posts: 37,525
Re: 48" Red Oak (first self bow)
« Reply #5 on: March 14, 2010, 01:08:48 pm »
You did a very nice job on this bow and being your first makes even more special. The tiller looks right on!
Logged
Make the most of all that comes and the least of all that goes!    Pat Brennan  Brevard, NC

Offline OldBow

  • Member
  • Posts: 2,216
  • I'm just an old retired biology teacher.
Re: 48" Red Oak (first self bow)
« Reply #6 on: March 14, 2010, 02:33:26 pm »
Grea little riparian deer hunting bow. Nice work. Bookmarked, too, for BOM
Logged
When you're retired, every day is Saturday

Offline aznboi3644

  • Member
  • Posts: 802
Re: 48" Red Oak (first self bow)
« Reply #7 on: March 14, 2010, 05:09:45 pm »
Thanks guys...I really like working with red oak now...I took a few more pics for you guys...front profile with the cable backing.

I took the tie on nocks on both sides on the back for the bow string and another tie on nock on the belly side to hold the cable backing.







and a final better full draw shot...I was very surprised to get 24 inchs of draw from this 48" board without it breaking.  I must have done something right in selecting the right grain board.



enjoy everyone
Logged

Offline medicinewheel

  • Member
  • Posts: 3,618
Re: 48" Red Oak (first self bow)
« Reply #8 on: March 14, 2010, 06:41:31 pm »
That's some serious bend in that little piece of wood!
Logged
Frank from Germany...

Offline KenH

  • Member
  • Posts: 247
  • The Kilted Cook
    • The Kilted Cook Personal Chef
Re: 48" Red Oak (first self bow)
« Reply #9 on: March 14, 2010, 06:53:15 pm »
Nice job!  And great technique for cable backing.  Gotta love those short bows!
Logged
You Kill It - I Cook It!
Ken Hulme,
The Kilted Cook Personal Chef Service

Offline Pennhawk

  • Member
  • Posts: 140
Re: 48" Red Oak (first self bow)
« Reply #10 on: March 14, 2010, 07:25:16 pm »
Nice looking bow, good job.
Logged

Offline Dauntless

  • Member
  • Posts: 282
Re: 48" Red Oak (first self bow)
« Reply #11 on: March 14, 2010, 11:55:09 pm »
I love it man, good job.  I tiller with a mirror and hand tools too.
Logged
The starving grad student with too many hobbies.

Offline Pappy

  • Global Moderator
  • Member
  • Posts: 31,862
  • if you have to ask you wouldn't understand ,Tenn.
Re: 48" Red Oak (first self bow)
« Reply #12 on: March 15, 2010, 08:23:59 am »
Cool little bow,nice work. :)
   Pappy
Logged
Clarksville,Tennessee
TwinOaks Bowhunters
Life is Good

Offline Parnell

  • Member
  • Posts: 5,554
Re: 48" Red Oak (first self bow)
« Reply #13 on: March 15, 2010, 09:05:01 am »
Very cool little bow.  I'd made a 48" maple board self bow about a year ago and was shooting it again last night but with an arrow that I'd made much shorter than my normal 30" - this arrow is 26-27" and the draw is about 23-24".  I couldn't believe how well it was shooting and with great arrow velocity.  It's got me wanting to make another now, as I think the old bow won't last long.  It was one of my first and I didn't quite yet have the hang of tillering so it developed chrysles.  I think I'd tagged it "beet stained d bow" or something. 

What did you use for the cable backing?

Cool bow.  Great job.
Logged
1’—>1’

Offline aznboi3644

  • Member
  • Posts: 802
Re: 48" Red Oak (first self bow)
« Reply #14 on: March 15, 2010, 01:14:19 pm »
The cable backing is nylon trot line...I braided it and looped it once around on the back...so its only 6 strands...I still need to redo the cable backing...I didn't quite tie off the ends rights.  I just need to find a way so I can twist the crap out of the cable.

I am thinking of trying an artificial sinew cable to match the bow string.

I liked making this bow so much I went out and got me another 4 foot board...gonna make one for my little sister now.  Shes 16 and I got her into bows :)
Logged
Pages: [1] 2
« previous next »