Dressed for success!

[Mark Anderson]

This is a walnut selfbow I am just finishing up for my dad for this fall season. I really wanted it to be unbacked but as I was nearing final tiller a little splinter rose up just out of the upper limb fade. I glued and clamped it down and then shot it for awhile and it held but as this was for my dad I wanted to be sure of it's longevity so I found a silk tie my wife doesn't like and used it for backing. Oh I also chased a ring on this one and that may be the last time I try to chase a ring on walnut. Took me forever! That may be why the splinter lifted but I can't tel for sure.
Stats are 67" tip to tip 66" ntn 47#@28" but I tillered it to 53#@30".
I will be adding a handle wrap and some hide on the shelf but I need to see what dad wants.
Mark

[jonathan creason]

Very nice!

[Josh]

Cool bow!  Like the tie backing and the name of the bow! LOL.    Tiller looks great as well as the flipped tips.  Got your bow bookmarked for August Self BOM

[kerryb]

looks great,  bet your dad will be very happy with it.

[profsaffel]

A silk tie!!! Brilliant! 

[jeff halfrack]

  I like that!!!  i have  to  try  wallnut someday!!!   could  you  tell me  how  you  did  the  silk ?   I like the  way you ended before the  tips and would like to know  how  thats  done  good  job!!!!  JEFF W

[ryoon4690]

Nice. Its good to hear you were able to save it. I would love to try to make a walnut bow with both sap and heartwood showing. How easy is it to work?

[Mark Anderson]

Thanks for all the comments guys.
Jeff; the silk I just laid on with titebond 3. I sized the back first then started at the handle I stretched it toward the tip.
Ryoon; walnut is a great wood to work. It replies to tools well and smells kind of good to me. Some people have a reaction to walnut so be careful. I would suggest using the ring under the bark as it seems a little more tension strong than the heartwood but the difference is marginal. If you can find a stave with just a small amount of sapwood that would look best.  This one had a out two inches of sapwood so I decided to chase a ring down to one ring of sapwood. It ended up being a ring of both dark and light wood similar to what you might see on an ERC. Make sure with walnut that you leave it plenty wide and keep the belly as flat as possible.
Mark

[Del the cat]

yeah, that's much nicer as a bow backing than a tie!
Del

[Pappy]

Good looking bow,he should love that,nice save. 
   Pappy

[sharpend60]

On the pic with the handle, I have had trouble (twice now) seeing the back of the bow. It takes a second to figure out what I'm looking at.
Nice camo!

[adb]

Good work! Nice save.

[maddog314]

Hey Brother love your bow. Dad is going to love it. I cannot wait to see it up close and personal. that tie looks awesome as camo

[Mark Anderson]

Micah! Glad to see you on here. Welcome! These guys on this forum will be able to help you learn way more than I can so be sure to ask questions.
Every one else thanks for looking and I think dad will like it.
Mark

[JW_Halverson]

Always thought it would be cool to back a bow with one of those silk ties with the hula girl hand painted on it.  Guess I wasn't too far out in left field, or at least I wasn't quite alone out there!

Nice work!