red oak attempt number 2..

[Frode]

...so, can i just burnish the corners round?  say with a screwdriver or something harder than the wood?...

I usually give 'em a good rounding over with a coarse, then fine file, then sand smooth.  I think you'll want a significant radius on before you smooth and burnish.  I usually try for 1/16"-1/8" at least.
Frode

[aero86]

alrightie then.  ill keep that in mind next time!

[walkabout]

its not really a bendy handle so much as the handle flexes to a certain point. if you read the posts on short bows many of the bowyers mention tillering so that it flexes into the handle just a bit at full draw. this helps to get longer draws out of the shorties. as for burnishing, i use the bottom end of a large combination lock on my bows, works pretty well.

[aero86]

alrightie.  i wish i was good enough to narrow the handle a bit and tiller it that way..  ill figure out something!

[walkabout]

i think the way ken approaches it is probably the easiest, by using a limb thickness thats consistent, then attaching the handle and pinning it with dowels. this is a trick for board bows that flex too much for a glued on handle to normally stay. for me, replication is the easiest way to learn something, and then after i get something successful i just add the changes i want to. as with almost everything involved in making bows, patience and perseverance are key.

[George Tsoukalas]

Too short. Go longer. Jawge

[aero86]

well, i did do almost the same thing, with a thin board.  so i tried to go with the design i had, with a thicker board.  just had to tiller it. 

[walkabout]

i think the design would be hard to do with a stave you would have to tiller due to the leverage the siyahs impart upon the limbs. it almost goes against what we know about making bows because there is really no taper, and very little change in thickness down the limb. your first one looked like it turned out well, with the exception of being a little on the light side. ken used a backing which would add some weight, as well his siyahs were longer which would increase leverage and add weight as well.

[aero86]

yeah, id like to add longer siyahs, but i was practicing a couple different ways..  but im wondering if longer siyahs help any?  i mean, i know what they are for, but i wonder how they affect stress..

[walkabout]

im certainly not the authority on the subject, but im guessing that the longer the siyah the greater the leverage and therefore greater stress. much like reflex or recurves.

[aero86]

thats what i was thinking too.  that book everyone says to get, does anyone know if it goes into siyah length and tillering and such?  sounds like i need to read it