Main Discussion Area > English Warbow

Good weight to aim for?

(1/3) > >>

Mo_coon-catcher:
I'm working on my second attempt at making an EWB. My first attempt was at MoJam and it was ERC backed with 1/4" of maple. That bow didn't have a chance to see what it could do. First flexing session we pulled it back to about brace using a long string. The bend was good and smooth, the weight was heavy but nothing excessive. As soon as it reached brace it went boom. So I started another one with a very tight ringed dense piece of osage I had bought at MoJam. That peice of wood is dark orange all the way through, hard as a rock and has atleast 30 rpi. Right now I have the stave at 69 1/2" nock to nock. And it's a little under 1 1/2" at the handle tapering to 1/2" tips and is about 1" thick tapering to the same 1/2". This thing is rediculously stout. With a long string moving the tips about 4-5" it's already pulling 150 lbs. I've tried to brace it up at a low brace and I cant get the string to stay on at the moment, so I'm taking a break from it for a while and letting it rest (or me).

I'm wanting to get as much weight out of this price of wood as possible at as long of draw as it should be stressed to. I'm thinking 150lbs at 30" sounds reasonable unless it can go higher and further. I'm not concerned about making this bow shoot able by me at the moment. I have more wood I can make something I can shoot. Which the heaviest I've tried was a 120# @ 30" yew that I pulled to my normal anchor point of 27". I'm confident I could get to 30" with some practice on form. I've got a very straight stave of 5 year old white ash I'll try to make a 100# bow out of when I get this one finished.

All advice welcome.
Thanks,
Kyle

mikekeswick:
I'd leave the tips 1/2 for now but the 1 1/2 wide handle is too wide.  1 1/4 would be more than enough leave it that width for 12 inchs, then taper to 3/4 12 from the tips then into your nocks.
although it will feel ridiculously heavy at this point that is a good thing! Cut some small wedges of wood 1/8th high and 1/2 long superglue and bind them to the back for temporary nocks. Above these cut a couple of grooves for a stringer.
Than if you are sure the tiller is good enough get it braced. These heavy bows tend to need bracing early or else you will start losing weight fast. As long as your stave isn't reflexed a lot then a 3 4 inch brace is enough.
Good luck.

Del the cat:
Dunno what draw length you are after, but 69 1/2" is a bit on the short side... ok for 28" maybe 30" at a push, but it will be working very hard... mind it is Osage :)
Remember a lot of warbows were 75 -80 " long
At Warbow weights they will barely flex if you try to floor tiller, and bracing 'en is a total night mare. If you can see the bend at floor tiller and brace it easy, you are under weight!
Del

Mo_coon-catcher:
With the long stri the bend is looking hopes to me with the tips moving about 4-5", so I think I'll try to get it braces up to there. And I think I've figured out my issue with the string staying on when I try to brace it. I rounded the tips before filing in a pair of knocks on each tip. So the round section on the belly is wedging the string off as I let off pressure from the stringer. I think I need to flatten the belly side at the tips and I'll probably go ahead and glue on some temporary overlays. And I think the stave is plenty stiff at the moment, I think. I put all my weight into it and even lift myself off the ground putting pressure on the handle and it flexes less than 1" past straight and it has about 1/2" reflex. And with the stringer I'm having trouble getting it flexed enough to slide the main string 2" into the nocks. I've been trying to lock both my hands in place in the handle and use my legs to push myself and the bow up into place then lock one arms in place while holding the bow and slide the string with the other. It's not wanting the cooperate too well. And I'll be perfectly happy if I can get a 30" draw out of it.

Thanks,
Kyle

Ian.:
Do you know what the Mass Calculator is? Pretty much your best friend with heavy bows. Good lucky with the bow, not something I would try.

Navigation

[0] Message Index

[#] Next page