4th ELB since friday

[Badger]

  If I don't get this one right I quit!  First one too much bend in the handle, second one too much bend in the outer limbs, 3rd one just a little more set than I wanted. This is all because I try to rough them out too close to finished demensions. This one I am on now is looking just right so far if I don't screw something up.

[Del the cat]

You love it really 
Del

[Badger]

       I am trying for a little more mass and a slightly more extreme elyptical tiller, not radical just more than usual. I have trouble keeping that transition smooth, I have always struggled with this. This last one I am going more by limb taper than watching the limbs bend and spot scraping it. 50@20" going for 50#@26". I call this the death zone where they start to take set.

[Ian.]

Absolutely post 20" is the killer. Also did you miss the 1 off your weight or do you mean 50lb? 

[Badger]

  It is a 50# elb flight bow for a young lady from hungry. Anything under about 80# is kind of hard with the wood combo I am using. white oak backed ipe. My eye is so used to the stiff handled bows I normally build.

[Del the cat]

  It is a 50# elb flight bow for a young lady from hungry. Anything under about 80# is kind of hard with the wood combo I am using. white oak backed ipe. My eye is so used to the stiff handled bows I normally build.

Is that White Oak belly, Ipe back? V interesting.
I have a stave of tight ringed Osage from the Outlaw's monster tree, I'm wondering if that is good flight bow material, or is it just try it a and see thing?
Del

[Badger]

  Del, I think i have gotten some from him off that same tree. I was very happy with it. I would say yes.

[Del the cat]

Excellent... dunno what sort of design... I'll see what the wood suggests!
Del

[Badger]

Well this last one came out pretty nice, I tillered it out to 24" and it took just a whisper of set. I am going to bring it out just one more inch and call it good.

[avcase]

Steve,
You get these bursts of incredible energy like no one else.  It is a lot of fun following your progress here. I hope this one ends up a winner for you!

These English longbows are so challenging for me too. It seems so wrong to create one for a flight shoot until I actually try shooting it.

Alan

[Badger]

  The shots by Tony Blakes and Dan Perry are very tough to beat at 50#. My last bow has a little more mass than I wanted but seems to shoot pretty well. No more time anyway.

[avcase]

Have you tried another one?  There's still three weeks left for bow making. 

Alan

[Badger]

  Yep Allen, I glued another one up yesterday, going to start tillering it today. White oak backed cherry. I roughed it out already and am at a very good mass weight as long as it holds its profile.

[Badger]

  This last one came out great I couldn't be happier, not a whisper of set.

[Aaron H]

I would love to see pictures and results when you are finished Steve