Main Discussion Area > English Warbow
Ipe and Bamboo
backgardenbowyer:
Rich - one of the lessons of this build is that I need a better tiller arrangement for heavier bows! This tiller just leans against the wall and I stick my knee against it when pulling the bow. It's been fine so far with weights of 50lbs, but with this one my face ended up dangerous close to the whole arrangement when trying to pull heavy weights. It's ergonomically awful and frankly not very safe.
Bob - trouble is I'm a wimp and can't pull it to my full drawn length, I'm only really managing about 60lbs!
Hope to test shoot on Saturday and then put the nocks on and tweak things a little.
Stan
backgardenbowyer:
I was able to test the bow yesterday at our field course - I always test before fitting nicks and making final adjustments. Despite being only about 65lbs at 28" its as muc as I can handle at the moment and the temporary handle bidning gave me a blister.
It seems to shoot much faster and harder than my field bow at short range but the results were disappointing when I tested it for distance - only about 180yds with field arrows (4" shield fletchings, 100gr points), this is only a few yards further than my 50lbs bow. Could it be that this is simply the limit for these arrows rather than the limit for the bow (ie the arrows won't go much further whatever you shot them from?).
What range should I expect with light arrows - I'm assuming it should do more the 200yds and was hoping for 220?
Horn nocks are now fitted and the bow has been shortened by about 3/4", so I've shaved some weight off the tips and outer limbs which looked a fraction stiff to me - I've seen some ipe bows with very delicate tips - its strong stuff! Hope to check it on the tiller and then test this afternoon - weather permiting.
Stan
markinengland:
Stan,
How wide are the tips? Ipe can take a lot of stress but is heavy. Skinny tips will help.
Mark in England
backgardenbowyer:
Tips are now a fraction under 1/2" just below the nocks - about 9/16" deep to keep them stiff. I tested the bow agian today with the horn nocks (and slightly narrowed tips) a very lazy shot of slightly less than 27" draw and a bit too shallow, with a 5" fletched arrow did just shy of 190yds - so we are getting there. It's slightly shorter with the horn nocks fitted - about 71" nock to nock and the weight has risen a touch - if I crank it back close to 29" its about 72lbs, but at my usual draw lenght ofr field shooting (just over 27") it is about 65lbs and as much as I can manage. Not quite a war bow but we are getting there.
I've just put a first layer of danish oil on the bow, which brings out the grain - and I can now see a hairline longitudinal crack about 1 1/2" long right in the middle of the bamboo running down from one nock. This was there before but I just thought it was just a mark on the boo. I'm thinking of drizzling a little super glue on it, but am hoping this is not serious as its right at the tip and right in the middle of the backing.
I'll get some picks posted as soon as I can. Maybe I can still take a little thickness off the tips
Rich Saffold:
Stan,You have too much wood on the outer limbs if your tips are that big, and it will keep your distance down..If a crack is running down the bamboo, superglue will usually get it,but it also means the bamboo got a little too dry at some point, but at the tips its not a big deal..
Rich
Navigation
[0] Message Index
[#] Next page
[*] Previous page
Go to full version