Primitive Archer
Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: ravenbeak on June 26, 2009, 09:39:07 pm
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ok,
i'm trying to finish up this bow and so far i am at 47lbs at 21 inches. It is 62 inches long, sinew backed and is holding about 2 inches unstrung reflex.
I am aiming for 47 at 27 or in that neck of the woods.
there is a whoop that is throwing me off a bit, it looks like it bends alot, but it is still pretty thick in that area, also, i would like to get it bending through the handle near the end.
i've got 4 pics, unbraced, side profile showing the whoop, braced, and pulled to 21 inches on the stick.
any and all help is appreciated,
thanks,
Jamie
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Braced profile looks good and the tiller looks good. Since your at 21" already and you want it to bend in the handle it is probably time to start slowly feathering the handle area as you work the limbs and remove wood to increase the draw length. Hope it turns out as nice as it looks like it will.
When your working a stave with a big whoop to do like that one you should turn it around on the tiller stick to check the other side also.
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jamie,
thats looking good so far,i would do as marvin said.
that ought to be an arrow smoker.
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Hey, Jamie
Looks good so far to me. Your brace profile looks super. Do you have a tiller tree with a pulley system? You should ditch that tiller stick, and do yourself and your bows a favour! If you don't, send me an email, and I'll send you a pic of mine. Keep goin', that is going to be a super bow!
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hey adam, pm sent
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She's looking pretty good so far. One thing you can do at the whoop is draw a straight line along the side of the bow at the whoop. Watch for the line to bend as you bend the bow and not the bow itself.
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Keep the limb thickness taper even through the whoop and you will be alright. It will look like it is bending more, but it's not. Time to start taking some wood off the handle area to get that area working a little more.
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thanks for the feedback,
adam, I do have a pulley system set up in the home shop, but i am out of town and working from the mobile set up. I knew i was gonna catch some flack from someone for the stick.. I figure i just won't ever go to the full 27 on the stick, stop a few inches short and check the end with the scale,
Pat I like that trick, i drew the lines on there, through the whoop and also through the handle, haven't seen much movement yet, a bit hard to tell though, i was planning on doing the keep pulling it to the same length and checking the weight, and scraping the handle in betweeen until i see the weight start to drop.
gordon, again, i have a set of calipers up at home, i am a bit nervous about the taper, feeling it is still thick through the whoop but like you said it appears to bend there alot so concerned about removing too much there, i did pat's trick with the straight line, so i'll try to go by that.
and I'll get a pic of it flipped on the stick, it sits a bit happier the way it is with the string being off to one side ever so slightly, but it shouldn't be a problem to flip it.
thanks guys,
I have been working the handle mostly but the limbs also, it is 46lbs at 23 inches right now, getting there,.
here's the new shot, what do you think?
jamie
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looks good i say great cause i have had bad luck with yew so if you can make a yew look that good well damn i want your autograph. would like to pic when finished.
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Looks good. Get any more bending you need just pas t the handle area out to about 10 inches on both limbs. I'd leave the last 10 inches alone for a bit. Jawge
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I agree with George.
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thanks guys,
i'd have to have an ace in the hole to argue against the two of you,
I'll get on it tomorrow, i just put a coat of oil over the sinew which i will let rest for the night,
looking forward to finishing it up.
more pics when i get closer
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Jamie,
That is lookin' super! I think you have a bit of a flat spot just outside the handle on the right limb. I'd work that fade a bit, and get it to match up with the left limb, which is fantastic.
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LIke Adb sad....u have a small spot just next to the handle, on the right limb....try to make that area bend a little, and it will be ok..... ;)
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thanks guys,
I've been working at the handle and the right fade, and got the handle moving, i can feel it when exercising it.
so far we are at 47lbs at 25 inches, a little more work on the right fade and i thought that would be it.
well, i flipped it around on the stick, what different story that paints, now the right limb, which was the left looks super stiff mid limb.
what do you guys think, atleast there's still 2 more inches to go, and i haven't drawn it past desired length or weight,
as always, feed back is greatly appreciated,
Jamie
first pic is the way we have been viewing it and second pic is flipped on the stick.
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Do you have access to a level. Check the stick and then across the back of the handle. It might be playing tricks with ya. JMO.
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I'm seeing a bit of a different tiller picture in the "flipped" pics. That often happens with character staves. Do you have a bit of a twist going on? Check for uneven wood removal on each of the limbs. Also check the braced stave to make sure both sides of each of the limbs are the same distance from the string. If all is well in both of those regards then I'd say you are looking pretty good. Leave the last 10 inches alone still and get handle out to bend more. Jawge
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ravensbeak, you really should think about making a rope and pulley. :) Jawge
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thanks george,
I was a bit suprised to when i looked at the flipped pic, as in my eye it looks vastly different. There is a bit of twist in the stave, but very little, i think it's the whop that is confusing as on one side is extreme and on the other hardly noticeable.
I won't pull this one any further on the stick, i do have a rope and pulley at home in the shop, but being out of town right now, i don't.
The big advantage i've found to the pulley is that the point of the string being pulled is determined by gravity, where as on the stick it is easy to pull it off to one side and lock it in there.
i'm happy the handle has started to bend, it felt like it may never, i'll work the inner limbs.
what do you think about the right mid limb in the flipped pic?
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A great looking bow,Jamie
Dad
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thanks dad,
it's getting there, not quite a bow yet, more of a stick that bends and looks like a bow, i think we can called it a bow once it's shot it's first arrow. got any arrows?
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Jamie,
Would love to make you some arrrows. Could have them ready by the end of 'Firemaker'
dad
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that would be great,
maybe, oceanspray fletched with the left spiral turkey feathers?
i've got the truck loaded with staves, and tools it is going to be an adventure, i'm not taking any arrows with me,, if they want to shoot their bows, their gonna have to build the arrows too.
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Jamie, whatever limb is on the right appears stiff in either picture. I have the same thing happening. Do you think it's the way you have it positioned in the t stick? When that happens I had for a mirror or have my wife take a digi pic from both sides as I draw it. Don't go past the point you have it tillered tough. Jawge
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Let' s see if we can get more input here from the PA gang. The more the better. Jawge
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thanks george,
i'm off for a week to a primitive skills gathering, and i'm gonna take this one with me to finish up. i'll have some people take pics of me drawing and use that to finish off the tiller. thanks for the help,
i'll post some pics once i get back and it's completed.
cheers,
Jamie
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That's even better. Then you can draw it and see what's going on. Jawge
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Was out shooting rabbit skins and wondered how close you were to finishing the bow you pictured in this submission?
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With George and Pat commenting I had nothing to add. But when you flipped the pictures you really threw me. I think a big part of trying to see the tiller is the "tree". Im not sure you have the string in the slot straight. You can slide the string either left or right an inch or two and throw the tiller picture off. Another good reason to use the pulley. I still think you need to scrape close to the handle area and now stay away from the 8 to 10 inch from the fade's. It look's like on that one limb there is either a twist or it is on the verge of starting a hinge. One side more than the other, you can tell from the pictures which one.
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I've got three coats of oil on the bow so far, and gonna get on the handle wrap soon. I did set up a tiller tree with a pulley and did the final scraping based on that.
that picture sure threw me off as well, but like said it is easy to torque the bow over by locking the string in crooked. I'll hopefully get some full draw pics up after the weekend.
i think it was around 50 at 27
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so, i did build a triller tree, and have worked on the tiller,
i'm pretty happy with it, it's just a tad under 50lbs at 27 inches. if you guys see any adjustments before i finish it up, i'd be open to losing a couple pounds if necessary.
There is a picture of it sitting each way on the tree. haven't fully decided which is to be the top or bottom limbs yet. the strings tracks pretty well down the centre of the handle.
Funny thing, i still see right limb a touch stiffer in both pictures which is strange because that wouldn't make sense as it's both limbs, i guess at that point, close enough and call it done?
thanks for the help,
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and a couple more of me pulling it
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nice one...did you recurve it with dry heat or wet heat?
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i've been playing with the heat gun lately,
must say i really like the dry heat. it seems easier for someone as impatient as I
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Hey, Jamie
I'd call that done! Nice bow, and you've tweaked the tiller perfectly. I wouldn't change a thing if I was you.
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I agree, the tiller looks about as good as it gets.
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now that is what i was hoping to hear,
thanks guys
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Got your fine yew weapon bookmarked for July Self BOM fun! Thanks for participating.
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Your yew bow turned out really nice!
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oldbow,
i'm gonna finish up and get more pics of the details, I was trying to get some tiller help without giving away the rest of the bow,
I'll repost it under another tread soon, once the grip is on
thanks greg
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well, i had this bow in hand yesterday...it's a cool one. Light to draw, short and easy to maneuver...but no arrow, so i can't say how it shoots. But i will say he did a good job on some horn tip overlays. And he sinew backed it with hide glue he cooked himself.
Ravenbeak also brought along another bow, a good 6footer, elb style, which he said drew 70#. It felt like an awesome spring. Damn i wish i could've shot it!
radius
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Well done! I like the tiller. Jawge
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Beautiful bow. I always like seeing the bow naked, before the make-up goes on. Tells a lot about the bowyer. ;) Looking forward to seeing the finished bow.
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A very nice job!
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Looks good! The tiller is great, you really got the wood working throughout the limbs.