Primitive Archer
Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: WhistlingBadger on February 09, 2021, 08:36:13 pm
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Hickory sudbury bow.
66"NTN
40#@27"
Finished with 3rivers alcohol stain and spar urethane. Goat leather handle sewn on with artificial sinew.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/50927618862_290370c8d5_b.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2kAimNb)Hickory 66"NTN 40#@27" (https://flic.kr/p/2kAimNb) by Whistling Badger (https://www.flickr.com/photos/187773441@N04/), on Flickr
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/50927624842_3e44389779_h.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2kAiozh)Handle Hickory 66"NTN 40#@27" (https://flic.kr/p/2kAiozh) by Whistling Badger (https://www.flickr.com/photos/187773441@N04/), on Flickr
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/50927498291_fa2ec24594_h.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2kAhJXn)Limb Hickory 66"NTN 40#@27" (https://flic.kr/p/2kAhJXn) by Whistling Badger (https://www.flickr.com/photos/187773441@N04/), on Flickr
A few notes:
I was aiming for 55# @ 27". Got a little excited with the rasp early on and put a hinge in it; by the time I worked that out it was 40#. Still shoots pretty well, but I can't use it for big game.
I heat-treated the belly until it was brown. Didn't see any difference in draw weight or performance, so not sure I did it right. Probably won't bother with the next one.
I'm not totally thrilled with the tiller, but since it won't ever be what I want anyway, I decided to just finish it up and get on to other projects. There's a bit of limb twist, but probably not enough to stress over.
I like the way the stain turned out. Gave the back a very light once-over with fine sand paper to clear the high spots and let the hickory show off its muscles. Not a huge fan of the spar varnish. It's too shiny and artificial-looking for a selfbow, to my taste. Will do the next one with bear grease and pine pitch.
Looking forward to hearing what the experts think.
Thomas
Edit: Timbo, this is your stave! It did good! :)
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Thomas, I’d say that is a fully successful first bow, even if you missed the target weight. One of the successes is that you recognized why you missed it which will make that mistake less likely in the future. Congratulations on that shooter.
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Looks pretty good. Did you reflex it at all when heat treating it? You can knock the gloss off a varnish finish with pumice or a fine synthetic abrasive pad.
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Looks pretty good. Did you reflex it at all when heat treating it? You can knock the gloss off a varnish finish with pumice or a fine synthetic abrasive pad.
No, I didn't put any reflex in it. Meant to, but somehow it didn't happen. It actually has taken about a 1 1/2" set. Not sure where that bit of handle setback came from; it had that before I heat treated. I knocked most of the gloss off with fine steel wool, but I still like the look of grease/pitch better. :)
Thanks, Morgan! It was a huge learning experience. Looking forward to getting going on the next one.
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looks great congrats,, :)
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Love the look of that back. I don’t think you need to add “semi” to describe this one. It is definitely a success! :OK
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Nice job on that hickory bow. Congratulations on your first bow
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Looking good from here WB. I like the full draw.
Bjrogg
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Definitely a successful bow. Great job!
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cool bow! don't think you need semi in the title either. If i remember correctly, the original was estimated to be closer to your finished weight. Not sure you could have gotten 55 without huge set or breakage. Tillering a slightly bendy handle has it's own challenges too.
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Looks good to me. Congrats
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Nothing semi about that - very impressive regardless of what number bow you’re on. You’ve done a great job on the tiller and chasing away the hinge demons!
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Great job on a first bow! If it shoots and doesn't explode it is a success! I don't know if there is a draw weight minimum in Wyomng, but I think a well placed arrow from a 40# bow will bring down an elk. Bear might be another ball game, but I don't hunt bear! You should put that one in the "newbie challenge" and bow of the month! Congratulations!
Hawkdancer
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Looks Real good! Congrats! Nice work with the stain.
Mike
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Good job :)
Missing target weight by that much is no big deal, you'll soon hone your technique... or learn to cheat ;) by leaving an inch or so extra at each end than can be cut off if you need a few extra pounds >:D
Del
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Shoot man, thats a highly successful bow, even for a tenth bow! Bet ya grin a little everytime you shoot it too :)
Most states have a 40 pound minimum for big game. Whats your state requirements?
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I really like the stain, makes the back POP
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Thanks, guys. ;D
Wyoming has a 55 lb minimum draw for elk, 45 for deer. It's not like I've ever had a game warden or forest ranger stop me and check my draw weight, so I would fudge a little if required, but I do try to stay on the right side of the law. And my 60# bow definitely snaps out the heavy arrows with a lot more authority than this one. So I think this will be a rabbit bow, or maybe one for the Badgerling to grow into eventually.
So, Willie said this design wouldn't have survived as a 55 anyway. Can you tell me why? What do I need to do differently (other than not putting a hinge in it :o ) so I can up the weight on my next one?
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Nice job! That is a very nice first bow. Really, the thickness difference between 40 and 50ish pounds is not super great, so you didn't miss by that much.
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Tiller looks pretty darn good to me, and I love the stain effect. I sometimes go over a bow with 000 steel wool to reduce the shine.
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I like it.
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Very nice WB. Looks like a shooter. 40lbs kill about anything you need too.
Great job
Shawn~
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So, Willie said this design wouldn't have survived as a 55 anyway. Can you tell me why? What do I need to do differently (other than not putting a hinge in it :o ) so I can up the weight on my next one?
sight down the resting bow and see if the set you have was taken locally in the area you had trouble with, or whether there is also some set taken over all. try to judge how much is in the limb that was more trouble free. Maybe trace the good limb and flip the bow and trace the good limb again to get an idea of your woods capabilities.
Each piece of wood is different, and setting a tillering weight goal in advance is an acquired skill.
Tracing the back profile as you go is a good way to monitor set. If it early on as the bow is drawn further, then more thinning and lowering your weight goal is in order. Finishing out with an inch or so of set is not bad, but you should see it appear in the last few inches before reaching design draw weight. by careful monitoring as you go, you should be able to see just unstrung set return to a straighter profile as the bow is rested.
Having some sort of backstop behind your tiller tree lets you reference previous marks after making a pull.
If you want to hit an exact weight, you can go wider, shoot for a higher weight goal then you prefer, and narrow the limbs some if the bow is coming in too heavy without taking set.
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Del,
I like that "extra tip"! :BB
Hawkdancer
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Thanks, Willie. A lot to think about there.
I took the new bow out on a hike in the desert with the family last night and did some stump shooting. I am pleasantly surprised at how well it shoots. I don't have a chronograph, but it zips the arrows out pretty good for such a light bow. Definitely faster than Mrs. Badger's 50# flatbow. I kept thinking, "Holy smoke, I actually made this thing, and it works." I'm hooked, boys. I can't wait to make another one.
By the way, have you ever seen what a hex blunt does to a pinecone at ten yards? It's almost like fireworks. ;D (SH)
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Glad your hooked WB. It is such a indescribable feeling. Almost like having your first kid in some ways. It certainly changed my life in ways I never dreamed of. So did having my first kid.
Bjrogg
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Well done! The bows will just get better and better. You’ve got it. Arvin
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I hope to get the same feeling someday
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I hope to get the same feeling someday
It's worth working for.
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Absolutly! I'll get there someday, and I won't stop trying