Primitive Archer
Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: medicinewheel on February 03, 2007, 05:58:28 pm
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hi all! - this is one of the two projects i started this last week: three black walnut boardbows with hickory backings and various fancy-coloured risers. they all three aim for 30#@26". i make these for three ladies (not sisters) who all URGENTLY need bows.
the bows are at three different states right now: one's technically finished, one is floor-tillered, one still needs a backing.
i used the japanese method of rope and wedges for gluing: it's so simple and effective (and i can fit 4 bows in the hotbox for gluing up at once)
frank
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Looks good, just be careful with your tillering as black walnut tends to fret pretty easy. ;D
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here are two pictures of the blanks glued up and reflexed with rope and wedges
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They look really nice. I really like the color combo's in the most finished ones handle. At lower wieghts and draw length, I would think these bows should make it. I made a bamboo backed black walnut bow a long time ago, it was too wide and thin, 45# at 27", not that well tillered, and it held up fine... I have a Z splice set up on a set of black walnut boards and have beening meaning to try it again.
dan
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MW do the wedges pull the bow into relex,or do they only hold the lambs together for a tight glue joint.Thanks for the pics,been thinking of trying that method.
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MW do the wedges pull the bow into relex,or do they only hold the lambs together for a tight glue joint.Thanks for the pics,been thinking of trying that method.
you put in the wedges and while hammering them in you carfully bend reflex in against your knee. the wedges hold the bend.
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Looks good, just be careful with your tillering as black walnut tends to fret pretty easy. ;D
hi ryan! - i do not know this term 'to fret easy' and nothing in the dictionary makes sence. sounds sort of important, though. please explain!
thanx, frank
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correct me if i'm wrong but frets are compression caused cracks in the belly, right? so, in german that would be "stauchrisse"
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found some time to continue work on the 'older sister'; tiller is done pretty much with 32#@26" (aimed for 30#). will do some fine tillering when the other two are tillered, too.
well: comments on the tiller are very wellcome!!
frank
ps: no compression cracks at all so far.
pps: upper limb is on the right
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Tiller looks good!
And the tips are pretty nice, too!
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thanks andrew! - here is the unbraced and braced profile and the shaped out handle section
frank
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very nice tiller frank. especially, once you see all three pictures (unstrung, braced and full-draw).
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thanks dusty!
wanted to add that there is no glueline visible all the way from nock to nock!
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Looking good. Are you gonna call them Corn, Bean and Squash? :)
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Excellent tiller. Way to represent.
J. D. Duff
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thanks guys!
eeeh mark, you don't think these are good names for three beauties, do you.... ;D
frank
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I really like the contrasts of those woods on the riser.
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worked a bit on bow #2 today; the brace looks odd on the pic, but tiller difference is around 1/4", upper limb is on the right.
lower limb bit stiff at 18" from fadeout hafl way up the limb, but doesn't look too bad in movement.
what ya all think??
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Frank, She looks good to me. Those kicked up tips can make a good bit of differance with a bows performance. Pat
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ps: well, the tip might be a bit too exaggerated ?! ;D
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yesterday evening i glued tip blanks on bow #3 and decided to work them out this morning; they are of plumewood and wenge matching the handle.
i'll put up another little sequence of pics in the how-to-section. have a look!
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Pretty bows, they look very proffesional good tiller, and well made.
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what kind of glue do you use with the bambboo and rope? always wanted to give that a shot. i hate forms.
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i use smooth-on at the moment!
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tillered bow#2 to 26" , upper limb is on the right.
(http://)
she was supposed to have a shaped handle with a shelf; so i did my first shaped handle with a shelf today ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D
the wood is wenge with a stripe of hickory in between. came out nice...
guys if you ever work with wenge get the respirater on!!! that wood probuces the finest and nastiest dust i've ever seen!
frank
(http://)
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man that grip is gorgeous
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thanks jamie! - here is another picture
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Awesome frank, WOW ;D ;D ;D
Dana
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Great work. That wenge sure is some purty wood.
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Drop dead gorgeous! Can't wait to see a finish on that one. Nice work!
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Good God Man! you make it all look and sound sooo easy - I gotta long way to go.
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hi guys! - thanks for all these compliments! no this handle was certainly NOT an easy job. it really was hard work and i got blisters from sanding and most of all it needed all my capacity off imagination. but it was worth it, it's a really nice handle!
frank
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this afternoon i drew some ornaments on the back of bow #2
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frank,you have entirely too much time ;D looks great though
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Wow! love the working on that grip, just ,,,sexy looking. is the best way I can describe it
The artwork looks wonderful as well, it just seems to make the bow more special if thats possible!
Not sure what you used to draw with but I find that India Ink works really well for me. :)
Once again wonderful craftsmanship! This site is full of artists!! :)
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Artistry like that is a dying artform.....not many take such care and pride in what they do anymore. Kinda sad really.
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tpoof! - i use pigment ink, that's probably pretty much the same thing. it's lightfast, that's the most important i guess.
yes the artistry shown on this site is really amazing and inspiring!
frank
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Frank, looks like those bows came out nicely for you! A fret, is the same as chrystals or compression fractures, its often caused by poor tillering or using a high tension backing on a medium compression wood like hickory backed walnut. Looks like you did a good job though so it shouldnt be a problem. ;)
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Stunning frank!!! Love the artwork ;D
Dana
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aaaaaaaaaaaahhh, too bad! i used linseed oil on bow#2 and that made wenge look almost monochrome brown; not as nice as before.
but the artwork on the braced bow i really like to look at...
yes ryan, i had no problems so far. i tillerd the bows carfully and they are only 30# and 26" drawlength. i do have another slat of that black walnut. it has no major run-outs of grain and i thought, i'd back this-one with rawhide and maybe heatbend it a little bit. what ya think??
frank
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Really nice Frank! Wish I could draw like that...!
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greg! - try on doing intrepidly: i mean i can draw and paint, put this sort of thing i never did before. especially not on the back of a bow. get a piece of paper an try. if you like what you see on my bow i tell you it'll make you really happy when you see it on the back of your bow done by yourself. i'm totally serious!
frank
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yes ryan, i had no problems so far. i tillerd the bows carfully and they are only 30# and 26" drawlength. i do have another slat of that black walnut. it has no major run-outs of grain and i thought, i'd back this-one with rawhide and maybe heatbend it a little bit. what ya think??
frank
Frank raw hide would be a fine choice for a backing on Black walnut. It is more of a stretchy type backing for keeping the bow from raising a splinter from violated grain, and wont make the wood fret like hikory or bamboo could...but it also wont add performance like a wood or grass backing. :)
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hi everybody! - i was gone on tour through southeast asia with a big band i'm leading and i hardly had a chance to go online past 4 weeks; so now:
thanks everybody for the wotes on 'sister #2' on march's backed bow of the month-contest. i was surprised and happy i got any since the bow had to compete with pat's beautifull bow!!
frank
ps: hope to finish #3 this week...
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Sweet Frank,can't wait to see it finished.
Pappy
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#3 has been hanging around untouched for quiet some time but today was the day and i finally tillered the bow; little over 35#@26" as desired.
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...and some more! - upper limb is on the ride side.
how does the tiller look??
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YA I have a 3 sum project going on now I am trying to finish,just can't seem to stay on them
got 1 finished,1tillered and one ready to tiller.The tiller looks great on that one to me,Now you
can move on to the next 3.Great job and some real fine looking bows. :)
Pappy
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Looks pretty darn good frank, hard to improve on perfection ;D
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thanks gentlemen! - i am pleased with the tiller on this bow, too - nice to see the action in the limbs when drawing it on the tillerwall!
please considder the pics #7 + 8 not to be vertical: the upper limb on the right DOES bend more then the lower.
frank
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Ahh! I wonder where that third "sister" went. Very nice. Hickory backed Black Walnut if I recall. Got it bookmarked under July Backed Bows.
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thanks everybody! - right now i'm working on the finish of that bow and she's really going to be a beauty, i'll post some pictures later.
some of you guys warned me to be carefull with black walnut fretting easily; thanks for that, it made go be very carfull! - i can say i'm pleased with the results of all three bows, no frets at all! well, they are all 35#-only but also only 62" ntn for a 26" pull, and all shooters have been surprised with the bows so far. i guess the key is to make the hickory-backing very thin and tapered and - of course - go slow!
frank
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some more handle and tip details of bows #1 and #3; relly like the bows' final looks.
frank
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Gorgeous color combos on those overlays and handles, Frank. You should be real proud of them. I to have had pretty good luck with Black walnut as a belly wood.
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You just plain do good work Frank! ;D
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You did a great job Frank. I really love the colors. Your tips are an elegant work of art. Justin
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EXTREMELY NICE!!!!
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Amazing bows.
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hey thanks everybody!
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Sweet ;D
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Beauties.
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These bows are not in any way unusual for Medicinewheel. They are his ordinary extraordinary level of craftsmanship. Beautiful bows!!!
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Thanks Pete; hope the thread is of help for you!
If you make one make it wide enough, long enough and flat belly!
Thanks xin for the kind words! ;D ;D ;D
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Great work, a lot of effort with all the pics too, the rope and wedge thing is interesting.
Thanks for posting.
Del
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Thanks Del!
This is a really old thread; it popped up again because Pete asked for info on hickory backed black walnut!
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I think I remember voting for that one- awesome bow-Hammertime
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Thanks for a wonderful build-along with three great bows, a great story and superb craftsmanship. I am going to try a backed walnut bow again, thanks to your inspiration. Well done.
Dan
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Man they turned out very nice,beautiful work. :)
Pappy
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Didn't realize this was that old a thread,but very nice work just the same. :) Seen um earlyer but
looks even better finished up. :)
Pappy