Primitive Archer

Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: vtclimber on October 25, 2009, 04:41:35 pm

Title: Red Oak and Maple Backed Bow
Post by: vtclimber on October 25, 2009, 04:41:35 pm: Hi all,

Finally got one to tiller out. Made out of red oak (belly) backed with curly maple and purpleheart for the tips. 66" NTN, 1.5" at fades to 0.5 " at tips. Pulls 50# at 27" draw. Tiller could be better but all in all I am pleased. The thing shoots like a bandit! I'll get a full draw shot up soon.

Dave

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Title: Re: Red Oak and Maple Backed Bow
Post by: vtclimber on October 25, 2009, 04:48:41 pm: Sorry everyone....I posted this in the WRONG place! Kinda forgot where I was....
Title: Re: Red Oak and Maple Backed Bow
Post by: vtclimber on October 25, 2009, 07:28:24 pm: I am assuming one of the moderators will put this post where it belongs lol, but here it is at full draw.....

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Title: Re: Red Oak and Maple Backed Bow
Post by: Josh on October 25, 2009, 10:10:06 pm: Nice bow! Although i believe you can go a little smaller in length on your handle riser. It would give you more working limb to work with. :) Your tip overlays look great too! -josh
Title: Re: Red Oak and Maple Backed Bow
Post by: vtclimber on October 26, 2009, 12:25:20 am: I could certainly go smaller on the handle riser. I made it at 12 inches, and after gluing it up I figured out ten would have been about perfect lol. Next one is in the works, so I'll start fixing my mistakes from this one. :)
Title: Re: Red Oak and Maple Backed Bow
Post by: adb on October 26, 2009, 02:07:53 am: It's really hard to see the bow's tiller with that background.
Title: Re: Red Oak and Maple Backed Bow
Post by: medicinewheel on October 26, 2009, 02:55:48 am: Can't really tell the tiller...
Seems dangerously narrow at shelf, don't you think??
Title: Re: Red Oak and Maple Backed Bow
Post by: vtclimber on October 26, 2009, 07:42:48 am: ADB - I'll see if I can get a better pic of the tiller. It may be a day or so as I had to borrow a camera to get the ones I have lol.

Medicinewheel - It may be a bit narrow, but the handle is almost two inches thick so I figured it could handle it. I have run about 175 shots through it and it seems (at this point) to be holding up... I had my first attempt blow apart at full draw. Left a nasty bruise where it hit :D

There are definitely some things I will do differently on the next go around. Until then, I'll see if I can borrow my friends camera again and get some better pictures of the handle area, tiller, etc.

Dave
Title: Re: Red Oak and Maple Backed Bow
Post by: medicinewheel on October 26, 2009, 02:08:26 pm: Quote from: vtclimber on October 26, 2009, 07:42:48 am
... I had my first attempt blow apart at full draw. Left a nasty bruise where it hit :D
...

Don't we all hate it when that happens... 8) 8) 8)
Title: Re: Red Oak and Maple Backed Bow
Post by: vtclimber on October 26, 2009, 02:51:51 pm: Lol, I know the language got pretty colorful pretty rapidly! The lower limb went right at the fades (incredibly poor tillering) and caught me pretty good!
Title: Re: Red Oak and Maple Backed Bow
Post by: Bushbow on October 26, 2009, 09:13:48 pm: Very cool wood combination, curly maple looks great
Title: Re: Red Oak and Maple Backed Bow
Post by: cowboy on October 26, 2009, 10:53:44 pm: Good looking bow Dave! Nice contrasting wood combination on the tips.
Title: Re: Red Oak and Maple Backed Bow
Post by: vtclimber on October 27, 2009, 07:15:34 am: Thanks Bushbow and Cowboy. I've always been a fan of the purpleheart/maple combo. Any one know how figured walnut would work? I was thinking of that for the backing for the next one as I have a bunch cut. Thanks again all!
Title: Re: Red Oak and Maple Backed Bow
Post by: knightd on October 27, 2009, 07:50:57 am: Good looking bow.. ;)
Title: Re: Red Oak and Maple Backed Bow
Post by: Bushbow on October 27, 2009, 09:01:44 pm: Vtclimber, I have had great luck with Black Walnut. I have a black walnut bow made from a stave, mostly sapwood, but a good shooter. I also made an ELB, 1/8" hickory back, 1/8" bubinga stripe over a black walnut core. I gave the bow to my brother, after 5 years no chrysals, still shoots great.
Title: Re: Red Oak and Maple Backed Bow
Post by: vtclimber on October 27, 2009, 10:02:57 pm: Awesome. I have a bunch that I cut and sealed about 3 years ago for furniture and instruments (makes a great guitar as well). I'll have to start shaping some out although I will have to splice two pieces as everything I cut was around 4x2 by 4' (After checks were removed). Shouldn't be a problem there though. I gotta say this is a fantastic site. Lot of good info!

Dave
Title: Re: Red Oak and Maple Backed Bow
Post by: OldBow on October 28, 2009, 11:50:41 am: Hard to tell if its a good looking bow from the full draw. Too much visual noise in the background. I'll use the FD for BOM unless a better one heads my way.
Title: Re: Red Oak and Maple Backed Bow
Post by: vtclimber on October 28, 2009, 12:03:51 pm: OldBow- I am going to try and get a camera this weekend. Not sure if I could get the pick there in time or not, but I'll see what I can do.
Title: Re: Red Oak and Maple Backed Bow
Post by: Kent D. on October 28, 2009, 05:21:16 pm: Wow, curly maple for a backing. Impressive. I would assume curly maple would have to crazy of grain for a backing. Good job.
Title: Re: Red Oak and Maple Backed Bow
Post by: vtclimber on October 28, 2009, 06:02:19 pm: So far the currly has held up (young in life though). It was all I had for maple so.....run with what you got and figure out later if it will work lol. The pictures really don't do it justice....darn I need a camera!!