Primitive Archer
Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: daryush on December 22, 2009, 08:23:15 pm
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Hi all
I've got some time off uni work so am amassing materials for my first horsebow. I was going for a design similar to the one in this painting: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/21/Hulagu_1.jpg (http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/21/Hulagu_1.jpg), as it looks like it is going to be very fast. I am going for a 60 - 63 lb at 33 inch draw, with a bow that hopefully will not be longer than 55 inches along the curve NTN.
I was going to make it bamboo backed and bamboo bellied with a maple core and mullberry+horn siyahs. My question is: which part of the bamboo becomes the belly, is it the outside or the inside, and how do you treat it so it is ready for a belly? I have heard that you do not need to treat / temper it for a backing. And how do you tiller it afterwards (I guess you could side-tiller it ...)?
I know akila and robustus have some experience with this, if they are around, also if anyone else knows something about this please post too! :)
Also, does anyone know where I can get good bamboo (possibly tempered) in the UK?
Thanks :)
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Maybe Robustus will come on. But, I can guarantee it's not an easy, first time, Model Ship, kit. Ifit is layed out correctly, there is very little tillering.
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Hi daryush,
If you Google bamboo in UK there are some hits on there. I will try and find the phone numbers and email address I have used for you and PM to you.
Thanks for your time.
Cromm in the UK.
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Thanks guys.
Would a design like this work with "raw" bamboo back and bamboo flooring (carbonised or not) underneath? That might be a little easier to do, and I've heard good things about bamboo flooring
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Like Mullet said,i wont be easy first time. Dont mean to put you off, but witout an exact plan your gonna have to make several to work out the dimensions. You can ask Robustus but he wont tell you,( he would'nt tell me anyway). reckon even a horn bow would be easier to pull off first time, or a boo belly, wood core & sinew back. Only the belly is usually tempered, the problem is the tillering with these type of bows, but good luck they are great bows
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Hi Daryush.....u can use flooring bamboo for the belly,, but it should be better if u use also raw bamboo for the belly......the bamboo must be exactly used on the belly, like its being used for the back of the bow.... the belly strip can be heat treated, to a nice caramel colore.....be carrefuul not to burn the bamboo strip....from a certain point, the bamboo gets black verry quiqly, and the bamboo is ruin....its not an easey task what u are trying to do.....dont have to much space to tiller the bow,,,so all the things must be done before u glue the bow together....u can try to pretiller the bamboo strips before u glue themm up....also u should be carrefuul to the amounth of the reflex that u want to put into a bow like this....it should not be something to severe....after the bow is all glue up, u can still make some adjustments, and even scrap the belly and the back of the bow a little....to adjust the tiller....but only a little...i wish i could help u moore, but i realy dont have to much experience with this tipe of bow...i only made one bow like this....all bamboo bow...and the bow wass made only using 2 stript of bamboo glue together...not verry complicated bow...good luck..
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Thanks Akila, that was really helpful!
I guess it might take a few tries to get it right, but that's not a bad thing ;D
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try flybow in co mayo ,they do all sorts of bow making supplies and do mail order.I know they have bamboo backings and cores etc.