Primitive Archer
Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: Pat B on May 18, 2010, 01:03:08 am
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After a year or so hiatus I am in the process of building 3 different bows. This first one got me going again. It is for a bow trade on TradGang. They gave me from January to July 4th to get it done. Just the nudge I needed! ;D
This is where I started in January...
(http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y199/PatBNC/TGbowtrade004.jpg)
(http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y199/PatBNC/TGbowtrade013.jpg)
(http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y199/PatBNC/TGbowtrade019.jpg)
...and later...
(http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y199/PatBNC/TGbowtrade016.jpg)
...and even later...
(http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y199/PatBNC/TGbowtrade047.jpg)
(http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y199/PatBNC/TGbowtrade045.jpg)
...to be continued
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Wow Pat, that's already looking great... keep us posted, I would love to follow along with your progress. Welcome back to bow making! What an entrance! :) :) :) :) :) :)
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Lots of reflex. Good to see you at it. Hope to see some tillering over time from you. And kinda pick up how you personally go from floor tiller to long string(if you do) and brace, on and on.
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well, here is where I stand today. The bow is basically tillered to 28" and I have a few pounds to play with(weight range 50# to 60# @ 28").
Because of all of the "character" in this bow I opted to add a rawhide backing(snake skins to come!). When the rawhide cures out well in a few days I will dress it up with a file and sandpaper. Then I plan to put 100 arrows through her. If everything goes well her final attire will consist of timber rattler skins and bison horn nocks. I'm still undecided about a handle wrap. She will have a floppy rest but it will go on the wrong side! ;D
(http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y199/PatBNC/tradgangtradebow001.jpg)
(http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y199/PatBNC/tradgangtradebow002.jpg)
(http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y199/PatBNC/tradgangtradebow003.jpg)
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You are the man Pat.
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Justin, This stave has just about kicked my butt...and may still! ;D I have done more heat manipulation on this stave than any other and it still has some twist but at least the string runs through the handle. ;D.
Big and Josh, I have documented the whole process so far so I will add a few more pics as we go along.
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Looks great, Pat. I don't crank'em out like I used to either. Jawge
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Looking good Pat,can't wait to see it finished,I really need a nudge to. :) someone
will be happy with that one.
Pappy
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Looks like it will be a fine bow. Looking forward to seeing it all dressed up. I hear you on the nudge. I feel like I'm really cranking bows out if I get one built per year. ;)
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Looking good Pat, can't wait to see it finished! I probably need more then a gentle nudge to get me going on another bow. :)
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Lookin' good. Should be a shooter. I like the bench, too. Makes mine seem more "normal". I thought mine was just messy. In the woodworking magazines they look like operating rooms. ;D ;D
piper
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It's always good to see other guy's benches! 8) 8) 8)
Can't wait to see the finished bow!
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Lookin' good Pat--pretty challenging stave to work with, too.
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Gnarly Chunk of Hedge there Pat...but I know you will pull a sweet Bow out of it....Good Luck....and let's see some Pictures.... ;)
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Looking good!! I am going to be up your way in a week or so might see about droping in to say hello.. ;)
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Pat,
Clad you are carvin on bows again. was a bit worried about you.
Looking good.
wade
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well, here is where I stand today. The bow is basically tillered to 28" and I have a few pounds to play with(weight range 50# to 60# @ 28").
Because of all of the "character" in this bow I opted to add a rawhide backing(snake skins to come!). When the rawhide cures out well in a few days I will dress it up with a file and sandpaper. Then I plan to put 100 arrows through her. If everything goes well her final attire will consist of timber rattler skins and bison horn nocks. I'm still undecided about a handle wrap. She will have a floppy rest but it will go on the wrong side! ;D
Pat, did you put in that reflex?
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Good on you Pat When I get over this deal I may need someone to push me back into it mighty easy to get lax and keep putting it off especially when you get our age
Ron
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" floppy rest will go on the wrong side " I know it's not for me, someone will be happy with it !
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Pat, it's good seeing you bending some sticks, again. I"ve always admired your bow building talents.
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Looks like it's gonna be a goodun. Good to see you carving wood again. Now you need to come over here and boot me in the arse and get me fired back up, I haven't made one in over a year now. :)
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"She will have a floppy rest but it will go on the wrong side!"
Hey if it's a lefty, I will shoot it in for ya... ;D
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Lookin' good - lotsa curves in that one - way to start off easyy after your break :D
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Jeese I dunno Pat it's all crooked and knotty.... Seriously nice lookin bow it's gonna be a beauty. Ron
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Beautiful work Pat, can't wait to see her all dressed up!
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That bow sure did hold some reflex. Nice to see you making bows again. Ineed to dust off my tools. I have a couple of unfinished projects. Steve
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Nice work, that stave looked like a serious challenge to me, but looks like you've done a seriously good job on it.
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nice so far pat, cant wait to see it all finished up. Kerry
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Looks good so far Pat. Wondering if you'd care to share a couple of close-ups of your handle shaping. That's something that is still a bit of a question for me....
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Jaye, I got my handle info from Dean Torges' "Hunting the Osage Bow". He does a lot better job of explaining than I can! ;D If you don't have a copy, I'll lend you mine. ;)
Badger, with all the heat I put to this stave to get where I am, I'm not surprised it has held it's reflex. Plus I exercise the crap out of it between wood removals. Most of my wood removal after first low brace is done with a scraper and I think that scraping action not only removes small amounts of wood but burnishes the wood behind the scraper. I've never done a direct study on this but I have given it quite a bit of thought...or it could just be the patience acquired with age! ;D
King Ron, just ask. I'm better at pushing than I am at doing! ;D When you become physically and mentally ready, you will know! but if you need a nudge, just ask!.
Thanks everyone. I hope I didn't jinx myself by posting this. It has been a tedious task so far but fun and enlightening. For me, the best way to jump back into the saddle. It is good knowing, even after 25 years of building wood bows there is still a lot to learn about building them. If you want to learn how to build wood bows get the crappiest osage stave you can find and make a shootable bow out of it. I'm convinced, there is a bow in every osage stave. Finding it is the challenge and the more challenging it is the more you will learn about wood bows.
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Pat I've been looking foward to seeing this Brilliance.Phillip
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The bow looks swell Pat! The bench and work area????????? Not so good son! ;D
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That's a beauty Pat.
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The bow looks swell Pat! The bench and work area????????? Not so good son! ;D
Bow does look good. Your work area looks clean compared to mine......lol. :P
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looking good! hopefully i'll get the bow building bug this summer. i have about a dozen osage blanks floor tillered and ready to finish.
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It's looking good! Can't wait to see more.
Mark
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Pat, looking very nice. And, your work area is just fine the way it is. If you clean it up, your tools will disappear.
I find it really interesting that so many guys are where I am. I am just finishing a new bow, and will post soon, but it seems 2 bows a year is my average right now.
Dane
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looking good Pat. Is that smooth on epoxy I see there? Not making lam bows too are you ;D Your shop makes my workshop look really dirty ;D
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Yeah Jesse, that is Smooth On. James Parker gave it to me for a little project I haven't got to yet. ;D
It's supposed to be rainy this weekend so maybe I'll have time to work some more on this bow. I also have another bow I need to finish for next weekend. Added the first layer of Tru-Oil tonight. I'll try to get pics up this weekend. My shop is what it is. I feel comfortable down there and always have it to myself! ;D
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Thanks everyone. I hope I didn't jinx myself by posting this. It has been a tedious task so far but fun and enlightening. For me, the best way to jump back into the saddle. It is good knowing, even after 25 years of building wood bows there is still a lot to learn about building them. If you want to learn how to build wood bows get the crappiest osage stave you can find and make a shootable bow out of it. I'm convinced, there is a bow in every osage stave. Finding it is the challenge and the more challenging it is the more you will learn about wood bows.
Darn good way to say it!
The zen of wood bows
Still learning here(understatement)so keep the pics and knowledge commin!!! :o
Ron
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Hi Pat its good to see u back "in the saddle" I always enjoy ur work! If u want...I have some buffalo hide that is rusty red in color that would be nice for a handle wrap just let me know how big a piece u need! I want to donate it and see it on one of your Bows! ;D
Russ
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Pat, Ole Jawge is actually waiting your finished bow! Jawge
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Russ, it will be greatly appreciated and will add medicine to this trade bow. 8) PM sent!
Ole George, I hope I can make you proud! ;)
ole' Pat
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Nice looking bow you got going there. Do you have much osage in NC?
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Pat, you already have. Jawge
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Osage Outlaw, If I had lots of osage here in NC would I be building bows out of wood like this! ;D Actually I would. ;) To answer your question, in some places it is plentiful but not near me.
George, :-[ You make me blush!
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I added tip overlays and packed out the back of the bulbous handle with leather yesterday. Today I shaped the tips and handle and sanded the entire bow then put 50 arrows through her. She seems a bit sluggish but I pull 26" and she is set for 28"(pulled to 29") so that could make the difference. She shoots where I'm looking and holds 1" of reflex immediately after shooting and unbracing. ! 1/2" to 2" after she relaxes.
I also coated the rawhide with a thin layer of TBIII to prevent moisture form soaking into the wood when I add the timber rattler skins soon. No pics today.
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C/MON....... Pat...wheres the Pictures............ ::)
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Hi Pat,
Way cool to come back to life after the wedding and find this thread. Got one I am pulling out in my wreck of a shop and sure need to get all the wisdom I can pick up!
Rand
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Post some pics Rand and let's get her done! ;D
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Pat its on its way the buffalo hide hopefully u still need it!
Russ
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Took a few more pics today and shot about 25 more arrows but I still can't decide which end it up! ;D She shoots as well with one tip up as the other. This bow is going to a lefty and I can't shoot lefty either. She does have a little thump when shot but I believe it is the limb with the perpetual twist. Just a guess. I could take the tip width down a bit more too and that would help. She shoots straight and true. At 15 yards she was sending my 650+ gr tapered ash arrows right where I was looking. Still not sure of the final weight but around 50@26(my draw) so at 28" she ought to sweeter.
One handle pic shows the way I pack out the back of a bulbous handle with show leather to fit the hand.
[attachment deleted by admin]
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Very nice, Pat. Well done. Jawge
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Looking good Pat - I like it!
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great looking work right there.
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She's coming along nicely and I'm pleased with her and myself. ;D Being this is the first stave to bow build I have done in over a year and being that the recipient is an accomplished bowyer in his own right I chose a difficult stave to get me "back in the saddle". ;) It has been challenging from day one but I have loved every minute. I'll decide on the skins to dress her up with in the next few days. Ancient Archer has offered and has sent a piece of buffalo hide for the handle wrap so when it gets here I'll choose the skins to compliment the buffalo leather handle wrap. 8)
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I took her to the NC State Championships near Hickory, NC last weekend and shot course "B". She shoots well but with a bit too much thump. I narrowed the tips a bit more and this weekend I added the skins. I'll let the skins and glue cure for a few days before I begin the Tru-Oil finish.
Here is a tease shot... ;D
[attachment deleted by admin]
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Looking good Pat, it's coming along nicely.
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I started with the Tru-Oil last night so it won't be long before her debut!
ps. Rick T, I haven't forgotten your bow sock and canes just haven't mailed um out yet. ;D
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Pat, I love your handles. They taper so gracefully into the limbs.
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I started with the Tru-Oil last night so it won't be long before her debut!
ps. Rick T, I haven't forgotten your bow sock and canes just haven't mailed um out yet. ;D
No worries Pat. No time to do any fun work right now anyway. ;)
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The suspense is killing us PAT...lol!!!!
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Pat, the more I look at that handle the more I want one just like it on all my bows. Have you ever attempted to glue wood to the back of the bow for the handle insted of leather. I realize that with crown, irregular backs on self bows it would probably be a royal pain to match up wood to wood like that. But boy it would be pretty, but then who could bring themself to wrap it in leather. Nice job.
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Hedge, I like my bows to bend as close to the handle as I can. A rigid(wood) back overlay would probably pop off. I do like the look of a handle overlays.
Well I have her all dressed up(cept for a few more coats of Tru-Oil) and ready for pics. ;D 8)
Stats...66"t/t, pulling 54#@28"(tillered out to 29"), backed with carp skins I got from Timo and bison horn tip overlay from Justin Snyder. Ancient Archer sent me some tanned moose(?) hide for the handle but I couldn't make it fit the bulbous handle neatly so the handle wrap is hemp cord saturated with Massey finish(2ton epoxy thinned with acetone). I did use his leather for the floppy rests though. I made this bow with two floppy rests; one on either end of the handle so the bow can be flipped and shot either way. I got this idea from Chris Cade(Mechslasher). This is what he does with his short recurved bows as to not overstress either limb. Being that this bow has so much character; knots, twists and being that it was heated and clamped so many times trying to get a bow from the stave I chose, I opted to do the same with this bow...thus her name, "Flip Flop".
So here she is...
[attachment deleted by admin]
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...and a few more...
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...and the money shots!
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Sweeeeeet! looks great Pat. I like the name as well. I like that carp backing even better than snake skins. Looks cool 8)
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I'm with Jesse, I really like those Carp skins.
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Nice job, Pat. Thanks for letting us follow the progress. A great tutorial. Very pretty bow with excellent tiller. I love your shop. It is so much neater than mine!
Dan
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That Bow looks great Pat....man dont get them Whiskers in dat String....man that chit Hurts...... >:D
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Good looking bow from tough piece of osage.
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Thanks guys.
Eddie and Jesse, these are the first carp skins I've worked with. Tim did most of the prep work on the skins before he sent them to me. Thanks again Tim.
Dan, I enjoyed it as much as you did. This bow got my bow building ball rolling again. The shop is just how I left it a year ago so I knew where everything was. ;D
Mike the whiskers have been safe since I gave up the compound. ;)
Thanks hedge. This bow has been a great teacher.
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I have to agree with the carp skin, looks great. Very nice bend on that bow and finish work looks super. Looks like you've done your homework on this one. ;D
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That is just awesome! Well done, Pat. Jawge
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pat awesome work looks like an artist painted it ! curious about the prep for the carp skins
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Tim said he has to thin it with a belt sander. :o Once thinned you apply it just like snake skins.
Thanks George and gmc.
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Turned out real nice Pat! You did those skins proud! ;)
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Thanks Tim. They are very cool!!! 8)
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I love it, Pat! You did an awesome job on it, Grip, tips, tiller, and finish work all look outstanding! I gotta get me some carp skins now... :)
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That bow turned out great Pat.The recipient ought to really like it.Good job. God Bless
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Nice bow Pat, I really like this one. It is almost camouflaged against that tree, like a piece of nature its self!! Those fish skins are beautiful. and a nice even bend too,exellent work!!!
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What I got to understand is, how in the world do you keep the mop from getting caught up with the string? ;D
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great bow pat snake skins are amazing i love the grip thanks for thinking about us left handers
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What a beauty she is, Pat!
Dane
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Pat
That came out Great. I really love the carp skins. Not to mention the name and the cool "reversible" action. You are back in the saddle in a big way with that one. ;)
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I'm very happy with the way this bow came out. I appreciate the kind words from everyone.
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Pat no worries on the hide u got urself one heck of a bow. Excellent work u did good!!!
Russell
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Yeah Russ, I just couldn't make the leather fit right. Not the leather's fault! ::) I did use it for the floppy rests though so the medicine is still there! 8)
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great looking bow Pat,
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I packed Flip Flop up last week and mailed her on Saturday. :'( Well, she arrived at her new home today, safe and sound. ;D Joe Weed ("Osagetree") of Ohio was the recipient. 8) When I found out that Joe was picked I was intimidated! I've never seen Joe's work in person but a few times on TradGang and now I knew I had to come up with something special. It had also been over a year since I'd built a bow. That's why I decided to pick a difficult stave ??? and MAKE it happen! I think I did! Here is Joe and Flip Flop at full draw...
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That's excellent 8) Pat
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Thanks Phil.
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That's pretty darn nice. I think the extra couple inches of draw agrees with flip flop. ;D
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I agree, gmc. I'm lucky to pull 26" so all I could do is work off the tiller tree to 28"(actually 29") I can't shoot left handed either so I had to wing that too.
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Must be strange to make a bow for a leftie :) Nailed it though, lovely looking thing that, almost still looks alive