Primitive Archer

Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: zenmonkeyman on August 24, 2010, 04:36:41 pm

Title: S2NR: Second attempt at saskatoon (serviceberry) D bow
Post by: zenmonkeyman on August 24, 2010, 04:36:41 pm

68.5" N2N, 54# @ 30".  But, THIS time, I took a full draw pic with an arrow, and was surprised how much arrow was left over.  I realize now that I'm only really drawing 28", which makes me both sheepish about being so wrong about 30", but also excited that I can try for shorter bows.  Backed with rawhide, antler shelf and tips, cork handle with parachute cord wrap.  Dyed black with Sheaffer nib pen ink, then decorated with acrylic artist paint.  Not the fastest shooting machine sadly, but I had a skinny tree to work with at about 1" thick.  So we're talking high crown and thick cross section.

(http://i80.photobucket.com/albums/j191/zenmonkeyman/IMG_4744ecs.jpg)
Believe it or not, this is still about the straightest stave I have yet found.

(http://i80.photobucket.com/albums/j191/zenmonkeyman/IMG_4754ecs.jpg)

(http://i80.photobucket.com/albums/j191/zenmonkeyman/IMG_4748recs.jpg)
My little bit of tip-flipping just about entirely disappeared.  The big deflex kink just above the handle was a challenge.  It really wanted to bend and take set there, even though it was left almost completely round.  I heat-treated the spot quite thoroughly and managed to reverse a bit of the set.

(http://i80.photobucket.com/albums/j191/zenmonkeyman/IMG_4697rces.jpg)

(http://i80.photobucket.com/albums/j191/zenmonkeyman/IMG_4745ecs.jpg)
Wouldn't recommend the knotted handle wrap I did, but on the plus side it encouraged me to slim up the tips to eliminate the hand shock.

(http://i80.photobucket.com/albums/j191/zenmonkeyman/IMG_4747ecs.jpg)

Title: Re: S2NR: Second attempt at saskatoon (serviceberry) D bow
Post by: Josh on August 24, 2010, 05:01:27 pm

Dude... Nice bow!  I love sapling bows... always have some great character.  Got it Saved for the BOM contest for August too.  :)

Title: Re: S2NR: Second attempt at saskatoon (serviceberry) D bow
Post by: Barrage on August 24, 2010, 05:06:27 pm

Did well on that one.  Nice job Zen.  8)

Title: Re: S2NR: Second attempt at saskatoon (serviceberry) D bow
Post by: Stoker on August 25, 2010, 10:40:45 am

Cool bow..Like the artwork on it
Thanks Leroy

Title: Re: S2NR: Second attempt at saskatoon (serviceberry) D bow
Post by: zenmonkeyman on August 25, 2010, 01:01:29 pm

Thanks guys!

Title: Re: S2NR: Second attempt at saskatoon (serviceberry) D bow
Post by: loefflerchuck on August 25, 2010, 01:09:58 pm

 Wow! That is a cool finished product! I just finished my first serviceberry bow too. It has nice snakey grain but not as cool as this. I heard serviceberry does not handle compression so I left it unbacked, but apon reaching full draw it lifted a splinter, so I backed it with thin sinew and rawhide wrap.
 I like your finish work

Title: Re: S2NR: Second attempt at saskatoon (serviceberry) D bow
Post by: zenmonkeyman on August 25, 2010, 01:18:00 pm

I hadn't heard about SB being weak in compression.  My own tillering skills are "somewhat" lacking, and even so haven't had a problem.  I DID have a few lateral pin knots to deal with, and there are two thick rawhide belly patches; one of which does double duty in building up the handle.  Hopefully this fall I'll have enough sinew supply to back a chokecherry bow; I'll be picking your brain!

Title: Re: S2NR: Second attempt at saskatoon (serviceberry) D bow
Post by: Del the cat on August 26, 2010, 02:35:25 pm

Nice tiller from such a wacky stave.
Looks real cool in that darl finish (I don't normally like much finish on a bow, so that's a BIG complement...in fact so big, I need to go and lie down for a while).
Nyah nyah nyah nayh nyah... we tol' you, you wuzzn't drawing 39" ;)
Del (in a daft mood)

Title: Re: S2NR: Second attempt at saskatoon (serviceberry) D bow
Post by: zenmonkeyman on August 26, 2010, 03:12:58 pm

Thanks guys!  I am at a loss as to where the 2" went.  I measured my draw with a yardstick as "arrow" but no bow.  I was careful to crook my left arm generously and not overdraw or stand too square...  My best guess is that with a real bow, my shoulder blades are pinched closer together?  I dunno.

Title: Re: S2NR: Second attempt at saskatoon (serviceberry) D bow
Post by: Stoker on August 26, 2010, 06:21:05 pm

Thad'll do it  ;) ;)
Thanks Leroy

Title: Re: S2NR: Second attempt at saskatoon (serviceberry) D bow
Post by: George Tsoukalas on August 26, 2010, 07:31:00 pm

Excellent work. That is a great tiller! Jawge

Title: Re: S2NR: Second attempt at saskatoon (serviceberry) D bow
Post by: Frode on August 26, 2010, 09:59:39 pm

Nicely done, zen!  A most excellent work.
Frode

Title: Re: S2NR: Second attempt at saskatoon (serviceberry) D bow
Post by: Pappy on August 27, 2010, 08:22:01 am

Beautiful bow,I love the color and finish work, It suprises most people when they really check what they draw,everyone tells me when I ask 28/29 but in reality most I measure are usually 25 to 27.
Very nice job on a challenging piece of wood. Tiller looks dead on. :) :)
   Pappy

Title: Re: S2NR: Second attempt at saskatoon (serviceberry) D bow
Post by: zenmonkeyman on August 27, 2010, 02:55:09 pm

Wow!  Some high-level tiller endorsements there, you guys are making my day!  Thanks!  Now that I have a revised draw length, I'll have to figure out a new optimum spine for shorter arrows, although I need to put heavier tips on for hunting, so maybe the two adjustments will cancel each other out.  I gotta get cracking, not much time left before hunting season starts.

Title: Re: S2NR: Second attempt at saskatoon (serviceberry) D bow
Post by: walkabout on August 28, 2010, 01:05:54 pm

very cool bow, finish is well thought out.

Title: Re: S2NR: Second attempt at saskatoon (serviceberry) D bow
Post by: bowkee on August 28, 2010, 11:17:26 pm

done good  8) cool :)

Title: Re: S2NR: Second attempt at saskatoon (serviceberry) D bow
Post by: Diligence on September 04, 2010, 12:03:05 am

Garrett - great job on that one.....it looks, almost, well, Tolkienish...kind of like an elf would shoot  ;D

Title: Re: S2NR: Second attempt at saskatoon (serviceberry) D bow
Post by: zenmonkeyman on September 05, 2010, 11:48:04 pm

Thanks guys!  Now I just need to learn to shoot it straight.