Primitive Archer

Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: ken75 on March 25, 2011, 01:27:02 pm

Title: hickory walnut molly
Post by: ken75 on March 25, 2011, 01:27:02 pm
talked to half eye this mornin , found out it was 0 degrees up there and not fit for anything but sewing and girly stuff. so out of pitty ( its like 70 down here) i built this one this mornin after my midnight shift. of course it was glued up already . hickory molly selfbow with walnut accents on the levers and handle. 52 inches tip to tip , 53 lbs at 27 inches. 12 inch working limbs 1 3/4 to 1 1/4 . shoots good with very little stack for a shorty. hope ya'll aint tired of seein my bows
Title: Re: hickory walnut molly
Post by: toomanyknots on March 25, 2011, 01:28:23 pm
Come on now ken, your making the rest of look bad!  ;) Naw, I do that own my own, ( ;D ). I really like the look of the walnut overlayed on the lever. Really nice!
Title: Re: hickory walnut molly
Post by: Bevan R. on March 25, 2011, 02:00:42 pm
I am usually not a 'molly' fan. But I like the look of this one. Well done.

Bevan R
Title: Re: hickory walnut molly
Post by: Elktracker on March 25, 2011, 02:12:27 pm
Man ken your knockin em out :o one yesterday before dinner one after dinner now a molly after breakfast lol ;D Nice work!
Title: Re: hickory walnut molly
Post by: ErictheViking on March 25, 2011, 05:04:56 pm
nicely done, the woods look good together and the way you put the walnut underneath(underlay?) is sweet.
Title: Re: hickory walnut molly
Post by: Ifrit617 on March 25, 2011, 05:51:38 pm
Real nice like always... Now why would I ever get tired of seein some great bows?
Title: Re: hickory walnut molly
Post by: Matt S. on March 25, 2011, 06:19:13 pm
That's a very cool looking bow. I've been inspired by half eye's Mollegabets too and am planning a red oak one. Hope it turns out half as nice as yours ken75!
Title: Re: hickory walnut molly
Post by: Acutus on March 25, 2011, 06:28:14 pm
Bet that's a fast shooter too. Great design love the lamination work. I do have one question I hope isn't stupid but whats Molly? ???
Title: Re: hickory walnut molly
Post by: Matt S. on March 25, 2011, 06:36:03 pm
Bet that's a fast shooter too. Great design love the lamination work. I do have one question I hope isn't stupid but whats Molly? ???

That's not a stupid question at all, but this may be a stupid answer ;D As far as I know, Molly is short for Mollegabet, an archeology site in Europe (near a town of the same name?) where this style of bow was discovered. Sometimes it seems people use Mollegabet and Holmegaard (I'm probably not spelling these correctly) interchangeably since the two styles are similar and were both discovered near each other. Both designs are many thousands of years old. It's absolutely amazing what our ancestors were making that long ago, they weren't no fools!
Title: Re: hickory walnut molly
Post by: Acutus on March 25, 2011, 06:45:49 pm
Bet that's a fast shooter too. Great design love the lamination work. I do have one question I hope isn't stupid but whats Molly? ???

That's not a stupid question at all, but this may be a stupid answer ;D As far as I know, Molly is short for Mollegabet, an archeology site in Europe (near a town of the same name?) where this style of bow was discovered. Sometimes it seems people use Mollegabet and Holmegaard (I'm probably not spelling these correctly) interchangeably since the two styles are similar and were both discovered near each other. Both designs are many thousands of years old. It's absolutely amazing what our ancestors were making that long ago, they weren't no fools!

LOL! Mollegabet!! I know the word but was never sure what the actual style was as I have heard the Mol and Holm words used interchangeably so much! Thanks! BTW: I couldn't spell them either so I would know if you did right or wrong. ;D
Title: Re: hickory walnut molly
Post by: ken75 on March 25, 2011, 07:43:54 pm
thank you for the kind words , means a lot
Title: Re: hickory walnut molly
Post by: hillbilly61 on March 25, 2011, 10:44:29 pm
Looks good Ken. Like the Walnut accents. half eye said he got like, a foot and half of snow. Now it's below freezing :D You live a couple hrs away from me. Did you get the cold front come through? It droped about 10-12 deg. from yesterday. I think we might have hit 72 today ;D Thought about puttin a jacket on ::) Just kiddin Rich ;)
Title: Re: hickory walnut molly
Post by: beetlebailey1977 on March 26, 2011, 12:07:43 am
3 words......short and sweet!
Title: Re: hickory walnut molly
Post by: ken75 on March 26, 2011, 12:58:55 am
Mark , its in the low 60's at night and mid 80's in the day , i didnt feel a cold front if it came through. i keep tryin to convince him to go south when the snow flies.
thanks Beetle
Title: Re: hickory walnut molly
Post by: hillbilly61 on March 26, 2011, 10:16:07 am
I told him and Donna to come on down. My wife could keep her buisy shopping and Rich and I (you too) could go stick a pig. What better offer can that be? ;D
Title: Re: hickory walnut molly
Post by: Caius on March 26, 2011, 12:17:02 pm
Thats a sick looking bow, I'm super jealous.

Whats the structural dis/advantage of the stiff upper limbs?
Title: Re: hickory walnut molly
Post by: Arrowind on March 26, 2011, 12:18:58 pm
We should develop the "ken75 challenge"  who ever can make 75 bows in a week earns the title.   ;D

Your bows are AWESOME!  I love seeing them and I love knowing that you can make them so fast.  It's inspiring.  You have good creativity and a good eye for design.

I've told my self that a hickory molly is my next bow project and I can't wait to get to work on it.  I really like what you've done with the accents and handle.  

There is an old saying / question "Quality or Quantity?" that is designed to remind people to focus on doing good work and tends to imply that Quantity does not always

translate to Quality.   You my friend have both!  Thanks for sharing your bows with us!!!
Title: Re: hickory walnut molly
Post by: barebo on March 26, 2011, 12:50:45 pm
FIFTY - TWO INCHES ????!!! That's an amazing thing for me !!! It has every quality you could want in a bow.
Is there a certain method that is used at the transition from the limb to the levers to prevent it from failure ??
I'd like to try this style, but don't have a clue about the build sequence. Sure is Sweet !!!
Title: Re: hickory walnut molly
Post by: ken75 on March 26, 2011, 02:18:01 pm
Caius, thank you ,i havent found a disadvantage, anytime you can have stiff light tips no matter if its a semi pyramid, molly ,or whatever you have a recovery speed and reduced hand shock advantage. another plus to stiff non or barely bending tips is a more open string angle and less stack which also improves performance.

Arrowind , thank you ,its seems like i build a lot i know , i usually lay up and glue several at a time and then in a couple days i cut them all out , so when i get time i can finish them pretty quick. i do go weeks sometimes depending on my shift work that i dont post any.

barebow thanks, the limb to lever transition or fade should be done like the handle fades . just thickin it as it narrows .as long as you follow that same transition rule like with the handles you wont have a problem. also hillbilly61 just did a build along that should explain layout and finish in the "how to " section
Title: Re: hickory walnut molly
Post by: Arrowind on March 26, 2011, 09:43:10 pm

Arrowind , thank you ,its seems like i build a lot i know , i usually lay up and glue several at a time and then in a couple days i cut them all out , so when i get time i can finish them pretty quick. i do go weeks sometimes depending on my shift work that i dont post any.


All I can say is keep'em coming.  You do great work and seeing some of the bows you're building gives me good ideas for my own.  Once again that bow is AWESOME!   
Title: Re: hickory walnut molly
Post by: ken75 on March 27, 2011, 12:55:59 am
thank you sir !!
Title: Re: hickory walnut molly
Post by: ken75 on March 27, 2011, 12:37:23 pm
Caius the one thing i forgot to mention is the lever advantage . it forces the working limbs to work harder
Title: Re: hickory walnut molly
Post by: madmax46 on March 27, 2011, 05:11:49 pm
Sounds like you got a good system going there, Ken.   So organized!   I'm envious.
Title: Re: hickory walnut molly
Post by: PeteC on March 27, 2011, 06:44:16 pm
That's really a neat bow Ken.I really like the walnut on the levers.Great work. God Bless
Title: Re: hickory walnut molly
Post by: ken75 on March 28, 2011, 12:41:51 am
thanks PeteC your work is an inspiration to us all