Primitive Archer
Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: barebo on April 07, 2011, 09:08:04 pm
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This is my second attempt at a recurve - boiled the tips for an hour and bent the daylights out of it. Did raise a few splinters, even with the band on the form, but I left a lot of material there and right now have worked it down to nice smooth transitions. May have to cut an inch from each tip, but I think it wants to be a bow.
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Cool! I look forward to seeing her done thanks for shareing
Josh
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wow those are some serious bends, keep it coming, Bub
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now that's a static recurve sir......ought to be a rocket launcher
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Can't wait to see this bow braced...
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yeah...those are some serious recurves. how long is the bow?
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Wow, now there are some serious bent tips! Mine never come out even remotely close to those. Looking forward to seeing that bow finished.
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I think you'll find that less angle and/or less total amount of recurve works better.
Recurves like that do look really good and you can feel the difference in the draw but it doesn't reflect as greater arrow speed as is often assumed.
A bow is a 'rocket launcher' based on more important factors than just having sharp recurves.
You will notice that Marc St Louis has tweaked his recurves so there is quite a bit less out at those tips.
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And this is Hop Hornybeam? I am amazed you were able to get that much bend in it. Wow!
CP
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Pat - I'm in total agreement with you regarding the "extra" material not adding anything to the overall package. I should have used a 2x4" rather than a 2x6" and would have had a better result. My primary objective was to get a true static and basically satisfy my desire to see if I could actually make the wood take that degree of bend, which it obviously has. I just finished my first HHB recurve which has much less radius in the tips, and it's a performer for sure. I could have reduced the tip mass another 30% and even gotten more out of it, as well as inducing reflex before tillering, but I wanted a durable and dependable weapon. For this one, I'm hoping to get a more narrow limbed 50's style with true statics. Am I hot on Marc St. Lewis' speed demon concepts ??? Hardly. He is a master bowyer, and I'm just a guy that likes to keep busy and love casting arrows with a bow that came from a living tree that I harvested. Just as I like to catch a trout on a rod I built with a fly of my own design. If I can finish this out and it will put arrows on the mark, I'll be satisfied. I have no ego to feed nor am I vying for any "best bow" accolades. I just thought some might enjoy seeing something different.
It's 65" tip to tip currently and 1-3/4" wide.
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I hear you. Got a couple of old school Grumley recurves myself that are more for looks than pure performance.
Rather than risk longer HHB staves I splice in Elm recurves siince Elm bends far easier and more reliably to that degree of curve.
A master bowyer is someone with a gift rather than time and number of bows under their belt. You've got that gift.
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I'm feeling very fortunate to have been given the opportunity to cut the log that provided me with 6 really prime staves. I made 2 bows for a fellow at work for their summer camp (actually Chalet), and he gifted me with my choice of any HHB on his land, and I picked a fairly large one. I have a longbow planned and am considering trying a "D" belly, but don't know if it's the way to go or not??
I can't seem to be entertained with much of what is on the boob tube these days, and selfbows honestly fascinate me !!! I'm thinking I may get to low brace tomorrow - we'll see.
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keep up the good work.i have a Marc ST. Louis HHB static recurve.it shoots an arrow crazy fast.it is 49@27 but you would swear it was a heavier bow.i am sure yours is going to turn out great,steve
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Looking good. Nice curves.
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Those are some pretty intense curves. Must have been a little hairy making those. It looks good so far. Looking forward to seeing it progress. Keep us posted and keep up the good work.
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Thanks all for the interest - I got the tips narrowed and nocks and string grooves cut as well as reducing limb thickness to just starting to bend. At this point, I put a clamp with 2 small wood blocks just in front of the bend to stop the heat from travelling, and deep heated the belly. Not toasted, but hot enough to make the back really warm to touch. I'll do more thinning then start to tiller to low brace. Thought I might make it to that point today but the nocks were tricky on those sharp bends!!! So...after I get it braced to shooting, I'll heat treat it once more - shoot it some then finish it.
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Well - after making a lot of shavings this morning, I got it braced low. Amazing early string tension, and smooth out to 20". I may shave a bit more from mid limb to the tips. Tip alignment is pretty nice - I'm thinking that I'm closing in on a shooter.
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What a great looking bow. Great lines from tip to tip and excellent grip, looks very comfortable. Can't wait to see the finished product.
Mark
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Very nice!
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love the curves on that one cant wait to see it finished. bet it will really fling an arrow.
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I'd be slightly scared of overstressing the limbs close to the handle. Looks like they are taking most of the bend, and in such a bow they will have to curl around quite a bit :)
Such hefty recurves are not common, and I think there is a good reason for that ;) They are not easy to make while keeping the mass of the tips low.
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Kviljo - that is a good observation. In my full draw, you'll see that this did not attain a perfect tiller. It does shoot very well - smooth on the draw, fast and accurate. I wanted to make something out of the ordinary.
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Full draw - arrows are 29.5" to insert - darn close to 28" here - top limb is bending more - I like the string angle though.
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Wow, that's some serious limb bending. I'm impressed! Good job.
George
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I've always liked that style of bow. Just something nostalgic about Grumley's and brushnocks. If you take a little more wood off closer to those curves and get them to open up a little more, it should help the performance and take a little stress off the limbs near the fades.
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Mullet - I thought about reducing the area just behind the curves some, but thought it may tend to pull them out some. Next one will have shorter tips and about 15 degrees less angle.
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Pulling them out some was what I had in mind. It looks like the string is still touching the back of the bow in the full draw picture. Is it quiet?
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Those are some insane curves! nice work ;)
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Mullet, believe it or not - there's no audible string slap - I didn't even put any beaver on the string yet. I suppose that I could twist the string up some in effect making it shorter, but it's bending a lot now. If I knew how to imbed a video, I would of me casting a few to show that this is indeed not a fluke.
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Well, you did good. I really like it. :)
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Thank You.
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Nice curves,Nice work,bet it will fling and arrow. :) :)
Pappy