Primitive Archer
Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: Stalkingfox on January 01, 2013, 09:15:53 pm
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So its been drying all summer and fall, and I started to shape it i thought thinning the limbs would be the best place to start. Heres where I am so far...
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I think you got it, go slowly after you get rid of the side rails. ;)
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I know Hackberry needs to be wide and a little thicher than osage or hickory so Im thinking 2" limbs will be good. Not sure how Im doing the handle yet.
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So as far as the width of limbs go its done now to begin floor tillering. As I understood it..(http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-57Q4dSlRSaI/UOX9qCf7ERI/AAAAAAAAAUM/JronRFW_Xd0/s1600/IMG_0030.JPG)
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Looking good so far. Keep it up :)
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Really slow going I know.. Im not all too sure where to go with things, New wood n all.
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My "go to" bow right now is a Hackberry I made over the summer. I'm pretty amazed by the wood after building a few with it. My opinion, 2" is fine, carry that out to at least midlimb. Taper the last 10 inches or so for the tips. Heat treat once you begin floor tillering and then again as you scrape that away. I don't know what your stave length is, but 62" is as short as I would go for a stiff handle, 28" draw, 50ish lbs. 64-66" is better. Good luck, I'll look for the finished product!
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Well.... 62" long is out of the question its 56 now.. I was wanting to take it down to 52. I saw one on here some where in here 47 or 49 inches long. Loved how it looked tho I cant find it now. and width i was lookin to bring down to 1 3/4". but Ill be using the carry out as far as width goes.
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If you want it to draw farther than 23" without it stacking to death and following the string severely you best make it a bend in the handle bow. I wouldn't take any more length off of that width your at either.
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I and a buddy did a few plains bows out of Hackberry that I posted over the summer, 48" long and 1 1/4" wide. They pulled around 40lbs with a 24" draw length. Very plane Jane no frills so probably not the one you mention having seen on here. I would go with what's been stated. Get as much length as you can, go as wide as you can on the limbs, and narrow the width as you tiller.
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well I got to thinking about tillering and thinning the limbs and I dont think Ill be using the hatchet. Its tearing out but i dont have a long enough rasp or file.. What else could I use besides a drawknife?
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a spokeshave can be a good option :)
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Knife blade if nothing else available. I use one for final tillering.
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Ok, so Ive slimmed the limbs down to get it thinner, and shaped the handle. Im at a point now where I think Im ready to straighten the stave. as you can tell theres a good twist in it. Should I use Vegetable oil and rub it down and bend it over a small fire in a vise? (http://i1213.photobucket.com/albums/cc473/stalkingfox84/IMG_0090_zps4a8719b0.jpg)(http://i1213.photobucket.com/albums/cc473/stalkingfox84/IMG_0097_zps2f12ae3b.jpg)(http://i1213.photobucket.com/albums/cc473/stalkingfox84/IMG_0087_zps6b2a6b9f.jpg)(http://i1213.photobucket.com/albums/cc473/stalkingfox84/IMG_0084_zps20ed473d.jpg)(http://i1213.photobucket.com/albums/cc473/stalkingfox84/IMG_0091_zps58eecfa6.jpg)
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Knowing what I know now I have made this bow into a bend in handle bow. ::) Now that all the handle is gone and cut out of the plan lets really start getting this going.
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I hope that nasty tearout I see in the handle are is on the belly side and not the back. Don't thin that handle any more until you get the rest of it bending or you'll have too much bend in the handle (since it's narrower there). Get it bending towards the tips first and gradually work the curve toward the handle getting it to bend at the handle last. Learned that one from Half-Eye (and others on here) and it really improved my tillering technique.
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The tear out is belly side. bad thing about using a hatchet sometimes. That helps alot actually. the handle is where I want it. I cant seem to get away from short bows. I like em too much. I know i should back it with something, I was hoping to make it as basic as possible without heat treating or special treatment that I wouldnt normally do in the field. I dont see it possible and have this last.
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i get tearouts all the time with a hatchet.
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I wouldnt have if i wouldve slowed down. most of this has been done with the hatchet slowly then when i cut the handle down to prepare it to bend, I took too much.
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I would clean all that up with a rasp and scraper and be sure I was at my lines before I would start trying to heat and bend or even befor floor tillering. Is the wood seasoned,it still loos wet from the pictures ?
Pappy
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i get tearouts all the time with a hatchet.
What works better is a sharp meat cleaver. It can be a little easier to cut/chop the wood instead of follow the grain of the split like a hatchet will do alot of the time. It seems easier to control too, I always rough out bows with mine. Of course it ain't super great if your stave is a big log, in which case I will use a hatchet first of course, and then switch to my meat cleaver to get it down to near dimension. Where then I will switch to a rasp. It can still tear out though, so ya gotta be careful. If you notice wavy grain or a knot, etc, you just gotta be careful and lay off as soon as you get the first signs of tear out.
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It is seasoned but, O:) To say its well seasoned would be lying. I cut it in June. Where it sat in the garage in the attic where it damn near baked. And when i noticed the bark began to peel I started in on it which is why its twisted the way it did. And Im at the lines in which I drew out except the tips and of course its not tapered for the limbs.
A meat cleaver might be nice to work with! Ill have to look into finding a good old one. Good steel not the ones you find for kitchens. >:D