Primitive Archer
Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: Don on February 09, 2013, 10:12:55 pm
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I'm working on my first bendy.
It's 1" wide @ center to 3/4" at tips. 3/4" thick @ center tapering out. This is a sliver I had laying around.
Also it has or had about 6" of reflex.
It is flexing at center but I'm going to stay away from it for now.
I have it at short string now and know it will be light but that's OK, this is practice.
My question. What kind of draw length can I get from it?
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Never mind. Pulled about 15" and broke.
Learned a few things anyway.
Thanks
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Any clues as to why it broke? It should have made it farther than 15" unless it was way too heavy poundage.
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48" long and 1" wide. That is a tough design to pull off. And for me, I know sometimes those slivers of wood that get thrown into experimental duty don't always get the same kind of back treatment as less-experimental staves.
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I think is with that much reflex along with being narrow and I was doing some what of a rounded belly.
It may have been ok if I had more length or less reflex.
It was looking good for awhile. ;D
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Don where did it break? That length and width would have made a nice little D/R bow. Just something to think about for a second try.
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Broke at mid limb. Just got done getting the handle to bend just a bit more to.
Thanks Jon I will. This one could have been done that way. I had to do a lot of straightening anyway.
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Those 6" of reflex will probably have to be added to draw lenght to get an idea of the stress in the wood. So about 21" when it broke. I never touched osage, but with other woods, a flawless stave and tiller might have allowed only little more, 2"or 3" maybe.
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The shortest I have gone is 50 inches, 38 lbs@24. 1 1/8 inches wide. It can be done.
I should add, it had 4 inches of natural deflex. I tried to make one from the reflexed sister to it and it broke. You need deflex on this style bow. IMHO
(http://i1092.photobucket.com/albums/i411/rocketernally/IMG_4566.jpg)
(http://i1092.photobucket.com/albums/i411/rocketernally/Danielsosagebowkevinindoorway.jpg)
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Add 2-3 layers of sinew and hide glue and it will bend much farther than half its length, and a bunch of reflex will come right back. Try again Don!
Reflex doesnt break short bows, poor tillering and asking too much from it does though, IMHO.
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Chris I agree and disagree. Sinew and reflex is good because of the shift in the neutral plane. Too much reflex on too short of a piece of wood will USUALLY add too much stress.
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Im finishing up a 46" ntn bow that started at 6" of reflex, it pulls 26", but feels better at 25". I will let you know how it goes. Here it is tillered and shot about 15-20 times.
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It just depends on the particular piece of wood...I've made enough highly reflexed to start bows unbacked and backed with sinew or rawhide(n had all 3 types break)...and it takes an exceptional piece to survive because it is asking a lot of the wood.....its like gambling...you just might go broke
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Chris are you counting the approximately four inches or so of flipped tips as reflex or six plus the flipped tips?
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How wide are the limbs on that horsebow Pearl?
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Thanks guys.
I dug out 2 more from my stash this morning [I save every thing].
I'll only get 46"x1 1/2" out of one so that's a bit wider, should help.
The other one I can get 72" x 1 1/2" but it is a limb.
I'm not going to give up on this yet.
I must say from the one yesterday that it is a strange feeling when it bend in the handle.
Something else from looking at sleek's 50" is I may have had to much none working tip for such a short bow.
I used 4 1/2" of none working tip.
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Chris are you counting the approximately four inches or so of flipped tips as reflex or six plus the flipped tips?
The whole deal John. That gap that is now 4" or so, was 6" when I started tillering.
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How wide are the limbs on that horsebow Pearl?
About 1 1/8" inches at the widest point Carson. Im not arguing anything here, just showing you what I am working and what I believe to be possible.
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That is a sweet bow. Testament to yeller wood, sinew, and tillering skills.
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I am looking forward to your next attempt Don. Keep all your bows that break. You can splice them together and still have a bow sometimes.
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sleek. I just laid out the bow much like the one in TBBIII page 127.
I'm still looking at it on the stave before I cut it out.
How much of your tips not working in the one pictured?
I have longer stave but I would rather practice on these then wreck a good one.
Pearl. I'm interested in see that one finished up.
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Basically, its the last 4 inches that are stiff. I wouldnt go any more than that. Also, if you can go a little wider, you could put recurves on it for a longer smoother draw. Notice I said, PUT them ON it, not actually recurve the bow. You dont have enough length for that. So you can do it Tim Baker style and tie on some tips and make the bow pull better. Or you can leave it as is, just mentioning ideas, neither is better than the other.
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Thanks sleek. I have my tip measured at 3" for now. Hopefully giving me more working limb.