Primitive Archer

Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: bubbles on May 15, 2014, 03:40:58 pm

Title: Static advice - One more inch to go!
Post by: bubbles on May 15, 2014, 03:40:58 pm
Hi there,

Just wanted some advice - this is my first static I've attempted.   Flat sawn hickory backed with quarter sawn hickory - 2" wide at the fades, parallel limbs to mid-limb - tapering to 1" wide for the 'curves.  64" ntn shooting for 45# (when measuring recurves you measure around the recurves? not just straight nock to nock?)  I glued it up with 2" of reflex (not including the recurves) most of which has pulled out.  Just wondering what you guys think the max draw is on it? Will it make it to 28"?  I have it tillered to 26" right now and it's shooting pretty good despite still having wide tips. 
Also, what the procedure for making the string groove and narrowing the tips?  Do I just take the natural string path around the recurves after a couple shots and make that the center of my tips and narrow according to that? I still have width on the side nocks to move the string a bit to one side or the other.
Also, let me know if I'm on the right track tiller-wise. 

Thanks
Title: Re: Static advice
Post by: BOWMAN53 on May 15, 2014, 03:52:46 pm
28" for your draw is fine just go slow the last few inches.  for the string grooves, string the bow, run a pencil along the string edge where it touches the limb. unstring, and use a rat tail file between the lines. when you narrow the tips make that grrove you center line.
Title: Re: Static advice
Post by: BOWMAN53 on May 15, 2014, 03:53:23 pm
and take a few scrapes off the top mid limb.
Title: Re: Static advice
Post by: PatM on May 15, 2014, 04:13:57 pm
Definitely get that upper limb coming round more.  28" should be no problem, especially at that width and  lower weight.
Title: Re: Static advice
Post by: bubbles on May 15, 2014, 04:48:45 pm
Got it, thanks.    What are good dimensions for the recurves?  Is 1/2" x 1/2" too narrow for side to side stability?
Title: Re: Static advice
Post by: PatM on May 15, 2014, 06:32:30 pm
You can go narrower if your alignment is good. The best idea is to narrow the back and leave the belly side wider. Make your string groove generous in width and depth.
 The Bob Martin style of recurve is a good reference.
 Check out page 61 for a diagram.
 http://books.google.ca/books?id=BNIlcwksKroC&pg=PA53&source=gbs_toc_r&cad=3#v=onepage&q&f=false



Title: Re: Static advice
Post by: bubbles on May 15, 2014, 06:39:42 pm
Awesome, thanks Pat.
Title: Re: Static advice
Post by: Marc St Louis on May 15, 2014, 07:38:49 pm
Tiller looks pretty good.  Just pay attention to what the bow tells you as you draw it back.  You can go as narrow as 3/8" for the recurves as long as the string tracking is impeccable.  For the string grooves do as bowman says but in addition pull the bow back, after you brace it, till the string lift off the recurves and let it down then trace a pencil mark.  A little trick I've been using for several years is to temper the recurves with dry-heat after steam bending them, it allows you to lower their mass a bit.
Title: Re: Static advice
Post by: BOWMAN53 on May 15, 2014, 07:54:36 pm
Tiller looks pretty good.  Just pay attention to what the bow tells you as you draw it back.  You can go as narrow as 3/8" for the recurves as long as the string tracking is impeccable.  For the string grooves do as bowman says but in addition pull the bow back, after you brace it, till the string lift off the recurves and let it down then trace a pencil mark.  A little trick I've been using for several years is to temper the recurves with dry-heat after steam bending them, it allows you to lower their mass a bit.

good catch Marc, i knew i was forgetting something.
Title: Re: Static advice
Post by: bubbles on May 15, 2014, 07:55:38 pm
Thanks Marc - yeah, I shot it a couple times to find where the string settled in  and then traced the lines. The string seems to be tracking well down the grooves.  I'm going to wait to get it to full draw before narrowing the statics.
Title: Re: Static advice
Post by: PatM on May 15, 2014, 08:27:23 pm
Keep in mind that if the recurves are glued in place with the backing your ability to heat treat them  after is minimal to none.
Title: Re: Static advice
Post by: bubbles on May 15, 2014, 09:48:14 pm
Yeah, I wasn't going to heat treat. Don't want the glue releasing. Maybe on the next one before I glue on the backing.   I boiled the tips to bend them to the form - how long after boiling would you heat treat? Is checking a concern?
Title: Re: Static advice
Post by: PatM on May 15, 2014, 10:09:15 pm
I've seen guys heat treat right away but I always let the wood dry. Since you are making the wood  "green" again it makes sense that it would be more prone to cracking when hit with high temperature.
 It also makes sense to clamp it so the curve is preserved. If you just try to heat treat it without doing that some woods will just give up the curve when heated.
 Elm is an exception from my experience.
Title: Re: Static advice
Post by: Marc St Louis on May 16, 2014, 10:00:51 am
I wait till the wood is cold after steaming, usually about 1/2 hour, then play some dry heat on the recurve while it's still on the form, from some distance so it heats up slowly.  This allows the wood to slowly bleed off any moisture that may be left in the wood from steaming,  As the wood gets hot I slowly bring the heat-gun in closer till I'm only a couple inches away from the wood.  The wood here is not going to bend so some good scorching won't do any harm, just don't set it on fire  :).  It's important to keep the recurve secured for this or it will straighten out from the dry-heat.
Title: Re: Static advice
Post by: PatM on May 16, 2014, 10:25:43 am
After steaming I wouldn't hesitate to use dry heat but I think boiling adds too much moisture to the wood to safely do that. I'd rather not take the chance.
Title: Re: Static advice - One more inch to go!
Post by: bubbles on May 22, 2014, 10:32:24 pm
Here it is at 45#@27"  One more inch to go - How does it look?  Any recommendations?

Title: Re: Static advice - One more inch to go!
Post by: PatM on May 22, 2014, 10:48:01 pm
I would get the middle of the top limb working more. Looks like you're gripping the handle a bit low. Flip your pic vertically and you can see the lower limb is bending more.
Title: Re: Static advice - One more inch to go!
Post by: bow101 on May 22, 2014, 10:52:49 pm
Nice looking stic mister bubbles. 
Title: Re: Static advice - One more inch to go!
Post by: bubbles on May 22, 2014, 11:40:15 pm
Thanks! I gave the top midlimb about 10 extra scrapes from the last pic, and then did all of each limb till I dropped the weight and gained another inch. Ill give it another 10 scrapes and try and bring it around.
Title: Re: Static advice - One more inch to go!
Post by: dwardo on May 23, 2014, 05:34:23 am
Un-strung picture of how it is now would show any high stress points or potential problems.
Title: Re: Static advice - One more inch to go!
Post by: Pappy on May 23, 2014, 06:10:18 am
Thats looking mighty good.  :)
   Pappy
Title: Re: Static advice - One more inch to go!
Post by: gutpile on May 23, 2014, 11:47:28 am
personally I would of left it alone from your last pic...using the paneling line to line up both tips they appear to be right on....JMO..gut
Title: Re: Static advice - One more inch to go!
Post by: PatM on May 23, 2014, 11:53:50 am
They are but tips can end up in the same plane with totally different distribution of bend.
Title: Re: Static advice - One more inch to go!
Post by: bubbles on May 23, 2014, 12:59:06 pm
That's the unbraced, sorry about the lack of contrast.
Title: Re: Static advice - One more inch to go!
Post by: rossfactor on May 23, 2014, 01:33:20 pm
Yup, I'd say you're doing just fine with that one.  Great job.  8).  from my armchair it maybe could bend just a hair more at the 1/3 mark on the upper limb.  But its hard to argue with that unstrung profile. If the weight is good, and its shooting well, I'd leave it. Nice job man!

Gabe