Primitive Archer
Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: sieddy on March 22, 2015, 02:35:49 pm
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Hello team I would greatly appreciate some input on the bend of this white oak board bow. It's 68" and has a dodgy Mollegabet layout. The levers are 10" with recurve overlays. I think I might have overstretched myself with the design ::) but happily it's bending fairly well! :)
It is a very straight grained board.
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Good start....fades at the grip and at the lever need to bend more....leave the very center of the bendy part alone for a bit until you get the fades bending more.
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Thanks man. Is it ok to get the levers bending- i thought they had to stay stiff?
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I think randman means the outer limb right up to the fade that goes into the lever.
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I've rasped off quite a bit of wood at the tips and fades (a bit too much as it's coming in light now! ::)
Any tips on how to get the best bend out of this one whilst losing as little weight as possible would be gratefully received. It's braced at 5" and drawn to 22" in the pics. And the unbraced pic was immediately after it had been exercised and drawn to 25"
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Have you heat treated the bow? Toasting the belly of the working portion of the limbs can add draw weight to white oak and keep down string follow. It would have been better to temper it just prior to the first low bracing of the bow, but I don't think it is too late to toast it now. White oak loves a good heat treating. Looks like it is coming along good.
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Thanks buddy I mean to toast it at the weekend (wish I'd done it earlier!) Do you think it needs more scraping to get it to bend some more?
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looking pretty good to me,what is your draw length ? and what weight are you at and looing for at the 25 inch draw ? I would shoot it some at a shot draw if you need to and see how it looks drawing by hand.
Pappy
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Thanks Pappy I'm happy to go for a 26" draw as there is not too much working limb. Sadly I've only got 35# at 25" which is lighter than I'd hoped for but I'll take it as another lesson learned and give the bow away when it's finished. It looks fairly even to me at 25" so I'll probably check it at 26" and leave it. Thanks again! :)
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Don't sweat it Sieddy. I just came in under weight on my latest bow. It's one of my favorite shooters because there is no shooting fatigue. Tons of fun. In the beginning don't worry too much about weight. Just good tiller :)
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Matt is right. Also if u toast it u may gain 10lbs.
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Thanks Matt/Bruce! :)
I must try to remember to take it easy and enjoy the Bows I'm making for what they are. Simple, fun shooting sticks :)
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Hiya I piked the bow, steamed some recurve on the tips and toasted the belly. It's now pulling 38# @ 26" and shoots really nicely. I am very happy with it but I think it still needs some scraping off the lower limb so any tips would be gratefully received. Thanks
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The last unbraced pic is just after shooting.
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If it's shooting good and hits where you are looking, call it good. You can reach a point where if you keep scraping on it, you just end up with a pile of shavings, and a memory of a nice shooting bow that got whittled away! ;D Since perfection is unattainable, and there are going to be so many bows in your future, I say finish it off and start another one. Looks like a good bow to me. Enjoy it.
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Looks very good. Keep up he good work. You'll make weight. Jawge
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After building three of these for a friends boys I know how difficult they are to build. Mine also came out low in weight, but are still fast shooters, and the boys love them.
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Thanks Howard your kind words are most appreciated! :)
I have loosened the fades a bit but am pretty much happy with it as it is.
It shoots so nicely- I've been getting my arrows into tidy groups for the first time! :D
I sure hope it holds up! ::)
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Thanks Jojo I'm sure the boys loved their bows :D