Primitive Archer
Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: cool_98_555 on January 16, 2017, 01:31:49 pm
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Hello everyone,
I just finished tillering a heavy osage stiff handle selfbow the other day. It came out at 93# @ 29". However, I would love to get that extra 7# and go to 100#. It is currently 68" long, 1 3/16" wide at the fades, and has no shelf. I was thinking I could pike it to 66" which would push it over 100# according to the formula. However, this method is shady to me because I don't know how 66" will feel at my draw length and at the weight I am going to be at. Can the bow handle a 66" length at that weight? I'm not sure. I could also put some reflex in it and retiller it after that, but I am hesitant to apply any more heat to it...I've already had to make a few corrections to align the string at an earlier stage. I could also try tempering the belly, but with all the work I put in to this bow already, I don't want to run the risk of screwing anything up with tempering...
Thoughts?
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I guess with those options ruled out, the only thing left is a backing. One layer of sinew ought to do it. BTW, sounds like a killer bow!
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100 is just a number...
write 100# on it and be done >:D
For pities sake don't pike it... heat treat it a tad if you really must.
Del
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Add back a 1/16th of wood along the whole belly! ;)
Joking aside don't shorten it and if you heat treat it the corrections you made earlier will move back once the wood gets hot enough to plasticise. You can clamp it to stop this but it can be tricky.
A sinew backing would help to increase the weight but to get the most out of sinew the bow should be well reflexed. Doing that to a tillered bow isn't a great idea because you put the compressed belly into tension. I find the wood doesn't like this.
I'm with Del.....just write 100# on it!
The trick to never missing weight is to always pull to desired finished weight all through tillering unless you spot a problem area. Stop a few inches short of full draw then shoot it in and sand it the last inch to full draw at desired weight. Plenty of exercising the limbs everytime you work on it is really important too.
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draw it one more inche it will be 97,,,that close enough,, I am with the other guys, just write 100 and be done,, no one will ever know,, :)
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If you write 93@29" it sounds like you actually measured it. If you write 100@29" it sounds a little phoney :D :D. I doubt the arrow will notice at all. It is just a number. Do you like how it shoots??
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I'm still in the process of shooting the bow in. Seems to be shooting well so far. Gotta mess with the handle a bit more to get it more comfortable and maybe cut the string grooves a little deeper, but seems like everything's ok so far. Those arrows will hit really hard at full draw! I'll post pics when I'm completely done with it :)
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Maybe your scales weren't zeroed properly - try resetting them then measure again >:D
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Recurve it. O:)
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What was the starting profile as opposed to the finished profile? How much set in other words.
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Pull it to 32"! ;)
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Just curious why so much draw weight? Going for a moose or grizzly or something?
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Just shoot it!! Build the next one bigger if you must!
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Badger, the set is very minimal on the bow. I'd say no more than an inch, maybe less.
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Upstate...some folks just like 'em heavy. You can kill anything in North America with a 60# bow.. but I think everyone should shoot as heavy a bow as they can handle. My current daily shooter is a 75# hickory and can be shot all day without the slightest fatigue. Working on a hackberry right now that's set to end up around 90-95. Instead of "why"... I say "why not?!" haha!
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My current daily shooter is a 75# hickory and can be shot all day without the slightest fatigue.
HOW
How do you shoot? How did you train? Your shoulders must be in perfect shape..
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Upstate...some folks just like 'em heavy. You can kill anything in North America with a 60# bow.. but I think everyone should shoot as heavy a bow as they can handle. My current daily shooter is a 75# hickory and can be shot all day without the slightest fatigue. Working on a hackberry right now that's set to end up around 90-95. Instead of "why"... I say "why not?!" haha!
Good enough :) Wasn't criticizing, I guess I'm just jealous. That's awesome. I bet that arrow hits hard >:D
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Loon,
I've been a regular gym goer and amateur power-lifter for over 12 years without any off-time long enough to mention. The longest break I've ever taken from powerlifting was the 13 weeks of Marine Corps recruit training. I'm still pretty young at 28 which also helps. I shoot Hill style. More squared up to the target, 28" draw to the corner of my mouth with a 1 second release/no hold at full draw. Split vision.
I shot archery throughout my childhood and picked it back up hardcore after the Marine Corps. Started back up with a 50 pound FG recurve, then 55 FG, then discovered self bows thanks to Primitive Archer and made a 60# board bow. Following was a series of other self bows around 60.. then 65.. then 75.. then an 85 that broke at a fade after a while, and just for fun a 105# trilam that I abandoned due to excessive hand shock. Now I'm working on a 90+- to begin training with for hunting. I always grab either my 75# hickory or 74# Osage cuz they're my sweetest shooters, but I'd go heavier if I had one on the shelf at the moment.
Even coming from a decade+ of powerlifting, it took me three years to progress from 50 draw to 100#. It takes consciously working up your draw weights and shooting as often as possible. I was already very strong by traditional gym standards, but it took training to transfer that strength to archery since nothing in the gym simulates pulling 90# to your face, lol. If you're set on shooting heavy weight bows... build up in 5-10# increments and shoot, shoot, shoot.
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That is awesome. Thank you for your service
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Loon,
"I'm still pretty young at 28 which also helps."
Yes, yes it does........
Men in my family are know more for their great six-packs than massive powerful shoulders, but I'm 6'2" and only a bit over 175 lbs. I wrestled 138 in HS at 6'1". But, I also shoveled and did landscaping work every summer from 14 on, yard and farm work before that, and I still do tree work for my second-and-a-half job. I can still throu a 120 lb log in my truck over my head, but.... I'm 46 this year and I'm paying for it. I am starting to have to work in to my hunting bows every spring for the summer of practice. I used to shoot a 67 lb/30" Martin Hatfield in my late 20's. My 57lb/30" Fox Custom now feels manageable for the strength, but it's starting to hurt my shoulders to shoot. Even draw knifing or extended machete work causes a twinge.
Growing up strong actually helps. It changes bone density, muscle mass, and ligament/tendon integrity to do some hard work and weight bearing activity when young, but everything wears out. With all the work and family stuff, the "on again-off again" is what will get you. Lifting my little girl in and out of her wheelchair is starting to slowly break my left rotator cuff and labrum. I have to warm up now days before shooting.
So, if you are going to shoot heavy, absolutely start slow and low, build slowly, be careful ,stop doing things that hurt, STAY strong, and do it often.
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Why is it not a good idea to pike this bow? If i did it would be from 68" to 66"
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Why is it not a good idea to pike this bow? If i did it would be from 68" to 66"
The concern would be that it might hit 100 initially and then lose a pound or two. then you're just chasing your tail cutting and losing weight.
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Pull it to 32"! ;)
At first I was going to jump on board with Del, but this is pretty funny too.
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The maximum I can shoot is a 75# bow and maintain an acceptable level of accuracy. What will you be using the bow for? I am with the other guys on here. You already have a nice heavy draw weight bow now. Make the next one heavier :)
Then again 100# is a nice number ;D
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So I made a string for the bow out of FF+ 20 strands, served it, and shot the bow in at full draw a bunch more times and it is very, very smooth. Currently it is at 90# at 29", and I feel no real fatigue at all. I"m being pulled in two different directions here and i'm confusing myself. Half of me wants to leave it where it is and seal it up and call it a bow. The other half of me really wants to get that #100 and I know I can get it after piking the bow only 2" from 68 to 66. What's really bugging me about piking is...I have no set right now. If I do choose to pike it, will I have noticeable set afterwards? I mean yea I could just keep it where it is and get a new stave and just try for 100# on my next one, but the kind of staves I look for to achieve 100# are hard to come by at a cheap price. You think I would have any set at all if I piked it? Don't know why this is bugging me so much...haha
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If you pike it and get, say, 105# but you get a little set you might drop down to 99#. Then what do you do? Next time shoot for 110# and settle for the 100+ that you get. You're getting hung up over a word basically. Why mess up a perfectly good bow?
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Good point :)