Primitive Archer

Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: speterson7400 on January 20, 2017, 09:37:11 pm

Title: New guy here, critique my bows!
Post by: speterson7400 on January 20, 2017, 09:37:11 pm
Hi Ive been reading this forum for a while and now have 3 bows under my belt. I was hoping you guys would be able to take a look at them and tell me how I did, advice is welcome!
Here are the latest 2.
First one is a white oak board bow, 66" ntn, #40 at 30"
the second is a red oak board, 46" ntn,  #10 at 16"
Thanks guys!
Title: Re: New guy here, critique my bows!
Post by: willie on January 20, 2017, 10:39:31 pm
Glad you decided to post your work, and welcome. I wish my first few bows were as nice as yours.
ls the smaller one for a jr. shooter in the family?
Title: Re: New guy here, critique my bows!
Post by: speterson7400 on January 20, 2017, 10:53:38 pm
Glad you decided to post your work, and welcome. I wish my first few bows were as nice as yours.
ls the smaller one for a jr. shooter in the family?
Yeah my son saw me build and shoot the first one, he's 4 and wouldn't stop asking for one so I made it my next project.
Title: Re: New guy here, critique my bows!
Post by: scp on January 20, 2017, 11:27:43 pm
Really well done. You are there already. Just try to get some good staves next.
Title: Re: New guy here, critique my bows!
Post by: Philipp A on January 20, 2017, 11:34:35 pm
very nice work and nice tiller! Awesome that your 4 year old son motivated you to make one for him as well  :)
Title: Re: New guy here, critique my bows!
Post by: speterson7400 on January 21, 2017, 12:36:24 am
Cool thanks guys.  I took all the pictures I would need for a build along for the 66" one if I ever get around to sorting through them.
SCP any ideas where I could find good staves online?  I live in southern california and while where I used to live in ky. had potential staves everywhere their a bit hard to come by here.
Title: Re: New guy here, critique my bows!
Post by: scp on January 21, 2017, 12:53:38 am
I sometimes buy the staves on the auction site. I just got a firewood cutting permit and cut some small trees, well marked by orange paint dots. I usually contact a local lumber mill owner for fresh cut hickory logs.
Title: Re: New guy here, critique my bows!
Post by: Del the cat on January 21, 2017, 04:49:18 am
Good to have you on board. Fine looking bows.
Del
Title: Re: New guy here, critique my bows!
Post by: MulchMaker on January 21, 2017, 06:30:52 am
Nice work! Very well done.
Title: Re: New guy here, critique my bows!
Post by: Stick Bender on January 21, 2017, 06:49:26 am
Nice job Welcome I paticurly like your white Oak bow glad you posted !
Title: Re: New guy here, critique my bows!
Post by: Marc St Louis on January 21, 2017, 08:44:37 am
Your bows have a nice smooth bend to them but are whip tillered, they will likely develop chrysals over time in the outer limbs
Title: Re: New guy here, critique my bows!
Post by: bjrogg on January 21, 2017, 09:12:12 am
Welcome to PA. Very nice for first bows but I agree with Marc. The top one is bending a little to much at lower tip. Maybe a little stiff upper limb. The kids bow a little to much bend both tips.  Next time get a little bit more of the limbs bending. You might even want to slowly remove some wood from inner and mid limb yet if you have enough weight. It would make bow last longer. Or just start another. Thanks for sharing
Bjrogg
Title: Re: New guy here, critique my bows!
Post by: Springbuck on January 21, 2017, 11:09:54 am
What Marc said.  They come off the handle right, but bend just a tad much right past 2/3 of the way out the limb.  The 66" bow looks to me to bend a TINY bit more in the lower limb, but it could be the angle of the picture.

All in all, WAY more successful than most of my early efforts.
Title: Re: New guy here, critique my bows!
Post by: Badger on January 21, 2017, 04:18:29 pm
   Where are you in So Cal?  I live just south of Los Angeles.
Title: Re: New guy here, critique my bows!
Post by: speterson7400 on January 21, 2017, 04:47:24 pm
Badger I live in San Diego so were pretty close, i was actually just through LA last week going to six flags. 
Thanks for the input on the tiller guys, While I was working on it I just wasn't sure if it was bending enough towards the tips and may have scraped a bit too much.  Should it look like it flattens out a bit near the ends?
Title: Re: New guy here, critique my bows!
Post by: Ballasted_Bowyer on January 22, 2017, 01:15:11 pm
I prefer a bow that does flatten out just a bit to the ends because it willl draw smoother when the bow is short for draw length. But not so much that it's obvious. If you're bow is very long for its draw length, a little whip end can speed up the arrow. But don't go crazy. The reason wood bows should have a very even bend is that wood has limited elasticity and will tend to fail if the one area is doing to much work. If you haven't done so, I recommend the bowyers bible vol 1 and 2. There is a discussion on profile shape
Title: Re: New guy here, critique my bows!
Post by: selfbow joe on January 22, 2017, 03:26:44 pm
Very nice looking bows
Title: Re: New guy here, critique my bows!
Post by: loon on January 22, 2017, 04:05:42 pm
I live in San Diego and Northridge!
Nice bows
It looks like the string stretches a lot, or like it's very long at full draw... maybe it's the low brace height?.. what string material is it?
Is the white oak bow a pyramid bow or not? If you make a pyramid bow, the bend should be even all throughout, then you could use a tillering gizmo
Title: Re: New guy here, critique my bows!
Post by: mullet on January 22, 2017, 06:05:02 pm
I agree with Marc, and I'd lose a little of that extra wood passed the nocks.