Primitive Archer

Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: Marc St Louis on November 30, 2008, 03:34:54 pm

Title: Ash backed Yew recurve
Post by: Marc St Louis on November 30, 2008, 03:34:54 pm
This is a bow I made for a guy with long arms that wants a short bow to hunt big Pigs.  It's also my second attempt at making the bow, needless to say a short bow and a long draw are a difficult combination to make.  My first try was a Hickory backed Osage 60" long and 1 3/8" wide limbs and it was pulling about 75# @ 31"...it broke.  I had the bow fully tillered and was beginning to do the finish on it when I did a full draw with it again.  The bow exploded violently.  The Hickory let go on the top limb, it was a quarter sawn strip. You can see what happened here in this picture

(http://i.imgur.com/DzvdkZR.jpg)


I figured I would try the lower density and more elastic wood Yew for the second try.  Now I know that White Ash makes an excellent backing for Yew but I was a bit worried about using a quarter sawn backing after the first failure.  So I chased a good ring on a White Ash stave and ripped a flat sawn backing strip, a bit of a pain but worthwhile.  I steamed the recurves in a pair of Yew billets then glued them together in deflex.  Then I used dry heat to reflex the limbs and glued more reflex in with the Ash. In all it started with about 5" of reflex and after tillering the bow out to 31" it kept almost 3" of that.  I have drawn the bow out to full draw many times and it has settled to about 2" of reflex now.  I also shot it a couple times using a 550 grain arrow and a 28" draw.  It is fast, in fact probably as fast as any bow I have ever made.  The bow turned out at 60" long with 1 1/2" wide limbs and it pulls 63# @ 28", I can't pull it back any further with the hand held scale I have.  That should project out to about 70# @ 31".  Here's a couple pictures

(http://i.imgur.com/p2CJFHP.jpg)

(http://i.imgur.com/ZV6Ep0N.jpg)

(http://i.imgur.com/WuzZf6q.jpg)



The braced image is corrupted so I will have to upload it later
Title: Re: Ash backed Yew recurve
Post by: Marc St Louis on November 30, 2008, 03:50:57 pm
I must say photobucket has sure buggered up their site
Title: Re: Ash backed Yew recurve
Post by: sailordad on November 30, 2008, 03:58:55 pm
another awesome bow marc :o

thats one heck of a draw length too.love the curves


                                                                    tim
Title: Re: Ash backed Yew recurve
Post by: DanaM on November 30, 2008, 05:19:44 pm
Marc your bows are not only are visually appealing but but also deadly weapons :) I feel sorry for the pigs ;D
I do have a question though is the bottom limb bending more or is it just the picture?
I would love to see a close up of the tip overlays. And I've also had some problems with photobucket lately >:(
Title: Re: Ash backed Yew recurve
Post by: Kegan on November 30, 2008, 05:28:50 pm
I think the term 'awestruck' would apply here :o :o :o!
Title: Re: Ash backed Yew recurve
Post by: Keenan on November 30, 2008, 05:41:23 pm
 Another beauty Mark. I must say you are becoming the short R/D master. I second what Dana said that is a serious little rocket launcher. Congratulations and thank you for sharing the results of the first one. We all learn that way ;)
Title: Re: Ash backed Yew recurve
Post by: Marc St Louis on November 30, 2008, 05:45:38 pm
Thanks guys.

Dana.  I'm always worried that I will hit the ceiling when I draw a bow back so I have tendency of angling the bow down.  It's hard to correct.  The bow is smooth and doesn't pivot when I draw it back.

Here is a braced/unbraced picture

(http://i.imgur.com/WCJm8Xr.jpg)
Title: Re: Ash backed Yew recurve
Post by: George Tsoukalas on November 30, 2008, 06:48:11 pm
Very nice bow, Marc, as usual. :) Jawge
Title: Re: Ash backed Yew recurve
Post by: Badger on November 30, 2008, 07:56:23 pm
  Thats a classic mark, especially with that long draw, I think it is going to my buddy so I can't wait to see it in person. I have a feeling the combo of ash and yew will get along quite well for years to come. Steve
Title: Re: Ash backed Yew recurve
Post by: bcbull on November 30, 2008, 07:57:19 pm
 awsome marc !!! i relley like the idea usin ash with the yew   have you put it on the cronograph  yet?  im wonderin  if  it outdoes white lightning ??? brock
Title: Re: Ash backed Yew recurve
Post by: Badger on November 30, 2008, 10:11:39 pm
   Mark, I love how that bow is bending most of the work is right in the sweet spot! Steve
Title: Re: Ash backed Yew recurve
Post by: Marc St Louis on November 30, 2008, 10:14:42 pm
Thanks guys.

Steve. Yes I made the bow for Steve Q

To cold and to much snow up here to be using a chronograph Brock

Steve. I was amazed at how fast the bow shot a 550 grain arrow at a short draw
Title: Re: Ash backed Yew recurve
Post by: AKAPK on November 30, 2008, 10:38:46 pm
Nice recovery Mark, I never had good luck with ash They all 4 Busted.
and yes p-bucket is.PK
Title: Re: Ash backed Yew recurve
Post by: Ryano on December 01, 2008, 01:19:06 am
Nice looking Bow Marc. Did you ever think of incorporating a reverse riser handle into a short bow for a long draw like that? You can add a couple inches of draw length pretty easily with a forward grip.
Title: Re: Ash backed Yew recurve
Post by: Pappy on December 01, 2008, 10:04:50 am
Another very nice one Marc,great job. :)
   Pappy
Title: Re: Ash backed Yew recurve
Post by: hawkbow on December 01, 2008, 10:19:45 am
very nice bow as usual Marc, should be a real killing machine... Hawk
Title: Re: Ash backed Yew recurve
Post by: OldBow on December 01, 2008, 11:36:48 am
Very impressive bow. Love the limbs on this one. Great entry for December Laminate Bows of the Month
Title: Re: Ash backed Yew recurve
Post by: Marc St Louis on December 01, 2008, 12:08:30 pm
Thanks guys.

Ryan
I did try a reverse handle riser a few years ago.  All that does is exagerate the deflex in the handle and you can do the same thing by glueing in more deflex in the handle.  The more deflex the longer draw you can get for a given length of bow.
Title: Re: Ash backed Yew recurve
Post by: Cromm on December 01, 2008, 12:28:22 pm
Great work!!!
Title: Re: Ash backed Yew recurve
Post by: JackCrafty on December 01, 2008, 04:27:13 pm
Amazing.... :)
Title: Re: Ash backed Yew recurve
Post by: Marc St Louis on December 01, 2008, 06:37:35 pm
Thanks guys.  Bows like this are a lot of work but if you like speed and a short package then they are the way to go
Title: Re: Ash backed Yew recurve
Post by: knightd on December 01, 2008, 07:37:38 pm
Mark acceptional bow as usual !! Looks like it would be a sweet shooter..
Title: Re: Ash backed Yew recurve
Post by: a finnish native on December 01, 2008, 08:02:46 pm
Reflex deflex bows have never been my cup of tea, but this one makes my head turn. I especially like the braced and full draw pictures.  :)
Title: Re: Ash backed Yew recurve
Post by: Jbell on December 01, 2008, 09:47:15 pm
I certainly admire your short recurves Marc, they are in a class all of their own. Beautiful bow!
Title: Re: Ash backed Yew recurve
Post by: Pat B on December 01, 2008, 11:12:32 pm
She's a beauty Marc. When you first mentioned a short bow for a long draw and pig hunting I thought Of Mullet. ;D     Pat
Title: Re: Ash backed Yew recurve
Post by: robbsbass on December 02, 2008, 01:15:34 pm
Beautiful bow Mark, next time I travel from Windsor to North Bay I would love to see some of your handi work if thats ok with you. I'm hoping to do do some fishing at Robb Haytt's sometime this winter.

       Robb
Title: Re: Ash backed Yew recurve
Post by: Dustybaer on December 02, 2008, 02:06:21 pm
love these bows of yours.  all i can say is, you are a true master of this craft.
Title: Re: Ash backed Yew recurve
Post by: Marc St Louis on December 02, 2008, 03:01:08 pm
Thanks guys

Pat. I think Eddie prefers to run them over  ::)

By all means Robb.  You will have to make a detour to Mattawa though as that is where I am now
Title: Re: Ash backed Yew recurve
Post by: a finnish native on December 03, 2008, 11:49:44 am
Bows like this are a lot of work but if you like speed and a short package then they are the way to go

Depending on one's draw and style to shoot. I would assume that a gull winged bow would deliver an arrow as fast as that kind of a bow, if bakced with sinew and tillered properly. surely that kind of a bow would not have the same draw lenght, but for those with a short draw like mine.
Title: Re: Ash backed Yew recurve
Post by: Marc St Louis on December 03, 2008, 06:34:04 pm
Bows like this are a lot of work but if you like speed and a short package then they are the way to go

Depending on one's draw and style to shoot. I would assume that a gull winged bow would deliver an arrow as fast as that kind of a bow, if bakced with sinew and tillered properly. surely that kind of a bow would not have the same draw lenght, but for those with a short draw like mine.

 ???  Not by a long shot
Title: Re: Ash backed Yew recurve
Post by: PeteC on December 03, 2008, 09:03:01 pm
Absolutely beautiful bow Marc !! Great job,the full draw pic just screams;" PERFORMANCE". God Bless
Title: Re: Ash backed Yew recurve
Post by: majsnuff on December 04, 2008, 11:01:04 am
Awesome bow Marc. Is that yew from the wood I traded you last summer?
Title: Re: Ash backed Yew recurve
Post by: Marc St Louis on December 04, 2008, 04:49:29 pm
Thanks guys

Yes it is Glenn.  One of the staves had splits that went right through from back to belly, too bad because it was the more dense of the 2.  The one was fine though and as you can see made a decent bow  :)