Primitive Archer
Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: welch2 on May 03, 2007, 12:51:45 pm
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This is my first bow to post on here.It's a gemsbok bellied bow.51"long ntn and 3/4" wide at the handle. The core is bamboo flooring ,the siyahs are hickory ,and the sinew (4 layers) are dyed black.I made it for my 9 year old son for Christmas. I tried to copy the look of of the 'mirkwood bow' in the first lotr movie. And I used the bows from King Tut's tomb for construction ideas.
(http://www.freebirdarchery.com/duncans%20bow/christmasduncan.jpg)
(http://www.freebirdarchery.com/duncans%20bow/strung.jpeg)
(http://www.freebirdarchery.com/duncans%20bow/unstrungside.jpg)
(http://www.freebirdarchery.com/duncans%20bow/unstrungsidehandle2.jpeg)
(http://www.freebirdarchery.com/duncans%20bow/christmas0224.jpeg)
(http://www.freebirdarchery.com/duncans%20bow/christmas0225.jpeg)
(http://www.freebirdarchery.com/duncans%20bow/christmas0234.jpeg)
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cool :)
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Real nice bow, your son looks proud. A bow like that should be nearly indestructible too, good for the young ones.
Whats the poundage? And what glue did you use to glue the gemsbok horn on the belly? Any tips for flattening the gemsbok? Did you use 1/4 of a horn for the strips or 1/2?
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It's 25 pounds at 28" ,even though I've pulled it 31". I'm hoping he can shoot this one quite awhile.
For glue I mixed hide glue and fish bladder glue 50/50.
for the horn I didn't flatten it, the bow is only 3/4" wide at the handle .So I sawed the horn in two ,trimmed the sides off,then sanded the core side of the horn flat.I also sanded off the ridges. The horns are butted at the handle ,and tapper in thickness until paper thin where they end just after overlapping the V-splice joint core to siyah.
The horn and core were both grooved with a toothing plane blade. And after deflexing the core with steam ,I glued a piece of oak to the belly side of the core to build it up and to make the the horns butt together straight instead of at the deflex angle.
Ralph
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That's a really nice bow, Ralph. I'm sure your son loves it.
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I made a composite with gemsbok horn, but I cheated and used resorcinol for glue.
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good to know resorcinol will work on horn.I used urac once it works too.
Thanks Hillbilly he's bringing it to the Tennessee Classic saturday.
Ralph
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Ralph, what a fine bow.
I wish you are my daddy ;D ( and my name is Ralph)
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Thank you AndrewS ,but my wife says I can't have any more kids. :D ;)
Ralph
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....Good lookin' bow Ralph ! Did it take long to build it ? Boy looks like he luvs it !.....bob
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I worked on it for about a year ,waiting for each layer of sinew to dry, and having to work on it only when my son wasn't around, took up alot of time. I let each layer dry about a month . If I make anouther and try for higher draw wieght ,I'll try to pull more reflex into it as I add sinew layers.
Glad you like it Bob ;D ;D
Ralph
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I love it! My son is pretty jelous :'( I have been telling him I would build him a Mirkwwod bow for quite a while now, since you are making me look like a bad dad I better get on it, LOL. It is good to know that urac works on horn, I have a horn bow project in the works(wow I feel selfish ::))
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Jbell, I need to add, I lined the bamboo flooring up so that the glue lines from the laminations show on the belly and the back of the core.I think it adds lateral stability to such a narrow bow.
Ralph
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really nice bow! .....i have various horns laying around, maybe i should get started ;D
frank
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Great job I bet yer son is bragging ya up to all his friends. Major dad points.
DanaM
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Thanks Dana and Frank . Jbell I didn't want to get anybody in trouble with thier kids.:)
But I'm right there with you,some of his cousins saw the bow ,and now I gotta make at least one more..
Ralph
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Really neat - Got you bookmarked for :
May Backed Bow of the Month
and
Kids Bows, an article for PA this fall.
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Thanks Oldbow ,An article on kid's bows sounds great.You should have fun writing that one.
Here's a few more pics.
In these first two you can see the siyahs and the end of the horn.
(http://www.freebirdarchery.com/duncans%20bow/unstrungbacktip.jpeg)
(http://www.freebirdarchery.com/duncans%20bow/unstrung3.jpeg)
(http://www.freebirdarchery.com/duncans%20bow/christmas0236.jpeg)
on this picture you see the braided wire handle my brother made
(http://www.freebirdarchery.com/duncans%20bow/christmas0241.jpg)
(http://www.freebirdarchery.com/duncans%20bow/christmas0222.jpeg)
belly detail
(http://www.freebirdarchery.com/duncans%20bow/christmas0234.jpeg)
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Great Craftsmanship! Love those horn bows ;D
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It's 25 pounds at 28" ,even though I've pulled it 31". I'm hoping he can shoot this one quite awhile.
hi ralph! - i believe a 31" pull is no problem with such a bow. but anyway my question: how did the bow react on that pull.
i've i'd aim for a similar bow of 65+# at 29" what would be best measurements??
i think the lenghs should be fine, should be bit wider, bit deeper??
frank
ps: how are your neighbourhoud's pets doing these days ??? ;D
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Frank ,It does fine at long pulls .I just woory about the string angle since it has pin nocks. The Egyptian bows had nock that were cut on the back some.
(http://www.freebirdarchery.com/images/tut's_bows1.jpg)
that would help some. I think when I try for a heavier draw weight ,I will leave the core the same 3/4" wide ,but round the back of the core some.Then I will make the horn 1" wide at the handle ,leaving 1/8 gap on each side .So the sinew will lay over the sides down to horn .Should make a more oval bow and let me pull in more reflex.
heres some profiles of the Tut bows.
(http://www.freebirdarchery.com/images/tut's_bows12.jpg)
and cross sections of them
(http://www.freebirdarchery.com/images/tut's_bows2.jpg)
Ralph
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That is a beautiful bow. Well done.Jawge
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yes, i believe such short bow should have nocks cut in on the back!
how did you do the siyahs on thisone??
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Plain sawn hickory ,steam bent .Then V-spliced into the core .The horn overlaps the splice. The sinew backing goes all the way to the nocks.And it is sinew wrapped from just below the V-splice to the bottom of the nocks.
Ralph
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I tillered as I went. the first layer of sinew only went to the slice and I wrapped the joint with with sinew first.checked tiller after a month ,the siyahs were bending to much,then added anouther course of sinew all the way to the nocks , waited a month................ect.
Ralph
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He had fun at the Tennessee Classic ,It was his first shoot.
(http://www.freebirdarchery.com/duncans%20bow/Tn-Classic25.jpg)
(http://www.freebirdarchery.com/duncans%20bow/Tn-Classic37.jpg)
(http://www.freebirdarchery.com/duncans%20bow/Tn-Classic39.jpg)
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I got to shoot this little bow this weekend at the Classic. It is a sweet shooting bow. Your son was quite happy with it and proud of it. Thanks Ralph. Pat
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That's a great looking bow, I'm sorry I missed out getting to see it at the Classic.
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Thanks for all the compliments guys ,Duncan is reading them over and over.
Greg, I tried to pull him up there where ya'll were whittling away a couple of times, he just wanted to keep shooting.
Great shoot ,Duncan wants to know when we can go to Twin Oaks again.
Ralph
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I also got to see this one in person at the classic, it's a really nice little bow.
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Glad you like it hillbilly ,and thanks for the points ,they are great. heres a couple more for ya'll that ain't tired of the pics yet.
(http://www.freebirdarchery.com/duncans%20bow/Tn-Classic7.jpg)
(http://www.freebirdarchery.com/duncans%20bow/Tn-Classic14.jpg)
Ralph