Primitive Archer
Main Discussion Area => HowTo's and Build-a-longs => Topic started by: Gordon on February 11, 2012, 08:19:11 pm
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It has been a while since I have made a significant contribution to this community so I thought I would post a build-a-long of my latest winter project. I’ve always wanted to make a yew recurve bow and I had the perfect stave that a friend had gifted to me several years ago. It is a clear piece with just the right length and width to make a short s bow.
(http://i793.photobucket.com/albums/yy217/gferlitsch/YewBuildALong/P1010002.jpg)
Before I get started, here are the tools that I will use to take project from stave to floor tillered bow. From top to bottom: tape measure, chalk line, cabinet scraper, bowyer’s Edge (scraper), #49 Nicholson rasp, Microplane rasp, spoke shave, draw knife, hatchet.
(http://i793.photobucket.com/albums/yy217/gferlitsch/YewBuildALong/P1010110.jpg)
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The first thing I do is mark the high points on the crown down the length of the stave and draw a line connecting the marks. I do this because I want the high point of the crown to align with the center of the limbs along the bow’s length. This will help prevent the limbs from twisting to one side or the other when the finished bow is drawn.
(http://i793.photobucket.com/albums/yy217/gferlitsch/YewBuildALong/P1010010.jpg)
Once I have the center line established, I use a flexible template (leather or cardboard) to mark the width of the bow. I leave it a bit wider than what I expect the maximum width of the finished bow. In this case I mark the width at 2” for a bow that I expect will be about 1 ¾” wide at the fades.
(http://i793.photobucket.com/albums/yy217/gferlitsch/YewBuildALong/P1010011.jpg)
After marking the width along the length of the stave, I draw a line connecting the dots.
(http://i793.photobucket.com/albums/yy217/gferlitsch/YewBuildALong/P1010014.jpg)
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I use a hatchet to rough out the width and then a draw knife to finish the job.
(http://i793.photobucket.com/albums/yy217/gferlitsch/YewBuildALong/P1010019.jpg)
(http://i793.photobucket.com/albums/yy217/gferlitsch/YewBuildALong/P1010021.jpg)
And here is the stave cut to width. BTW, I can’t say enough good things about Keenan’s Stave Master bench. It is the perfect tool for doing this kind of work – thank you Keenan!
(http://i793.photobucket.com/albums/yy217/gferlitsch/YewBuildALong/P1010022.jpg)
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The sapwood on this stave is about ½”. I’m going to use a spoke shave to reduce the sapwood to about ¼”. Given that I’m going to back this bow, I’m not too concerned about violating rings.
(http://i793.photobucket.com/albums/yy217/gferlitsch/YewBuildALong/P1010024.jpg)
After thinning the sapwood, I carefully smooth the back with 100 grit sandpaper and a block.
(http://i793.photobucket.com/albums/yy217/gferlitsch/YewBuildALong/P1010025.jpg)
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Now that I have width established, I use a chalk line to mark a straight line between the center of each end of the bow. I will then use this line to help me determine the optimal placement of the handle. The stave is not perfectly straight so ideally I want the center line to pass as close to the center of the handle as possible while naturally angling away from the arrow pass. I find that I shoot a bow best when the string bisects the handle’s center of mass. If the string is off-center then the bow tends to torque on release and my arrow slaps the riser. Also I like to make the limbs asymmetric. When I make the top limb slightly longer (1”-2”) than the lower limb, the bow will ride perfectly level in my hand when I am carrying it around.
(http://i793.photobucket.com/albums/yy217/gferlitsch/YewBuildALong/P1010031.jpg)
Afer finding finding the optimal orientation, I make the handle 4” long with 2 ½” fades.
(http://i793.photobucket.com/albums/yy217/gferlitsch/YewBuildALong/P1010035-1.jpg)
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Next I mark the tip width about ½” from the ends. For now, I keep them wide (~ 1”) so that I can fine tune string alignment later.
(http://i793.photobucket.com/albums/yy217/gferlitsch/YewBuildALong/P1010033.jpg)
Using a pencil and my finger as a guide I draw a taper from the tips to the fades. I use my finger instead of a straight edge because the stave is not perfectly straight and I want the limbs to follow the natural line of the wood.
(http://i793.photobucket.com/albums/yy217/gferlitsch/YewBuildALong/P1010036.jpg)
(http://i793.photobucket.com/albums/yy217/gferlitsch/YewBuildALong/P1010037.jpg)
I find that making a bow is much easier if you keep your tools sharp. Here I am using a diamond stone to touch up my draw knife in preparation for roughing out the bow’s shape.
(http://i793.photobucket.com/albums/yy217/gferlitsch/YewBuildALong/P1010039.jpg)
Next up – roughing out a bow.
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i know this is gonna be a good one...ill be watching this. good to see you post a build along gordon. excellent candidate for a recurve..is it getting sinew or rawhide? :)
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I love your build-a-longs. Thank you for taking the extra time to do this.
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This looks good.... I can't wait until I get my Stave Master should be any day :)
I keep hearing different opinions about working down or thinning the sap wood with Yew. Some say with Yew ring violation on the back is not an issue others say they back it with the same treatment. I am shooting two bow were the sap wood was thinned and both are still shooting though they are fairly new bows?
What are you going to back it with?
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Awesome build along, Gordon. It's always a pleasure to see your work.
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Gordon,
Whats that on the floor Cascara??? Or is it hazel??? Looks like a stanley 151 spokeshave as well??? or did you get that at HF?
Brian
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Is making the top limb longer a John Strunk influence? He taught me to do that, but I'm too OCD for that. :-[ This looks like it'll be a great bow.
George
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Thanks Blackhawk, I'm thinking about using sinew on this bow. But I will wait to see how the recurves come out before I finalize that decision.
Coaster, it's really hard to chase a yew sapwood ring because they are paper thin. I don't worry about it too much when I make a yew self bow. And since I'm going to back this bow anyway, I'm not worried about it at all.
Brian, the stuff on the floor are actually my tipi poles - lodge pole pine. That is a Stanely spoke shave, but I trued the base and bought a better blade for it.
George, yes my bow building is very much influenced by John.
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Using a sharp draw knife I trim the wood down to my lines to establish the limb taper. I then use a spoke shave to clean up my lines.
(http://i793.photobucket.com/albums/yy217/gferlitsch/YewBuildALong/P1010040.jpg)
(http://i793.photobucket.com/albums/yy217/gferlitsch/YewBuildALong/P1010042.jpg)
Next I use a sharp hatchet to rough out the handle area. Make sure your stoke is always toward the handle when you are working in the fades or you will risk splintering off more wood than you planned. I then clean up the handle area using the #49 rasp.
(http://i793.photobucket.com/albums/yy217/gferlitsch/YewBuildALong/P1010047.jpg)
(http://i793.photobucket.com/albums/yy217/gferlitsch/YewBuildALong/P1010053.jpg)
(http://i793.photobucket.com/albums/yy217/gferlitsch/YewBuildALong/P1010054.jpg)
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Now I’m going to work on roughing out the thickness taper for the limbs. I start by making a mark at about 1 inch at each fade. I have a little tool that I built for accurately measuring thickness from the back of the bow. I then make a mark at about ¾” thickness at the tips.
(http://i793.photobucket.com/albums/yy217/gferlitsch/YewBuildALong/P1010056.jpg)
(http://i793.photobucket.com/albums/yy217/gferlitsch/YewBuildALong/P1010062.jpg)
Using my fingers as a guide I draw a line that gradually tapers from the fade to the tips. I do this on each side of both limbs. When I am done I will have lines on each limb that will guide my wood removal as I rough out the thickness taper.
(http://i793.photobucket.com/albums/yy217/gferlitsch/YewBuildALong/P1010067.jpg)
(http://i793.photobucket.com/albums/yy217/gferlitsch/YewBuildALong/P1010070.jpg)
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I rough out the bow’s thickness taper with a hatchet using the taper lines as my guide.
(http://i793.photobucket.com/albums/yy217/gferlitsch/YewBuildALong/P1010076.jpg)
Here is the bow after the thickness taper has been roughed out.
(http://i793.photobucket.com/albums/yy217/gferlitsch/YewBuildALong/P1010079.jpg)
Next I will use a draw knife and spoke shave to create taper lines.
(http://i793.photobucket.com/albums/yy217/gferlitsch/YewBuildALong/P1010081.jpg)
(http://i793.photobucket.com/albums/yy217/gferlitsch/YewBuildALong/P1010084.jpg)
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The bow is now roughed out. I will now begin to floor tiller the bow so that the limbs will be thin enough to bend into recurves. I start by running my fingers along the length of each limb looking for thick spots. I use a spoke shave and micro-plane to even the taper and start taking it down.
(http://i793.photobucket.com/albums/yy217/gferlitsch/YewBuildALong/P1010086.jpg)
(http://i793.photobucket.com/albums/yy217/gferlitsch/YewBuildALong/P1010089.jpg)
(http://i793.photobucket.com/albums/yy217/gferlitsch/YewBuildALong/P1010091.jpg)
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I keep removing wood and checking the bend and thickness until the limbs will bend enough to allow me to bend in the recurves.
(http://i793.photobucket.com/albums/yy217/gferlitsch/YewBuildALong/P1010096.jpg)
Once I get the limbs bending a bit, I use a setup I learned from this site for examining the bow’s tiller. I like this block setup more than using a long string because it better approximates the bend that you would see with a short string. You can use a clamp to stand back and look at the bend, or I will push down on the handle with my hand and watch how the limbs bend in response.
(http://i793.photobucket.com/albums/yy217/gferlitsch/YewBuildALong/P1010097.jpg)
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Between wood removals I am checking for high and low spots. I mark them and take extra wood off from the high spots and less wood from the low spots. As the limbs start to come around, I use my scraper tools so that I have very fine control over the wood removal.
(http://i793.photobucket.com/albums/yy217/gferlitsch/YewBuildALong/P1010098.jpg)
(http://i793.photobucket.com/albums/yy217/gferlitsch/YewBuildALong/P1010099.jpg)
The bowyer’s edge is particularly good for localized wood removal. I use the card scraper for even wood removal along the length of the limbs.
(http://i793.photobucket.com/albums/yy217/gferlitsch/YewBuildALong/P1010101.jpg)
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The stave was not straight so the limbs are somewhat out of alignment. I will now use steam heat to get the limb tips to align with the center of the handle. Later when I have a short string on the bow, I will use dry heat on the limbs for making small adjustments to the string alignment. I start by steaming the handle area for about 45 minutes.
(http://i793.photobucket.com/albums/yy217/gferlitsch/YewBuildALong/P1010092.jpg)
After the handle is good and pliable, I quickly transfer the bow to a press and bend the handle so the tips move in the desired direction. You have to move the tips an extra amount because they will spring back about 1/3 of the way when you release the bow from the press.
(http://i793.photobucket.com/albums/yy217/gferlitsch/YewBuildALong/P1010095.jpg)
Next up – bending in recurves.
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Keep em coming, Gordon, this is great....I just put on some popcorn.
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Definitely looking on with interest. I've been thinking about attempting one of these with a yew stave I have. I'm sure this will be an invaluable resource for me. You make it looks so easy, Gordon...
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Lesken, I'll be putting in the recurves tomorrow so I won't have anything new to post for a few days.
Thanks Weylin, but I'm not sure there is anything here that you don't already know. I'm hoping some of the new folks to our group might get something out of this.
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Lesken, I'll be putting in the recurves tomorrow so I won't have anything new to post for a few days.
Thanks Weylin, but I'm not sure there is anything here that you don't already know. I'm hoping some of the new folks to our group might get something out of this.
I'm getting somethin out of it. I recently did my first true contact recurve, so I am eating this up... One thing I would like to know, is how do yall make the string groove part the string rests on the recurve, a rattail file? Do you make like a Y that meets in the middle?
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Excellent build along, Gordon. Thanks for posting it. Glad to see you back. ;)
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nice buid along gordon good info here brock
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Awesome!!!
Thanks a bunch for doing this. I know its a ton of extra work. Much appreciated! ;)
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Man Gordon your Hazelnut buid has always been a thread I look back on and this is AWSOME!!!!! I VOTE THIS IS STUCK IN THE ARCHIVES! so its easier for me to find ;D Look forward to more thanks allot for doing this its allot of work and you really go into great detail! I want one of those Stave Masters! Thanks again!!!
Josh
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Yes Sir Gordon!
Love your build alongs.
Learn something new from each one. :)
-gus
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I agree Gordon! I LOVE your buildalongs! Thank you for posting. I cant wait to see more :) :) :)
~Will
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When ever I need quick advice or info your buildalongs are my first port of call. Have considered printing and laminatng then just incase they go missing!
Very happy to see that your doing another as I am a massive fan and your work is nothing short of inspiring. Was a nice surprise to see this at 5.am this morning with the boy feeding in one hand, missus snoring away whilst I view PA using my sparring hand on my phone.:)
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Great post, looking forward to following along
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Thanks, Gordon. I'll be watching. I sometimes get in such a hurry wanting to see my end product, I tend to rush things. Following your build a longs helps me to remember, 1 step at a time...No hurry... Thanks so much for taking the extra time for this...
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As always, very well done. This step by step answers question. I think I'll have to build some blocks for tillering also. I wondered about using steam vs dry heat. It makes sense to steam early and then use dry heat later. Thanks Gordon.
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Incredible as always Gordon... I have a feeling that this build along will be referred to for many years as invaluable resource, similar to your un-matched hazelnut build-along.
Jon
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Thank you for all the supportive comments guys.
toomanyknots, I don't think you need groves if the tips are wide enough and the curves not too radical.
Dave, I don't think dry heat would work well putting in curves in yew wood - the belly would likely crack. I'll boil the tips to be on the safe side. Stay tuned...
Jon, thank you for the compliment. The thing about these build-a-longs is you can never be sure of the outcome. If you get a decent bow out of it you're a hero. If the bow breaks, well, no one will remember it after a few weeks. If I was smarter about it I would wait until the bow was finished before posting, but you lose that sense of immediacy and anticipation. It's kind of a crap shoot...
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Excellent job Gordon!! Lookin' forward to the next installment. God Bless
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i see some thing good coming up...if i remember right i think it has been awhile since you have some yew...i cant wait for the end result....john
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Bend or break it Gordon! i wanna see either way :) Great work so far, thanks for posting!
NNB
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Gordon,
You have done it again. That hazel build is a favorite to look at. I commend you for "passing it on." I know it's a lot of extra work to do that and explain your steps, but it is much apreciated.
Cipriano
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There is a to take out of this, just by watching the pictures closely. I really like your set up for correcting alignment at the handle. Using the leather pads, the pipe clamp and the bench vice. It might seem simple, but to me that represents a lot of carefull thought.
Thanks Gordon.
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I like your attitude Gordon, building a bow in real time is reality, your a good bow builder and it will probably come out great but you never know till your done. Steve
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Thank you so much for sharing these, Gordon. If you threw together 10 such build-alongs you could publish an invaluable book.
As a newcomer to bowcraft, your posts are extremely appreciated!
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I’ve found that making large bends in yew works best using boiling water. After one hour of boiling I place the end in my form and bend it to shape. I lay a strip of rawhide over the belly while I am bending to prevent splinters from rising. You have to perform this maneuver quickly or the wood will begin to cool and resist bending. You have about 15 seconds to get it done. I leave the end in the form overnight so that the wood will dry out while bent. If you remove the bow from the form too soon, the wood will regain some of its original shape.
(http://i793.photobucket.com/albums/yy217/gferlitsch/YewBuildALong/P1010105-1.jpg)
(http://i793.photobucket.com/albums/yy217/gferlitsch/YewBuildALong/P1010107-1.jpg)
(http://i793.photobucket.com/albums/yy217/gferlitsch/YewBuildALong/P1010113.jpg)
Next up – more floor tillering and preparing sinew.
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awesome :D
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So nice to see your great shop and tools. It really makes me appreciate the process and steps that go into one of your bows. Cheers!
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This is wonderful and will soon do the same with another species of wood. I like your techniques. Question though, with your pot O boiling water. I have boiled staves a few times and noted the color of the water darken and wood around where it was in the pot darken. Certainly these are tannins leaving the wood, and aside from tanning skins, ever wonder about using them as a natural wood stain? If you can boil them down enough that is of course...
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Thanks Gordon for sharing,I have some yew I traded for or was given to me at
the Classic I have yet to work on, Only done one Yew bow so this will help. :)
Pappy
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I dont know how i missed this, Thanks for sharing with us gordon kepp us posted.
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That tip turned out really good. It looks like it's coming along swell, so far. Thanks, Gordon.
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Awesome build along. I have shop envy! Thank you for taking time to post this. Great info!
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Great buildalong Gordon. As with everything you do is is first class all the way. I'm glad your liking your Stave Master. Looking forward to seeing you again at the Gathering this May. I agree this thread should be archived
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Great work Gordon... :D
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I love your work Gordon, you have made some of the most impressive bows. Keep it up Gordon we'll be watching. Danny
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Three cheers Gordon.
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As always, exceptional work. I am really looking forward to the finished product. Keep it up!
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Thanks.
1) Learning alot.
2) wondering why not band saw off the bigger pieces for speed and pieces to laminate somewhere like riser accents or under a harder tip overlay?
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Prarie Bowyer, I have plenty of yew scraps already and I didn't feel like using power tools on this one.
Thank you all for the support. I'll have more posts to add soon.
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Cant wait!
Josh
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Next I am going to make some pin nocks for holding the string. I narrow the ends of each limb to ¾”. The nocks will be ¾” long and taper to ½”. I draw a pattern on the front and side of the limbs that will be my guide when shaping the nocks.
(http://i793.photobucket.com/albums/yy217/gferlitsch/YewBuildALong/YewBuildAlong_47.jpg)
(http://i793.photobucket.com/albums/yy217/gferlitsch/YewBuildALong/YewBuildAlong_48.jpg)
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I use a coping saw with a fine blade to cut out the shape of the nocks.
(http://i793.photobucket.com/albums/yy217/gferlitsch/YewBuildALong/YewBuildAlong_50.jpg)
(http://i793.photobucket.com/albums/yy217/gferlitsch/YewBuildALong/YewBuildAlong_49.jpg)
(http://i793.photobucket.com/albums/yy217/gferlitsch/YewBuildALong/YewBuildAlong_51.jpg)
(http://i793.photobucket.com/albums/yy217/gferlitsch/YewBuildALong/YewBuildAlong_52.jpg)
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After cutting the nocks with the saw, I clean them up with a chisel and file.
(http://i793.photobucket.com/albums/yy217/gferlitsch/YewBuildALong/YewBuildAlong_54.jpg)
(http://i793.photobucket.com/albums/yy217/gferlitsch/YewBuildALong/YewBuildAlong_53.jpg)
Then I taper the ends with a rasp and file.
(http://i793.photobucket.com/albums/yy217/gferlitsch/YewBuildALong/YewBuildAlong_55.jpg)
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Here is what they look like when I’m done.
(http://i793.photobucket.com/albums/yy217/gferlitsch/YewBuildALong/YewBuildAlong_56.jpg)
(http://i793.photobucket.com/albums/yy217/gferlitsch/YewBuildALong/YewBuildAlong_57.jpg)
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I left the belly flat while floor tillering. Now I’m going to give the limbs a slightly oval cross section. I do this by first taking the sides down with a #50 rasp. I then make another pass closer to the center. Then I smooth the edges with the rasp to create a smooth and pleasing radius along the entire length of the limb.
(http://i793.photobucket.com/albums/yy217/gferlitsch/YewBuildALong/YewBuildAlong_58.jpg)
(http://i793.photobucket.com/albums/yy217/gferlitsch/YewBuildALong/YewBuildAlong_59.jpg)
I then use a scraper to round the edges. And 100 grit sandpaper to take out the tool marks.
(http://i793.photobucket.com/albums/yy217/gferlitsch/YewBuildALong/YewBuildAlong_60.jpg)
(http://i793.photobucket.com/albums/yy217/gferlitsch/YewBuildALong/YewBuildAlong_61.jpg)
The result is a slightly oval cross section along the entire length of the limbs.
(http://i793.photobucket.com/albums/yy217/gferlitsch/YewBuildALong/YewBuildAlong_62.jpg)
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The process of making of creating an oval cross section will take off about 10# of draw weight. I check the tiller to make sure it is still okay.
Perfect.
(http://i793.photobucket.com/albums/yy217/gferlitsch/YewBuildALong/YewBuildAlong_63.jpg)
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Wow, this bow has it all! I like the way you did the nocks Gordon. Is there any danger by exposing the end grain to it splitting?
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Now I am going to shape the handle. I’ve helped quite a few people with making their bows and have noticed that shaping the handle seems to give a lot of new bowyers trouble. I think maybe it is intimidating to cut into your bow with a big rasp and thus beginners tend to over-think the process. It’s really not that hard if you follow the basic steps that I will outline here. For this bow I’m going to make a bulbous handle. This is the simplest and safest handle to make and for me, the most comfortable to shoot.
I begin by squaring off the sides and making the handle width 1 ¼”. A micro-rasp works really well for this.
(http://i793.photobucket.com/albums/yy217/gferlitsch/YewBuildALong/YewBuildAlong_64.jpg)
Next I reduce the depth of the handle of the handle area to about 1 3/8”. I use a Ferrier’s rasp for this because I really want to hog some wood off quickly.
(http://i793.photobucket.com/albums/yy217/gferlitsch/YewBuildALong/YewBuildAlong_65.jpg)
(http://i793.photobucket.com/albums/yy217/gferlitsch/YewBuildALong/YewBuildAlong_66.jpg)
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Now I round off the handle area around the fades using first a Ferrier’s rasp to get the general shape followed by a #49 rasp.
(http://i793.photobucket.com/albums/yy217/gferlitsch/YewBuildALong/YewBuildAlong_67.jpg)
(http://i793.photobucket.com/albums/yy217/gferlitsch/YewBuildALong/YewBuildAlong_68.jpg)
I use a set of calipers to make sure that both ends of the handle taper evenly into the fades.
(http://i793.photobucket.com/albums/yy217/gferlitsch/YewBuildALong/YewBuildAlong_69.jpg)
(http://i793.photobucket.com/albums/yy217/gferlitsch/YewBuildALong/YewBuildAlong_70.jpg)
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I like a mild swell in my handles. To do that I start by using the rounded side a #49 rasp to cut channels into each corner of the handle. I use calipers to measure the wood thickness between the channels. When I am done the thickness will be slightly more than 1”.
(http://i793.photobucket.com/albums/yy217/gferlitsch/YewBuildALong/YewBuildAlong_72.jpg)
(http://i793.photobucket.com/albums/yy217/gferlitsch/YewBuildALong/YewBuildAlong_71.jpg)
(http://i793.photobucket.com/albums/yy217/gferlitsch/YewBuildALong/YewBuildAlong_73.jpg)
(http://i793.photobucket.com/albums/yy217/gferlitsch/YewBuildALong/YewBuildAlong_74.jpg)
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Now I shape the handle swell using a rasp.
(http://i793.photobucket.com/albums/yy217/gferlitsch/YewBuildALong/YewBuildAlong_75.jpg)
(http://i793.photobucket.com/albums/yy217/gferlitsch/YewBuildALong/YewBuildAlong_76.jpg)
Next I radius the back and front of the handle with a rasp to begin the rounding process.
(http://i793.photobucket.com/albums/yy217/gferlitsch/YewBuildALong/YewBuildAlong_77.jpg)
(http://i793.photobucket.com/albums/yy217/gferlitsch/YewBuildALong/YewBuildAlong_78.jpg)
(http://i793.photobucket.com/albums/yy217/gferlitsch/YewBuildALong/YewBuildAlong_79.jpg)
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Then I round the handle using a rasp and use a scraper to shape the fades.
(http://i793.photobucket.com/albums/yy217/gferlitsch/YewBuildALong/YewBuildAlong_80.jpg)
(http://i793.photobucket.com/albums/yy217/gferlitsch/YewBuildALong/YewBuildAlong_81.jpg)
And here is the finished handle.
(http://i793.photobucket.com/albums/yy217/gferlitsch/YewBuildALong/YewBuildAlong_82.jpg)
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The bow is now ready to be backed. Here are a couple of pictures of it.
(http://i793.photobucket.com/albums/yy217/gferlitsch/YewBuildALong/YewBuildAlong_84.jpg)
(http://i793.photobucket.com/albums/yy217/gferlitsch/YewBuildALong/YewBuildAlong_83.jpg)
Next up - preparing sinew.
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Gordon, Gordon, Gordon. If I could only work the hand tools like you do, I don't think I would ever flip a switch. That is a real piece of art already and your not even finished. When I saw you had posted some updates, I read to the end....what I thought was the end, and when I got ready to post, you had already added more pics. I told my wife it's like watching a good play or movie and waiting on the next act. I hope in time, I will learn the patience that you have acquired through obvious hours and hours of working those tools. That means a lot that you took the time on Sunday night to upload these for us. Thanks, Gordon. I await the next stage in this bow.
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Amazing, precise work Gordon... and a great build-a-long, Great!!!
Thank you :)
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Thanks Dave. I don't think the danger is any greater than when using standard nock designs. That said, these nocks will be wrapped in sinew when I am done.
Thank you Lesken, what a nice compliment.
Thank you coaster.
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Looking very good so far,very nice work. :)Looking forward to some more. :)
Pappy
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Like watching a sculpture come to life.
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Gordon.in the last set of pics i just noticed 2 things some about you..there is a real romance about you and the wood..and i think(i might be wrong)it comes from your dad being a carpenter and from john strunk love of bow making all wrapped up in you...that is some lovely work....about the yew do you know how many rings it has..looks like a high grade piece..thanks for sharing..john
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Awesome build-a-long Gordon! Thank you for taking the time to put this together. love the design and the grain in the handle area is beautiful.
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That is looking great Gordon i can't wait for more
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Thank you all for the really nice words of encouragement.
John, I didn't count the rings, but they are really tight. This is the best piece of yew I had - a really nice stave from the high Cascades.
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Some guys get ALL the nice staves!! Great work gordon! :laugh:
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It's lookin' real good Gordon.Great build-along. God Bless
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I absolutley love this thread! You are truly a craftsman Gordon! Cant wait to see more!
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Yes sir, what Pappy and will said! What a beauty.
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Gordon that is looking fantastic, Excellent buildalong and that is one premium piece of yew. Very nice flow to the bow
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This is great! Can't believe it's taken me so long to get on this forum. The steam bending for string alignment is going to be gold for me. Thanks
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Awesome build-along. I learn some much from these, Gordon. Thanks for sharing.
Dave
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Its fun to be at work and think "i wonder how that Yew recurve is coming along." Pretty cool to have a little online tribe.
gabe
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Thanks guys. This weekend I'm preparing the sinew - should have some pictures by next weekend.
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Been following this from the start. Great build along and fantastic craftsmanship.
I am as excited about seeing the final product as I get when finishing one up in my own shop.
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Now I am going to process the sinew in preparation to using it for backing the bow. I am using dried elk leg sinew and will process 10 pieces to make sure that I do not run out of material while backing the bow. I first break the fibers up by pounding with a hammer on a hard surface. I don’t think it matters much what the surface is made of as long as it is hard. Some folks use a hardwood stump, Native Americans used flat stones – I use a small anvil. I make sure the surface of both the anvil and hammer are free of contaminants by cleaning with acetone.
(http://i793.photobucket.com/albums/yy217/gferlitsch/YewBuildALong/YewBuildAlong_85.jpg)
(http://i793.photobucket.com/albums/yy217/gferlitsch/YewBuildALong/YewBuildAlong_86.jpg)
After I’ve loosened the fibers I pull the tendon apart using pliers. If the piece is really stubborn I’ll clamp one of the loose ends in my bench vice and using pliers and some elbow grease pull the tendon apart. I’ll keep reducing the piece until I have a pile of strands about the thickness of ¼” rope.
(http://i793.photobucket.com/albums/yy217/gferlitsch/YewBuildALong/YewBuildAlong_87.jpg)
(http://i793.photobucket.com/albums/yy217/gferlitsch/YewBuildALong/YewBuildAlong_88.jpg)
After I have pounded and separated all of the tendons I further reduce the fibers to about the thickness of a pencil lead. In the process of reducing the fibers I sort them by length. It’s important to do this because I’m going to need various lengths of sinew fibers when I back the bow.
(http://i793.photobucket.com/albums/yy217/gferlitsch/YewBuildALong/YewBuildAlong_89.jpg)
Next up – applying sinew backing
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Gordon, your build-a-longs are great. I am really looking forward to seeing how you glue the sinew down. Thanks for sharing this with us.
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To be honest, this is likely to be the weakest part of my build-a-long because I've not sinew backed many bows. So if anyone wants to contribute helpful hints please feel free to do so.
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Gordon, Looking great so far. One thing that helps is rolling the sinew while pounding. It will help loosen the outer casing and breaks up better. I use a hammer with a slightly larger head (About 2lbs.) and just let the weight of the hammer do the work. I will roll and pound until the whole tendon appears swollen and is flexable. Then I start shredding. You are absolutely right about needing the smaller strips as well. It will help to keep from having joint overlap in the same places.
I always have the crock pot beside while stripping and just throw in the casings and any scraps that I don't want to mess with. You have a great buildalong going here!
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Thank Keenan, I will definitely use that trick next time. I kept my scraps - I figure I will make some glue from it.
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Pardon Sir.
Have you weighed out your processed sinew?
I'd be interested to know how much you use in backing this bow.
Maybe weigh the processed sinew before, and then weigh what is left over after...
Still trying to get a handle on roughly how much sinew to expect to use in backing a bow.
More specially when sending processed sinew out to someone for their bow backing needs.
Thank You,
-gus
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coming along nicely Gordon, love the fact you are showing the sinewing process.
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loving this build-a-long. great job on the bow so far, but I had no doubt from the start. your work is always first class. are you going to take this bow into the eagles this year?
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Unreal, Great built-a-long.
Just finishing up a selfbow from a limb, not sire if I have the patience or expertise to do a self bow from a stave.
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What a treat to find this in progress after a 7 week holiday from the computer. Great looking bow project and wonderful build along and photos.
Are you concerned about the knot at the edge of the bottom fade? Is it solid or encased? Will you leave it as is or consider drilling it out and using a Dutchman?
Kudos for doing the build along in real time - feel like I'm right there with you...
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Gus, I have not weighed the sinew, but I will try to do that before applying the backing.
Dave, for my Eagle Cap trip this year I'm actually favoring a short osage bow that I recently built. But if this one turns out well, who knows...
Shaun, I'm not too concerned about that knot. It seems solid and I have dealt with larger edge knots with yew in the past with no problem.
I plan on applying the first course of sinew this weekend. Stay tuned for more pictures.
Thank you all for the really nice comments.
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I can't believe I've missed this 'till just now. A marvel to say the least.
Very well taught sir, you are among the greats for sure!
Mark
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I rough out the bow’s thickness taper with a hatchet using the taper lines as my guide.
(http://i793.photobucket.com/albums/yy217/gferlitsch/YewBuildALong/P1010076.jpg)
PB Just fainted. . . .
ACK! I'm 1/2 a mind to buy you a band saw so you can seend me the belly sliver scraps end cuts and such. Thats pricy mulch.
Question. what is that wood handled spokeshave. It looks like a scraper shave.
Nother question: I see short pieces of yew floating around the shop... what happens to those?
Ya know what would be kinda neat. A YEW bow fishing spool. Swirly crazy grain is perfectly good in this application. . . .If you'd ever want a Yew one I can turn it for you. I have some willow ones right now.
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Great build along Gordon. I am watching it with anticipation. Hey what'd ya do to your foot to get it to turn all black like that? >:D Or are you just part gorilla ;)
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Thank you for the nice words Mark.
Scott, I actually have a bandsaw and I use it a lot. But I wanted folks who are newer to the craft to benefit from the build-a-long and many of them don't have access to power tools. The wood handled tool you are referring to is a scraper. It's called a Bowyer's edge and is sold by Dean Torges. I use this tool a lot. I typically use the shorter yew pieces for handles. If you want to make some bow reels out of it, that would be pretty cool. I'd be happy to send you some.
Thanks for the compliment Randman. I actually use those shoes for hunting. They are quiet and you can feel every stick and twig under your feet which is great when you are stalking elk.
Gotta go now and mix up the hide glue.
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Today I will be applying the sinew backing to the bow. I start by mixing up the glue. I’ll be using a mixture of dried hide glue flakes that I got from a woodworking store and some Knox unflavored gelatin. I’m using a mixture because I don’t have enough dried hide glue for the whole job. I put the mixture in about 2 cups of water in a stainless steel bow and slowly heat it to about 140 degrees using a crock pot as a double boiler. In about 2 hours I have a nice amber colored glue about the consistency of light syrup.
(http://i793.photobucket.com/albums/yy217/gferlitsch/YewBuildALong/YewBuildAlong_102.jpg)
While the glue is heating, I prepare the bow for the sinew job. First I sand the back with 60-grit paper to rough it up a bit. I then put small groves into the surface of the back by running a toothing plane blade along the length of each limb. The surface needs to be absolutely free of contaminants to ensure good glue adhesion so I wipe it down with acetone. After the acetone has flashed I rinse the limbs with boiling water.
(http://i793.photobucket.com/albums/yy217/gferlitsch/YewBuildALong/YewBuildAlong_90.jpg)
(http://i793.photobucket.com/albums/yy217/gferlitsch/YewBuildALong/YewBuildAlong_91.jpg)
(http://i793.photobucket.com/albums/yy217/gferlitsch/YewBuildALong/YewBuildAlong_92.jpg)
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The final preparation step is to size the surface with glue. This step is necessary to ensure that there will be a good bond between sinew and wood. I apply 3 coats of warm hide glue using a clean brush and let the glue dry between applications.
(http://i793.photobucket.com/albums/yy217/gferlitsch/YewBuildALong/YewBuildAlong_93.jpg)
Now I am ready to begin applying sinew to the bow. I begin by laying out bundles of different lengths sinew on my bench. Each bundle is made up of about 5-7 strands of sinew.
(http://i793.photobucket.com/albums/yy217/gferlitsch/YewBuildALong/YewBuildAlong_94.jpg)
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I’m going to lay the first row of sinew down the center of the limbs. I start by taking a bundle of long sinew strands and swirl it in the warm hide glue for several minutes until it is saturated. I hold the bundle in the middle to prevent the ends from tangling. About midway through the process I move my hold to a different spot to allow the sinew that was between my fingers to become saturated with glue. After the bundle is saturated, I gently squeeze the excess glue from the bundle and then I comb the fibers straight to prevent them from crossing over when I lay them down.
(http://i793.photobucket.com/albums/yy217/gferlitsch/YewBuildALong/YewBuildAlong_95.jpg)
(http://i793.photobucket.com/albums/yy217/gferlitsch/YewBuildALong/YewBuildAlong_96.jpg)
(http://i793.photobucket.com/albums/yy217/gferlitsch/YewBuildALong/YewBuildAlong_97.jpg)
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I center the first bundle down the handle of the bow and then starting from the center of the bundle I run a wooden dowel toward the ends to smooth the bundle and push it into the surface. I then place additional bundles end to end until I have a continuous strip of sinew down the center of the bow.
(http://i793.photobucket.com/albums/yy217/gferlitsch/YewBuildALong/YewBuildAlong_98.jpg)
(http://i793.photobucket.com/albums/yy217/gferlitsch/YewBuildALong/YewBuildAlong_99.jpg)
Next I place bundles to each side of the center bundle making sure to stagger the joints between bundles so that no weak spot is created across the limb. I continue the process until the entire limb is covered with sinew. This is what the bow looks like after applying the first course of sinew.
(http://i793.photobucket.com/albums/yy217/gferlitsch/YewBuildALong/YewBuildAlong_100.jpg)
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After the first course of sinew is down, I let it set for about an hour and then size it with glue in preparation for applying the next course. Some folks let the sinew cure between courses, but I don’t see any compelling advantage in doing it that way – it just makes the job longer and more complicated in my opinion.
I begin the second course of sinew by butting two long bundles at the center – recall that I centered the first bundle of the previous course with the center of the handle. I do this to ensure that the strips for this course will be staggered with the strips from the first course. Again, I want to stagger the sinew strips so that I do not create a weak spot on the limb.
After applying the second course I apply a final ½ course down the center of the limbs to create a bit of a crown. I then use small lengths of sinew to fill any obvious gaps and unevenness in the backing surface.
I let the sinew setup overnight and then string the bow backward to help induce reflex as the sinew cures.
(http://i793.photobucket.com/albums/yy217/gferlitsch/YewBuildALong/YewBuildAlong_101.jpg)
I now need to let the backing cure before I do anything else. So it will be a while before I post any more steps.
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Looking great Gordon. How long do you let the sinew dry before finishing the bow? The wait is going to be agonizing.
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I think it will be at least a month before I can do anything else with this bow.
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Fine work Gordon! Good idea to comb the sinew at the last to prevent cross over. It will be tough to wait a month for the next installment.
Also; clean shop, respect for tools (standard and low angle block planes set on their sides to protect the blades), stainless steel Stanley coffee thermos - small things that indicate craftsmanship and an attention to detail that is reflected in your finished bows.
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Gordon, master of buildalongs........
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Great job, as usual, Gordon. It'll be hard to wait a month!! :'(
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Gordon, master of buildalongs........
exactly!
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What, no pictures of sinew stuck to every part of your hands and arms.... :o You're missing half of the fun of a sinew job. Wow, I have never spent the time to lay out the sinew, looks like it would really be handy that way. I've also never combed out my sinew and I'm definitely trying that next time. I love build-a-longs. Doesn't matter how many times you've done what's being presented, you always learn something new. :)
George
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What, no pictures of sinew stuck to every part of your hands and arms.... :o You're missing half of the fun of a sinew job. Wow, I have never spent the time to lay out the sinew, looks like it would really be handy that way. I've also never combed out my sinew and I'm definitely trying that next time. I love build-a-longs. Doesn't matter how many times you've done what's being presented, you always learn something new. :)
George
There is a Youtube video on making Korean Horn Bows, in Korean, about a Korean making the traditional bows. In that he's sinewing it the same way and using a metal comb. Like a realy fine one. It looked similar to a flea comb like you might get at the pet store to combing out your dog after a flea bath. ALL his patches seemd to be pretty shot but they were well woven togeather and staggered.
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What a great build along and one fine piece of wood, very organized and precise, I'm sure I would
be a much better bowyer if I were that way, I love all the bows of yours I've seen on here they are
works of art and very inspireing thank you!
Jamie
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Thanks, Gordon... this is an awesome build along. There is much to be learned here.
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great lessons learned here, I am so glad you have my address to send the bow when it is completed ;)
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Have you weighed out your processed sinew? I'd be interested to know how much you use in backing this bow.
Gus, after weighing the bow before and after I estimate that I applied about 3 1/2 oz (dry) of sinew.
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Thank You Sir!
That is what I've been looking for.
Also of Great Help is seeing how far you break down your sinew.
It would seem that I've been taking my sinew down WAY to far, almost to the thickness of hair. :)
Which is very time consuming.
Regards,
-gus
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Gus, there's no rule about how fine you do it. I've seen bows where the sinew was taken very fine like you describe and the end result looked like opaque glass. It was gorgeous but for me, just too much work. You have to strike a balance between getting the look you want and how much effort in stripping you're willing to do. When I knew I was covering with snakeskin I've done some really unattractive sinew jobs. :)
George
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Gus, I will be covering the limbs with snakeskin so I'm not concerned about about getting the surface absolutely smooth.
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Oops, should'a waited another minute and you would have had it covered Gordon. :-[
George
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NP, you got it just right George :D
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Man o man, just watching you shape the handle/riser was a thing of beauty. Great build along!
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Looking picture perfect Gordon. You are a perfectionist in all you do. Well done my friend
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http://www.cornishworkshop.co.uk/scraper.html
Thinking of making this. Wonder how it will compare?
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Gordon, I have not made a bow in a long time, but your build-along really makes me want to start over again!
Great work, great build-along; you really share a lot of your distinct knowledge, thanks for that!
Looking foreward to see the finished bow!!!
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Well, it’s been a week and the sinew is looking real good and I couldn’t resist doing something on the bow. The bow has pulled nicely into reflex and I’m glad I didn’t go too crazy when I put in the recurves. The sinew is nice and hard so I’m going prepare the surface for the snake skins.
First I knock down any ridges on the surface with a freshly sharpened scraper. The sinew is hard and comes off the blade in nice and thin curls.
(http://i793.photobucket.com/albums/yy217/gferlitsch/YewBuildALong/YewBuildAlong_103.jpg)
After using the scraper I use a sharp pocket knife and create a nice bevel on the edges.
(http://i793.photobucket.com/albums/yy217/gferlitsch/YewBuildALong/YewBuildAlong_104.jpg)
Then I sand the surface of sinew smooth with 100-grit sandpaper.
(http://i793.photobucket.com/albums/yy217/gferlitsch/YewBuildALong/YewBuildAlong_105.jpg)
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At this point the ridges are gone but there are lots of little sinew tags sticking out. I take care of that by brushing the surface with warm glue. I let the glue setup for a few minutes and then rub it down with a rag that was wetted with warm water. When I am done, the surface is nice and smooth and ready for the snake skins.
(http://i793.photobucket.com/albums/yy217/gferlitsch/YewBuildALong/YewBuildAlong_106.jpg)
(http://i793.photobucket.com/albums/yy217/gferlitsch/YewBuildALong/YewBuildAlong_107.jpg)
Next up – tillering.
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(http://i793.photobucket.com/albums/yy217/gferlitsch/YewBuildALong/YewBuildAlong_97.jpg)
[/quote]
What is that radius?
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Scott, I'm sorry but I do not understand your question.
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This might be a dumb question but. I was always taught that if your going to sinew back a yew bow to remove all the sapwood. And do 2-3 layers of sinew.... Why did you leave the sapwood on? So you didn't have to put more sinew?
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This might be a dumb question but. I was always taught that if your going to sinew back a yew bow to remove all the sapwood. And do 2-3 layers of sinew.... Why did you leave the sapwood on? So you didn't have to put more sinew?
The sapwood is doing nothing other than acting as a spacer in this bow. Sapwood has a lower sg than heartwood so the limbs will work out a little lighter. It's a neat 'trick'.
Gordon - I'm sure this buildalong will help a lot of folks.
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There are no dumb questions Bryce, if i had asked the same question or if gordon would have posted a month earlier i wouldnt have removed the majority of the sapwood on my recurve......and whats worse, i decrowned the thing! When i started the project, it really made sense to me that i should decrown it. sapwood is strong in tension strength but i thought i had the sinew to do the tension work so the sapwood was not needed. That what i wanted was the compression strong heartwood. Buut now that i have worked the wood and recieved some helpful advice i see that the sapwood serves to push the sinew further from the neutral plane and the sapwood underneath the sinew is not doing much. A crowned back works the same way, making the sinew at the tip of the crown work extra. Yew is amazing and can handle nearly any and all compression tasks. also im used to workin marginal bow woods where caution is needed at evry turn to succeed, so i left flat spots for knots and imperfections. I noticed that gordon has a knot right on the belly edge of one of the limbs and pays little attention to it, i left a flat spot to reduce the local strain on the edge knot :S so the rest of the bending area is more strained than it should be, causing more set :S *sigh* read and learn i suppose :D
Gordon - thanks so much for this build-a-long! I am going to take what you have "taught" me and try a second attempt at one of these. My first worked out and shoots very well but my understanding has changed and i want to compare the old to the new :D also, if my understanding is still twisted please let me know :D haha
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Iam no stranger to yew. But why not just add more sinew to raise the nuetral plane? To where the wood does the compressing and tue sinew works out the tension?
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Iam no stranger to yew. But why not just add more sinew to raise the nuetral plane? To where the wood does the compressing and tue sinew works out the tension?
Just guessing here, ...but I'd think the answer would be something along the lines of, ...because the sapwood is already there, capable of doing the job, performs identically, costs nothing more in either effort or money, and saves both the effort and money that would be spent to remove the sap wood and add the additional sinew.
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First let me be clear to all who are following this thread - I am not an expert at sinew backed yew bows. In fact, this is my first sinew backed yew bow. Regarding the question of the sapwood - my research was inconclusive on this point. I do, however, have the benefit of having an example of a well known bowyer's work in my possession. The bow was broken when the owner over-drew it (the bow is 48" and was pulled to 30"). Because the bow is broken I've been able to deconstruct it to learn something of how it was made. On this bow the bowyer left a very thin layer of sapwood under what appear to be 2 courses of sinew. I let this inform my decision to leave the sapwood on.
I also want to clear up any confusion as to how many courses of sinew I applied to this bow. I applied 2 1/2 courses of sinew, but I applied all the courses on the same day. I saw no particular advantage in waiting for the sinew to cure between courses, and evaluating the result now, I still don't.
I don't believe the edge knot will cause me any problem based on prior experience with similar knots, but if it does start to act up, I am prepared to wrap it.
It remains to be seen if these decisions are wise and I expect I will have my answers soon as I begin the tillering process.
Thank you all for your comments and for following this thread.
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Iam no stranger to yew. But why not just add more sinew to raise the nuetral plane? To where the wood does the compressing and tue sinew works out the tension?
Just guessing here, ...but I'd think the answer would be something along the lines of, ...because the sapwood is already there, capable of doing the job, performs identically, costs nothing more in either effort or money, and saves both the effort and money that would be spent to remove the sap wood and add the additional sinew.
I disagree. Sinew and yew sapwood are not the same. Sinews shinks 4% and stretches 10X farther than wood storing more energy. As far as time and effort. That's what being a bowyers is all about. If you dont want to put out time and effort into your bows just go buy one or string up a pvc pipe or something idk. Sinew is beyond cheap and 90% of the time free whether you harvest it yourself or someone on PA will gladly throw some your way.
So let me rephrase. Is there any performance advantages to leaving the sapwood on and sinew over the back?
Compared to just heartwood and sinew. Because that's how I was told to do it......
All of the bows that I have seen that had sinew backing in local museums had no sapwood.
and I apologize if I came off jerkish that's not my intent.
Oh boy wheres Jim hamm when yah need him.
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Bryce,
Often people take things as a dogma or "The only way to do something". Not saying you are doing that, just saying sometimes we get in a mindset. I have also read Jim's an many other great bowyers books as well as having allot of hours on yew. If fact More yew experience then any other type woods. On some wood types the sapwood is worthless. I think there are some crossover thoughts to that as well, that may be a factor. Yet on yew it simply is the opposite. Yew sapwood is one of the most versatile and forgiving sapwoods that there is in. The tension strength is fantastic and it will hold the sinew very well. Probably better then the heart wood. I have not done side by side comparisons but that would be interesting.
My thoughts are that with the yew sapwood being left on there is double protection. Sapwood + Sinew for tension strength instead of just the sinew for tension.
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Is there any performance advantages to leaving the sapwood on and sinew over the back?
Compared to just heartwood and sinew. Because that's how I was told to do it
Bryce,
I really have no idea as I do not have sufficient experience with such bows to weigh in on your question. Frankly, for my first effort I'll be delighted if I simply end up with a decent build-a-long and a shootable bow.
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Perhaps I am misunderstanding the whole question. What does "the neutral plane" mean? Isn't it largely like a core in a tri-lam? Meaning it does much less or no work and therefore does not have to have the same high end material characteristics as the working portions of the limb. That's how I had envisioned the question. Hope that helps. If not I guess I'll have to go back to a clothes line and a PVC pipe... :embarassed:
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I mean the radius of the flipped tip.
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Onebowonder,
The neutral plain of a bow is an imaginary line or better stated " A place" where the wood is not in compression or tension. It is not a measurable amount but rather a place where everything above (towards the back) is under tension and everything below (towards the belly of the bow) is under compression. The mear shape or the limb can change where that point is. Example Imagine if the limb had the shape of a triangle, with the point being the top or back of the bow. The neutral point would be very close to the bottom because of greater surface area. If inverted. with the flat as the back of the bow and the point at the bottom The neutral plain would sit much higher and sure overpower and crush the bottom. If the limb profile is that of a rectangle the forces would be closer to the center and better distributed. Hope that makes sense.
Gordon. Sorry to clutter up this great buildalong. However it is great discussion for our learning.
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I know the reason why I do things. So am I correct when saying gordons sinew backing is more for protection? Very beautiful bow by the way Gordon. Like always ;D
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Yes, protection - definitely.
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The thought in the past seemed to be that the shrinking sinew had the potential to separate the sapwood from the heartwood. Don't know how often that actually happened.
While the backing Grodon is putting on will add protection it does have performance enhancing potential if the bow is drawn far enough to access it.
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Gordon i was thinking last night while reading a book on Asiatic bows. would i be correct in assuming your bow is similar to a composite bow?
(composite) (Gordon) (Reference to)
sinew = sinew = tension
------- ------------ ----------------
wood = sapwood = neutral plane
------- ------------ --------------
Horn = Yew heart = Compression
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Technically, Gordons bow IS a composite; it is composed of wood and sinew - two different materials.
The principles are the same, but the used material is not. The belly resists compression very well, while the back resists tension very well. But that's where the comparison ends. Horn is MUCH better in compression than yew heartwood. You really can't compare an Asian horn/sinew composite to a sinewed yew recurve, IMO. Both are good bows - just not comparable.
Gordon; excellent build along. Very clear way of describing the process, nice photo's and outstanding craftmanship. It's inspiring to see an experienced bowyer at work.
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nice photo's.
I gotta commend your photography skills too!
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i know that horn and yew cannot be comparable, as far a the amount of compression. as to they play a similar role in the construction.
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this bow that Gordon is building is way different than a horn composite bow. this bow would probably function fine without the sinew, but in this case the sinew is adding to the tension strength as well as adding some security. it will offset the amount of set that the heartwood take because of the increase in tension as the sinew cures. you can analize and disect it all you want, but this is really just about watching Gordon build a fantastic bow that will be a reliable and incredible work of art that we can all learn from. thank you Gordon again for this build a long.
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I agree. But for someone like me whos built only a certain type of bow for years without any other outside refferences other than the guy next door. Iam new to PA and am seeing bows I've never seen built so I'm gonna ask questions and learn. Last post on the subject.
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Bryce, The neutral plane is not a measureable substance in any way. It is simply the point at witch it goes from tension wood to compresion. An imaginary line that is to thin to even compare to a hair!
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Si senior 8)
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Dave is correct, this bow could certainly function without backing but the sinew should allow it to safely hold more reflex and thus store more energy. That said, sinew is heavier than wood so you will lose more energy when loosing an arrow. My hope is that I'll gain more than I lose and come out ahead. We'll see...
Good discussion!
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Great project, Gordon. Beautiful work as always, and the information in this thread is invaluable. Much to be learned. Thanks for taking the time to post.
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gordon dont be modest this thing is gonna be a missile shooter 8)
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Can't believe I missed this until today! Great build-along Gordon; got me wanting to order up a yew stave now.
From what I understand on sinew, considering a yew bow with a thin sapwood layer needs none, is that the sinew is even more stretchy than the sapwood, and so will take some of the compression off the belly and helping the bow to retain more reflex. This point has already been mentioned in the thread. Another point mentioned, is that sinew is heavier than wood. Removing all the sapwood and filling the gap with extra courses of sinew would place some of the sinew well below the working plane, where it wouldn't be doing much work. It would also raise the mass of the limbs, robbing them of performance. I'm not sure what it might be, but there must be an optimum thickness for sinew on yew, that you could use regardless of the presence of sapwood. If it is truly necessary to remove the sapwood due to delamination issues, it would make more sense to make up the thickness with more heartwood, rather than more sinew. I honestly don't see much difference between two and a half courses or three courses.
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Even three courses of sinew is a pretty thin when cured (relative to sapwood) so I think it is probably all working. I don't honestly know if I opened myself up to delaminations issues by keeping a thin layer of sapwood. The curing sinew has definitely pulled the bow into a more reflexed shape and I don't see any evidence of a problem yet. I expect I will find out this weekend when I tiller it. Performance wise, there probably isn't much difference between 2 1/2 courses and 3. I did it this way because I wanted to create a bit more of a crown on the back which made smoothing the sinew surface somewhat easier.
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I’ve let the sinew backing cure for a couple of weeks and it is looking good. So today I am going to tiller the bow. The bow feels a little heavy so I take about 20 even scraps off of each limb using a card scraper. It’s now ready to be braced for the first time.
For the first brace I like to keep the brace height fairly low. I don’t want to unnecessarily stress the limbs in case the tiller is off. The lower limb is a bit strong, and one of the tips is slightly out of alignment – not bad for the first brace.
(http://i793.photobucket.com/albums/yy217/gferlitsch/YewBuildALong/YewBuildAlong_108.jpg)
I fix the alignment problem by clamping the bow in my vice and gently heating the problem area while hanging some weights off of the tip. You don’t want to get the limb too hot or you may end up with a delamination. I keep the heat gun on the lowest setting and sweep it evenly across the belly from a safe distance. This ensures that the core will heat gradually and settle into the desired position. When I am done, I let the bow cool for about one hour before I string the bow again. I got lucky and the procedure worked as intended – the tips align perfectly.
(http://i793.photobucket.com/albums/yy217/gferlitsch/YewBuildALong/YewBuildAlong_109.jpg)
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The fades are a little proud so I take a little off of each to let the limbs bend right into the transition. With short limbs you want to get as much area working for you as possible.
(http://i793.photobucket.com/albums/yy217/gferlitsch/YewBuildALong/YewBuildAlong_110.jpg)
After bracing and exercising the bow, I measure the brace at a point about 6” from center on each limb. I like the top limb to be a little softer than the bottom so I shoot for a 3/16” to ¼” positive tiller. The lower limb is still a bit stiff so I take about 10 even scraps off the bottom limb.
(http://i793.photobucket.com/albums/yy217/gferlitsch/YewBuildALong/YewBuildAlong_111.jpg)
(http://i793.photobucket.com/albums/yy217/gferlitsch/YewBuildALong/YewBuildAlong_112.jpg)
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The tiller is looking good at brace now. I’m at 3/16” positive tiller and I don’t see any problem areas. She’s ready to be pulled.
(http://i793.photobucket.com/albums/yy217/gferlitsch/YewBuildALong/YewBuildAlong_113.jpg)
Now I take her down to about 23”. I don’t see any problem areas so I exercise her a bit.
(http://i793.photobucket.com/albums/yy217/gferlitsch/YewBuildALong/YewBuildAlong_114.jpg)
Tiller is stable and she’s not losing weight so I take her all the way.
And here she is - 57” ntn, 55# @ 27”. Tillering this girl was a breeze – sometimes you just get lucky.
(http://i793.photobucket.com/albums/yy217/gferlitsch/YewBuildALong/YewBuildAlong_115.jpg)
The bow lost some of the reflex that was induced by the shrinking sinew, but it is still looking really good at rest. It’s got plenty of early draw weight and the string is nice and taut when I pluck it. I’m pleased with it.
(http://i793.photobucket.com/albums/yy217/gferlitsch/YewBuildALong/YewBuildAlong_116.jpg)
Next up – applying snake skins.
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Oh my wow
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Oh my wow
My feelings exactly. What a fine bow. The last picture is the best one,... with absolutely no set. :laugh:
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looking great Gordon. Love the grains in the handle and riser area.
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That tiller is beautiful Gordon.
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When this build-a-long is finished could we get it saved in the archive page please?
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Excellent work I vote again for archive!
Josh
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Gordon you make the best build a long's i've ever seen, Bub
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Great build along, love the side view profile- sweet lines.
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Simply amazing Gordon. I love how those working recurves almost straighten out at full draw, beautiful.
Julian
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Lookin good, Gordon. Well worth the wait...
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Sigh.... Some day.
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Best buildalong I have seen so far. Gordon sets a great example here of taking as long as it takes to get the results he is looking for, no short cuts!! The end result speaks for itself. Steve
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that has got to be one of the best ones you have done.....i really,really hope you get some thing this year with it....john
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When this build-a-long is finished could we get it saved in the archive page please?
agreed
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Well you sounded pleased on the phone today, and I certainly see why. Absolutely beautiful....The whole build-along is just great. Thank you
Dave H
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That is looking awesome Gordon. Your tiller looks perfect and great balance on the flipped tips. I'm betting that will have some great speed and be a pleasure to shoot.
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aweomse bow Gordon! The snake skins should look beautiful. Will this be a hunting bow?
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I think it would be a good one for the bow trade!! ;)
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Outstanding job Gordon, perfect tiller, gorgeous lines, just beautiful.
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This has been really great to watch. What a build-a-long and what a bow! I bet it is a fast one too.
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Graceful line at unbraced, braced and fulll draw!
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Really impressive work! Thanks for sharing this!
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Wow, I really appreciate all the great comments. Thank you all so much!
Jude, I like bows with working recurves. Though they somewhat tricky to pull off because if you leave them too soft they have a tendancy to pull out during tillering.
Youngbowyer, I make most of my bows hunting "capable". So yes, I expect I will sometimes use it for that purpose.
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I've been away so I missed this buildalong. Excellent buildalong, Gordon. Congratulations on a beautiful bow. Jawge
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Excellent work Gordon!!
Really like the way you've got those curves working... That really separates the boys from the bowyer sir, Excellent!!!
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BOM possibly ????
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I really LOVE this bow Gordon. Has it a name yet? It's certainly pretty enough to warrant one!
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Great, great...just great buildalong.
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Form amazing work gordon one of my favourite bows is a yew bow you made one time and this bow will be awesome. With this bow did you use a long string or did you put it at a low brace first??? Thanks for sharing gordon.
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Dazv, I did not use a long string to tiller the bow after the sinew job.
Thank you all again for the great comments.
I expect I will be posting more this weekend.
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Is there a reason for using such a broad tillering stick and clamp on the grip? I recently read the book "Target Archery" by Elmer, and in one passage he explains why it is important to use a narrow tillering stick. A broad tillering stick does not allow you to specify where on the grip you want the pressure/pivot point. This blurres the slight differences that is needed between the upper and lower limb. Part of this is also that the pressure point on the string should be somewhat higher than the pressure point on the grip. Only an Apache draw with all fingers under the arrow would allow the bow to be tillered with the pressure on the string directly beneath the pressure point of the grip.
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I don't kvilgo. I'm an engineer by profession and as strange as it may sound the reason I like building primitive bows is because I don't have to overthink it. I suppose it is an escape of sorts. I just let my hands, tools and the wood do what they want and things just seem to turn out alright more often than not. Now a days I don't use my tillering tree for much more than exercising the bow and measuring draw weight (though I can estimate draw weight fairly accurately without it). What I've found is if I make the upper limb a little longer and softer, leave the tips a tad stiff, properly align the string with the handle and get both limbs working nicely the end result will generally perform pretty well. And that's good enough for me.
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I knew you'd say that Gordon ;) What's "needed" by some is not necessarily needed by all! If it feels good, looks good, shoots good, what else matters?
I'm lovin this build along. Thanks for taking the time!
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Gordon, I love the rounded belly on this bow and the hazelnut build a-long. My question is when and why should one round the belly of a bow?
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Thank you Cameroo, you seem to understand.
Hedgeapple, one reason that I will round a belly is because it creates visually pleasing lines when done correctly. That said, some woods will tolerate a rounded belly more than others. Compression strong woods such as yew and osage lend themselves very well to a rounded belly. Other woods such as ash and serviceberry should generally be left flat. A practical reason for a rounded belly is to direct compression forces away from the edges which is useful if there are knots along the edges that might otherwise be a problem. Another is that it is easier to reduce weight without changing the tiller when the belly is rounded by scraping along the outer edges. But in the end, the main reason that I do it is because I can.
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Gordon, I love the rounded belly on this bow and the hazelnut build a-long. My question is when and why should one round the belly of a bow?
With heavily ring porous woods like osage a rounded belly means you don't end up with those weak spots in a limb where the latewood ends and the next softer earlywood ring shows. If an earlywood ring occupies too much of the limb width it's a perfect place for a hinge to start. If you round the belly then instead of occuping virtually the entire width of the limb the earlywood rings will feather out to a point. Also some woods just like to be rounded somewhat, like yew,labernum etc. It's a good idea with most woods to employ a rouneded (slightly) belly when coming out of the fades then 'morph' into a flat belly for the rest of the limb. As Gordon says it's also much more pleasing on the eye. When things look right they normally are :)
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Thanks Gordon and Mike. You guys answered my question and them some question that I didn't know I had.
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Wondrous artistry, so beautiful to behold, I can only wonder how marvelous is must be to shoot.
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Hehe, I guess that's a good enough reason, Gordon :) I have just gotten so used to working with a narrow tiller and the advantages it has, so I thought I would share it. Of course, there are many ways of getting the same result. Seeing the bow being drawn by hand is probably just as good. However, I don't think this is to overthink the issue. Too many beginners do this mistake by tillering the bows symmetrically, not taking into account that the bow then will end up with a weak lower limb when drawn by hand.
Brilliant bow, btw!
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Too many beginners do this mistake by tillering the bows symmetrically, not taking into account that the bow then will end up with a weak lower limb when drawn by hand.
Yes, I agree with this.
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Gordon,
Thanks for taking the time to do this build along. I've been following closely. Awesome work!
When I first started making bows about a year ago I spent a lot of time studying your Hackberry build along. I learned a lot! So thanks for that as well.
I'm currently building a recurve myself and I've bent the tips using steam and a form I made from a 2x6 and trying to copy the one you have here. Now I have an issue with string alignment which I'm trying to correct.
I've never used dry heat but have a heat gun that seems to work pretty well. My question is how long do you need to heat the bow before the wood starts to respond...I have to say I'm a little worried about over bending it to the other side....
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Arrowind,
First, thank you for the nice compliments. You have to be careful using dry heat on an area that has already been bent by steam or boiling. The reason is that the original bend may come undone if you apply too much heat. So the answer to your question is that you apply only enough heat to get the job done and not a bit more. The way I do this is by utilizing weights to bend the wood while I am applying heat. I show and describe the process in this build-a-long. One caveat though, you should only employ this technique if the adjustment required is relatively small. For larger adjustments I recommend aligning the limbs by bending the handle using steam and a press. I also show this technique in the build-a-long. Good luck!
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Outstanding work.
I thank you for the time you put into creating these build alongs. In case you are not sure, they are very much appreciated as they are a much better learning tool than any book could relay. I anxiously await the next installment. Thank you.
Russ
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Outstanding work.
I thank you for the time you put into creating these build alongs. In case you are not sure, they are very much appreciated as they are a much better learning tool than any book could relay. I anxiously await the next installment. Thank you.
Russ
wholeheartedly agree!
thanks gordon
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Thank you all for the really nice comments.
I'll be posting another batch of pictures this weekend that show applying skins to the bow and wrapping the tips.
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Waiting is the hardest part. :P But the wait is well worth it. Thank you for all you put into these build alongs. They are the best!
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Nice build along Gordon.
I've never made a sinew backed Yew but the rumoured potential for the sinew to pull the sapwood apart is definitely there, I have seen it happen on other projects I have worked on. It's not something that happens right away but something that can happen over time.
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I hear you Marc. I became aware of the same rumors after I had backed the bow, but I could not find any reports where the rumor was substantiated. What I can say is that I modeled this bow closely after a bow that was reportedly constructed by Steve Alley. The bow was broken so I was able to deconstruct it and saw that the sinew was affixed to a thinned layer of sapwood. So I just did the same without thinking about it much.
In retrospect I might not make the same decision today. As for this bow we shall see what happens. If the backing holds, great; if not, then I will let everyone on this forum know and we’ll have learned something useful.
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Gordon, could you add some sinew wraps around the bow at 4"-6" intervals along the limbs to possibly counteract any possible separation of the sap/heartwood?
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My money is on longevoity Gordon. Bet she lasts for decades.
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Gordon, could you add some sinew wraps around the bow at 4"-6" intervals along the limbs to possibly counteract any possible separation of the sap/heartwood?
I could, but I'm curious now and would like to put this theory to a test. Of course if the backing survives that doesn't prove much other than this particular bow was resilent. But if the backing does fail by pulling up the sapwood, then that pretty much settles the question for me. To faciliate the test I'm going to run the bow through a "torture" test using my tillering tree. I figure if it survives 1,000 full draws it's probably fine. If not, well there's always next time...
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I understand Gordon...all in the name of Science, right >:D
Cheers!
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Science? Nah, I've gotten this far already - I just feel like going for it. I'm betting she survives the test. So that makes 2 of us so far - shall we start a pool?
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count me in the "Survival" Pool...
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And just to make things more interesting: Keenan, if this baby survives I'm betting that she slings an arrow further than anything your side brings to the competition in May. Let the games begin! >:D
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my money is on you Gordon, Bub
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Nothin' like a betting man with a little "swagger"... LOL 8)
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I'm betting on it survives.
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I'm betting it survives and will gladly accept the challenge Gordon except we need to make it an even challenge for bow performance purposes. Since I only have a 25" draw and we all know that a longer draw is an aid, we will have to balance the scales a little. Equal draw lengths, &/or equal poundage. >:D :o
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my money is on you Gordon, Bub
same here
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Good point Keenan. Better get another bow started right away!
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Another two cents here for the survival side of the ledger.
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Keenan, on behalf of the West Siders I accept your terms! ;D
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I bet it will survive.. I vote that you and keenan both make identical design bows from the same type of wood, and see which one shoots farther.... And post the results... >:D >:D >:D
Jon
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this is a win-win situation here,get to see more bows by Gordon and Keenan, Bub
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No, they shouldn't have to be identical designs. Just same draw length and weight...
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It took more than 4 years for the sinew to pull the edges of a backing from a core in the incident I was referring to so I wouldn't worry about it right away.
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Gordon, you better hope ol' Keenan doesn't pull a "Carp e Diem" on ya ;D
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It took more than 4 years for the sinew to pull the edges of a backing from a core in the incident I was referring to so I wouldn't worry about it right away.
Ha! 4 years is plenty of time to put away old "Carp e Diem" >:D
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Go West-side!
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Sweet, there is a west-side, east-side rivalry! I can't wait for the central oregon bowyer gathering. Can't wait to see this bow there, Gordon.
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I don't know who is on which side...but I say the lady lasts a long time and she'll be hard to beat!!
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I don't know who is on which side...but I say the lady lasts a long time and she'll be hard to beat!!
Who you callin' a Lady Kenny?? LOL >:D
(I know what ya meant...)
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Sweet, there is a west-side, east-side rivalry! I can't wait for the central oregon bowyer gathering.
Oh yea, you'll see...
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Now I'm stoked. Was kinda on the fence on going. But now I'm going.
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I just now read through this- great build-a-long Gordon. Thanks for putting in the effort of doing this!
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;D ;D ;D :o Let the games begin! >:D >:D
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I was just looking and noticed your bow 55 lbs. at 27" and Carp e Diem is 60 at 25" That may just ballence out for a fair shoot out! :o
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Finely read through it all,very fine build along and a sweet looking bow,Sleek and love the curves and tiller.Very nice work Gordon, can't wait to see it all dolled up the way you do all of your bows. :)Thanks very much appreciated. :):)
Pappy
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I was just looking and noticed your bow 55 lbs. at 27" and Carp e Diem is 60 at 25" That may just ballence out for a fair shoot out!
Hmm, it looks like my girl may have to spend a little time in the "tanning" booth before we lock horns. :D
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I guess We'll have to be "South Central" down here in Tejas!
:)
-gus
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We're talking east and west of the Cascades in Oregon. We're going to have a gathering in May out in Sisters, OR. Maybe Gordon should stand on the west side of Mount Hood and Keenan can be on the east side and they can see who can shoot over the mountain and get the closest to the other person. >:D
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Yes, I was just being silly...
But Hey, a guy can hope!
:)
-gus
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Gordan great build along! I think you have inspired me to try a recurve on the last piece of yew, that I have. Boy I can't wait for the Sisters shin dig, Gordan vs. Keenan cool is this the main event or just an appetiser. >:D
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The main event: Carp Zilla vrs. King Yew :D
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;D ;D
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where do you come up with these names.. ;D
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Man, makes me wish I could go cross the mountain this year. That would be great to see in person. Joel
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Great build along .....sometimes its ok to be in the middle and watch the carnage unfold >:D best of luck to both of you
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How about a clout or wand?
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Maybe we could have a good old fashion dual at sunrise! >:D >:D Rubber blunts, take twenty paces turn and fire >:D >:D I get to be on the east side because I'm on the east team ;D No we can't do it at sunset.
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There is a reason it is always high noon! >:D Typical eastsiders. ;)
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Before applying the snake skins I dye the back using Medium Brown leather dye. I do this because it will help bring out the pattern on the skins. Some folks prefer that the skins have a more subdued look and that’s okay, but I like the pattern to pop out.
(http://i793.photobucket.com/albums/yy217/gferlitsch/YewBuildALong/YewBuildAlong_117.jpg)
I’m going to wrap the tips with sinew, so before the skins go on I apply the length-wise strands of sinew. I work the sinew down to fine strands, size the tips with warm hide glue and then apply the sinew to the tips on strand at a time. I make sure that I lay down several strands in the string groves to provide reinforcement.
(http://i793.photobucket.com/albums/yy217/gferlitsch/YewBuildALong/YewBuildAlong_119.jpg)
(http://i793.photobucket.com/albums/yy217/gferlitsch/YewBuildALong/YewBuildAlong_118.jpg)
(http://i793.photobucket.com/albums/yy217/gferlitsch/YewBuildALong/YewBuildAlong_120.jpg)
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I let the sinew cure for a couple for a couple of days and then use a knife blade to even the surface out a bit.
(http://i793.photobucket.com/albums/yy217/gferlitsch/YewBuildALong/YewBuildAlong_121.jpg)
Now I prepare the snake skins by soaking them in warm (not hot) water for about 15 minutes. After they are hydrated I lay them on a clean towel to blot any excess moisture.
(http://i793.photobucket.com/albums/yy217/gferlitsch/YewBuildALong/YewBuildAlong_123.jpg)
(http://i793.photobucket.com/albums/yy217/gferlitsch/YewBuildALong/YewBuildAlong_124.jpg)
In the meantime I apply a thin coat of liquid hide glue to the back. A lot of folks don’t think much of liquid hide glue, but in my opinion it is one of the best adhesives for applying snake skin and rawhide. It sticks to snake skin and rawhide like crazy and when it is dry you can fix air pockets using a pin and a warm iron – try doing that with white glue.
(http://i793.photobucket.com/albums/yy217/gferlitsch/YewBuildALong/YewBuildAlong_122.jpg)
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Before the glue has set I apply the skin to the limb and work out air pockets with a wooden dowel. It is very important to get out the air pockets because air pockets will result in unsightly cracks in the finish. Then I trim the skin using a razor blade. It is not necessary to wrap the limbs with an ace bandage because the hide glue firmly holds the skin to the back. I then repeat the process with the other limb.
(http://i793.photobucket.com/albums/yy217/gferlitsch/YewBuildALong/YewBuildAlong_126.jpg)
(http://i793.photobucket.com/albums/yy217/gferlitsch/YewBuildALong/YewBuildAlong_127.jpg)
After letting the glue cure for 24 hours, I remove the scales by gently running course steel wool over the surface in the direction of the scales. I’ve also used tape to remove the scales, but I think steel wool works much better. After I’ve removed as many of the scales as I can with the steel wool, I use my finger nail to remove any lingering scale fragments.
(http://i793.photobucket.com/albums/yy217/gferlitsch/YewBuildALong/YewBuildAlong_128.jpg)
(http://i793.photobucket.com/albums/yy217/gferlitsch/YewBuildALong/YewBuildAlong_129.jpg)
After removing the scales, I trim the edges of the skin with 150 grit sandpaper and a block. To ensure you get a nice clean edge always sand toward the belly and in the direction of the scales.
(http://i793.photobucket.com/albums/yy217/gferlitsch/YewBuildALong/YewBuildAlong_130.jpg)
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Now I finish wrapping the tips with sinew and let the wraps overlap the skins by a bit.
(http://i793.photobucket.com/albums/yy217/gferlitsch/YewBuildALong/YewBuildAlong_131.jpg)
(http://i793.photobucket.com/albums/yy217/gferlitsch/YewBuildALong/YewBuildAlong_132.jpg)
I set the bow aside in a warm room for a week to let any residual moisture from the skinning escape from the bow. I then sand the entire bow to remove any dried glue, remaining tool marks and scratches. I then “fix” the skins by applying two coats of super-glue. After than I apply a coat of shellac to the back, tips and belly as a primer. I use shellac as a primer because shellac is one of those wondrous materials that just about everything will stick to.
(http://i793.photobucket.com/albums/yy217/gferlitsch/YewBuildALong/YewBuildAlong_133.jpg)
(http://i793.photobucket.com/albums/yy217/gferlitsch/YewBuildALong/YewBuildAlong_134.jpg)
(http://i793.photobucket.com/albums/yy217/gferlitsch/YewBuildALong/YewBuildAlong_135.jpg)
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I finish the tips by painting them with a black acrylic paint. The bow is now ready for the final finish to be applied.
(http://i793.photobucket.com/albums/yy217/gferlitsch/YewBuildALong/YewBuildAlong_136.jpg)
(http://i793.photobucket.com/albums/yy217/gferlitsch/YewBuildALong/YewBuildAlong_137.jpg)
Next up, building out the handle and applying a finish to the bow.
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Wonderful!
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that is going to be a sweet shooter.i have one question...when you come to the gathering can i shoot it..john
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John, of course you can shoot it. I'm looking forward to seeing your family and you again.
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that is one awesome looking bow. well done and also a fantastic build along. :D
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I saw a movie, the other night. One of the characters in the movie was a distinguished gentlemen whose hobby was painting tiny statues under a microscope. He had the patience of Job. I couldn't help but think of Gordon and his slow, meticulous, deliberate, technique at putting together these pieces of art. Thanks, Gordon for the education I get from these build-alongs.
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Oh man!
I may have missed it but what is the length of this bow?
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Outstanding! Great skin backing demo.
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I may have missed it but what is the length of this bow?
The bow is 57" ntn.
Thank you all for the really nice compliments.
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Amazing work! I wish I had thought of titebond liquid hide blue for the sturgeon skin job I just did. I was going back and forth between titebond III and sinew glue and went with sinew glue, but that brown bottle probably would have worked great.
Is that the thin titebond instant bond you used? Is that better than the medium for that purpose? I ask because I already have the medium on hand.
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Is that the thin titebond instant bond you used? Is that better than the medium for that purpose?
The bottle says "Titebond Liquid Hide Glue". It's not thin that's for sure. I keep the bottle in my refrigerator and when I need it, I warm the glue by setting the bottle in hot water for a while and then the glue spreads easily. It's the cat's meow when you need to lay down skins or rawhide.
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I think he's talking about the ca glue. I had the same question.
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Oh, I see what the question is now. I use the thin (Instant Bond) ca for fixing the skins. I don't think you would want to use thicker glue for this purpose.
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WOW excellent work!!! Hope to see this one in person at the gathering!
Josh
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Is that what you are applying with the cloth?
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I use a clean cotton cloth for applying the superglue and cheese cloth for applying the shellac.
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Gordon,
What do you mean by "fixing" the skins with superglue? Is the superglue holding the scales down flat before putting on your finish? I have never done that. I have just been putting tru-oil on over the skins. Thanks again for the build-a-long and answering all the questions we have.
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Where did you find that big 8 oz. bottle of the Titebond CA? I didn't even know they made crazy glue, I've never seen it in stores.
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Osage, even after removing the scales there is a waxy film that remains and you have to scrape that off with your finger. But you will never get all of it and the problem is that regular finish doesn't adhere very well to this film and results in micro cracks in the finish. The cracks don't affect the performance of a bow at all, but I'm kind of picky about how my finishes look. It used to drive me crazy until I figured out the super glue trick. The super glue permanently fixes the remaining scale fragements in place so they won't be a problem and when covered with a primer coat of shellac, the finish will adhere perfectly - problem solved. Also the superglue helps preserve the original colors of the skins.
Cameroo, I purchased the Titebond CA from Woodcraft. They are a wood working supply chain store.
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Great build Gordon...
I missed it somewhere.... what are you applying the superglue over the skins with?
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Thanks Gordon. Your attention to detail is amazing.
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Coaster, to apply the super glue I use a sheet of cotton cloth that I have folded over several time. I soak the cloth with super glue then quickly swipe it over the limbs. The superglue will dry almost instantly.
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Gordon,
Thanks again for taking the time and doing this. It's AWESOME and so helpful.
It may be a dumb question but I have to ask...
Do you ever use the Titebond Hide Glue for sinew? Why or why not?
Thanks!
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Arrowind,
I've never tried liquid hide glue for sinew. I don't think I would want to use it because 1) it would be a sticky mess (good for skins, a pain for sinew) and 2) it would probably take too long to cure.
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Gordon, have you ever tried the fish glue form Lee Vally. I used to use it for backings and sinew because it dried clear and left the sinew with a nice natural color. It did tend to have a slightly tacky surface if your hands were sweaty but it cured nicely, Perfect if you were going to cover with a skin.
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I have not tried that glue Steve, but I will. Thank you for the tip!
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I like the look and feel of a built up handle. I’m going to build up the front of the handle using rawhide. I cut two pieces about 4” long and about ¾” wide. I glue them together using thick super-glue and then clamp in a bench vice. When the glue is cured I rough shape the piece by beveling the edges and ends using a belt sander.
(http://i793.photobucket.com/albums/yy217/gferlitsch/YewBuildALong/YewBuildAlong_138.jpg)
(http://i793.photobucket.com/albums/yy217/gferlitsch/YewBuildALong/YewBuildAlong_139.jpg)
(http://i793.photobucket.com/albums/yy217/gferlitsch/YewBuildALong/YewBuildAlong_140.jpg)
(http://i793.photobucket.com/albums/yy217/gferlitsch/YewBuildALong/YewBuildAlong_141.jpg)
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Next I glue the rawhide piece to the handle with thick super-glue and wrap the works with cord to ensure a good bond.
(http://i793.photobucket.com/albums/yy217/gferlitsch/YewBuildALong/YewBuildAlong_142.jpg)
After the glue has cured I perform the final shaping of the rawhide using a small file.
(http://i793.photobucket.com/albums/yy217/gferlitsch/YewBuildALong/YewBuildAlong_143.jpg)
After shaping I wrap the handle area with braided fishing line and then soak the works with thin super-glue.
(http://i793.photobucket.com/albums/yy217/gferlitsch/YewBuildALong/YewBuildAlong_146.jpg)
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Next I am going to fashion an arrow shelf from a piece of hardwood. I start with a piece that is about 1” by ½”. After the piece is cut I use my belt sander to rough out the rest.
(http://i793.photobucket.com/albums/yy217/gferlitsch/YewBuildALong/YewBuildAlong_147.jpg)
(http://i793.photobucket.com/albums/yy217/gferlitsch/YewBuildALong/YewBuildAlong_148.jpg)
(http://i793.photobucket.com/albums/yy217/gferlitsch/YewBuildALong/YewBuildAlong_149.jpg)
(http://i793.photobucket.com/albums/yy217/gferlitsch/YewBuildALong/YewBuildAlong_150.jpg)
(http://i793.photobucket.com/albums/yy217/gferlitsch/YewBuildALong/YewBuildAlong_151.jpg)
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I super glue the roughed out shelf to a piece of scrap that I can then clamp in a bench vice. I then use a small file and a sanding surface to shape the rest to final dimensions.
(http://i793.photobucket.com/albums/yy217/gferlitsch/YewBuildALong/YewBuildAlong_152.jpg)
(http://i793.photobucket.com/albums/yy217/gferlitsch/YewBuildALong/YewBuildAlong_153.jpg)
(http://i793.photobucket.com/albums/yy217/gferlitsch/YewBuildALong/YewBuildAlong_154.jpg)
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After shaping the rest, I gently separate the rest from the scrap piece using a chisel. I then shape the back of the rest to the handle by laying sand paper across the spot where the rest will be situated and sand the back of the rest until the surfaces mate. Unfortunately I got caught up in this task and neglected to photograph this step.
When the surfaces mate properly I glue the rest to the handle using thick super-glue.
(http://i793.photobucket.com/albums/yy217/gferlitsch/YewBuildALong/YewBuildAlong_159.jpg)
Next up – applying the finish.
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More good stuff, Gordon. Thanks!!
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What does the braided fishing line do?
I never thought of doing that with raw hide! Pet store pieces? I live next to a farm supply that sells these giant raw hide bones and I'm now wondering how to unroll them and redry them. I think it will involve a long soak. I seem to remember getting slapped by a wet raw hide my Great Dane used to play with as a child.
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WOW! What an amazing bow! Thanks for sharing.
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You are doing a wonderful job on this bow, Gordon. I have really enjoyed this buildalong as well as your hazelnut buildalong.. both are very inspiring and informative as well. Thanks for all the time and effort you have put into these I know it isn't an easy task. Your attention to detail is stunning and the way you are answering everyone's questions as you go is a great contribution to the bow making community. Some people who make bows at your level try to keep many of their secrets close to the vest, but the way you freely share all your knowledge and experience is just a reflection on the kind of person you are at heart. Thank you Gordon. You truly are an inspiration. :)
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Prairie,
The fishing line just creates a nice smooth transition from the built up area to the handle. It's probably overkill, I'm being a little obsessive. The rawhide I used was not dog chews, though I suppose you could make those work with some effort.
Thank you all for all the nice comments.
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Gordon,
I like the idea of wrapping the shaped rawhide with the fishing line to even things up. I just purchased a roll of 1" wide rawhide at Oregon Leather Works here in Eugene to do this myself. Good timing in observing how you do this. Thank you, David
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:) :) :)!
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Gordon, I have admired your work for years. This project is a real gift to all of us. Thank you for taking so many hours to record this for our inspiration and information. I do not like the arguments over principles and procedures, but you handled everyone very graciously. I am sure the bow will be a fine performer for you, if for no other reason than that you put such loving care and thought into its creation. Congratulations on another exquisite project.
Dan Spier
Marietta, GA
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very nicely done Gordon, cant wait to see it in person.
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So excited for full draw!!! This thing looks beautiful.
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Bow is looking great Gordon.
Thanks for taking the time to share your techniques with us. Some great info.
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I like to use Tru-Oil for finishing my bows. It’s waterproof, relatively inexpensive, easy to apply, rubs out nicely and, importantly, is easy to repair. I apply using the tip of my finger. It is best to put on sparingly in order to prevent runs. I apply 9 coats and let dry at least 4 hours between applications. I lightly sand the 3rd and 6th coat with 400 grit sand paper to remove embedded dust and other imperfections in the finish. It’s important to apply only light pressure when sanding or you risk sanding through to bare wood. After the last coat is applied, I let the finish stand for several days to fully cure.
(http://i793.photobucket.com/albums/yy217/gferlitsch/YewBuildALong/YewBuildAlong_160.jpg)
To complete the finish job, I will go over the finish with successively finer and finer abrasives. I start by sanding the finish with water and wet/dry 400-grit sandpaper to create a smooth and uniform surface. Then I rub that out with medium grit synthetic steel wood followed by fine grit. The final step is to rub the finish out with crushed pumice stone. I mix the pumice with vegetable oil and then apply to the finish with a clean and soft cotton rag. I start with medium grit followed by fine grit. When I am done the finish is satin smooth and completely free of imperfections.
(http://i793.photobucket.com/albums/yy217/gferlitsch/YewBuildALong/YewBuildAlong_162.jpg)
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The next step is applying the arrow pass. I mark the length of the arrow pass on a piece of suitable leather and then use a plate and Exacto knife to cut it out. This method yields an arrow pass with nicely curved sides. I stain the pass with leather dye and affix it to the bow with a thick super-glue.
(http://i793.photobucket.com/albums/yy217/gferlitsch/YewBuildALong/YewBuildAlong_164.jpg)
(http://i793.photobucket.com/albums/yy217/gferlitsch/YewBuildALong/YewBuildAlong_165.jpg)
(http://i793.photobucket.com/albums/yy217/gferlitsch/YewBuildALong/YewBuildAlong_166.jpg)
(http://i793.photobucket.com/albums/yy217/gferlitsch/YewBuildALong/YewBuildAlong_167.jpg)
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The final step is to fashion a leather handle. I’m not going to describe that in this build-a-long, but you can contact me if you are interested in learning how to do a John Strunk style handle.
And here is a picture of the final product.
(http://i793.photobucket.com/albums/yy217/gferlitsch/Sinew%20Backed%20Recurve/SinewBackedYew_04.jpg)
I've created another new thread with the bow’s vital statistics, more pictures and, of course, the hero shot:
http://www.primitivearcher.com/smf/index.php/topic,32546.0.html (http://www.primitivearcher.com/smf/index.php/topic,32546.0.html)
Thank you all so much for following my build-a-long. You comments, insights, questions, and compliments have been a wonderful addition to this journey. I can't thank you enough.
Gordon
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Gordon,
Thanks for taking the time to post the build, there is almost as much work in posting as there is in building the bow.
Sean
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Gordon,
This bow is awesome! I am interested in this handle grip type.
Thanks,
Scott
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For those interested in learning more about the handle construction please PM me.
Thanks
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So so pretty, lovely thing that is. Might want to disguise your email address Gordon to avoid webcrawlers picking it up and adding it to spam lists. Either that or just ask peoples to PM you.
Loved every minute of this build along and it will be book marked along side your hazel bow tutorial for regular reference.
Cant wait to see the posh photos.
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:-X
This is stunning.
Great thankyou for documenting how you did this, very instructive indeed.
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TTT
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Hi Gordon, It was nice to see your build along. I met you today at Sylvan archery range (Monday early pm). Your bow is absolutely beautiful.
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Hi Vanduzer. I much enjoyed meeting with you and your friends at the range. I hope to see you out there soon again.
Gordon
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ttt
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wow! awsome buildalong. keep um coming
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Thank you for the compliment. I intend to post a laminated bow build-a-long this spring.
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awsome! can't wait. you should make a youtube channel and film what you do it would realy help alot more people that way but thats just an idea
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Thanks Gordon, TTT
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Is there anyway to get this build-a-long made into a topic with just Gordon's posts/pics? I think it would make it easier to thumb through for someone using it for a guide.
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I am sure that it could be done- you just have to download all the pics, quote the text. I would do it, but I dunno what someone else would think... Its not as hard as you think.