Primitive Archer
Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: Julian on February 09, 2018, 09:11:47 pm
-
I've got a nice slab of sugar maple that I picked up, it was pricey but the only real bow wood that I've managed to get access to so far. I've roughed out a bendy handle, wide, flat limb bow. I want to maximise my chances of success here, but still come out with something pretty.
I could back it with linen, but the grain looks really good to me (it runs the whole length of the board) so I was wondering if it would be ok on its own. The board comes from one edge of a flat sawn slab, so it's effectively quarter sawn.
Here's some photos, let me know what you think?
(https://i.imgur.com/cVbR1ZH.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/g1c3nUh.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/x7Jy9ff.jpg)
-
You won't need a backing but make sure you round off the corners on the back. I have made tons of maple board bows and they make great bows. One of my favorite board bow woods.
-
You won't need a backing but make sure you round off the corners on the back. I have made tons of maple board bows and they make great bows. One of my favorite board bow woods.
Fantastic :)
How large a round-over would you do, 5mm? 1cm?
-
Just a pea size round over would be good,
-
Nice looking piece of wood – lots of potential. Could you take a picture of the side-profile (thickness) – especially in the handle area?
-
I just got out and made some shavings.
(https://i.imgur.com/vbZvDC5.jpg)
It's taking a long time for me to floor tiller the bow. feels like 100# at the moment and I've taken off what seems like heaps.
I'm having an issue with my spokeshave chattering on the maple, so I'm taking a very light depth of cut and skewing the tool. Any other advice on this? seems a shame to move to my rasp, the cutting tools leave such a nice glossy finish.
Nice looking piece of wood – lots of potential. Could you take a picture of the side-profile (thickness) – especially in the handle area?
(https://i.imgur.com/AZdFgbb.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/4DH3XLB.jpg)
-
I love Maple also, and your board looks like a gem. I have a draw knife that is razor sharp and I keep it that way for making shavings fine as a strand of hair. My other draw knives are used for removing material and smoothing after rough out with the rasp.
I turn my knife around backwards and angle it towards me about 5 to 10 degrees from 90 degrees. As it's extremely sharp, you can control the amount of material removed by adjusting downward pressure. If I used the knife as designed - as a cutting or serious wood removal, it would want to try to cut a limb deeply. Sometimes going in the opposite direction cures the chatter as well.
Using the knife backwards eliminates planes, cabinet scrapers, shaves, etc. Rasp, knife, and sand paper. All I have and use.
-
Seems like you are getting there! I'm at about the same level with my hickory stave. Think of all the nifty fire starting tinder we'll have :BB >:D! Floor tillering that stave is a challenge. Keep posting pics! I hope to get to take some today.
Hawkdancer
-
Looks good to me. I've never had a maple board that good. Be super careful to keep the thickness even side to side, too, one of the sneaky problems that seems to arise with board staves.
-
Looks good. Enjoy.
Jawge
-
Got the bow to low brace this-afternoon. Nice sunny day for it.
(https://imgur.com/DJThiwq.jpg)
(https://imgur.com/kQUqH8m.jpg)
looks good to me, any insights from those more experienced?
-
Just keep at it, not much of a pic if ya want tiller advice
-
Made quite a bit of progress. Lots of weight had to come out of the limbs before I got to full brace. Feel like I'm pulling target weight at around 20-22" now.
Excuse my messy space, I'm working in my apartment living room with a sheet down at the moment, for lack of a workshop or light outside.
Here's full brace
(https://i.imgur.com/QAYaEiZ.jpg)
Side Profile
(https://i.imgur.com/NIog2sz.jpg)
Front profile
(https://i.imgur.com/QWrThkF.jpg)
Hope that's enough to get some advice on any trouble spots to deal with before I get it to full draw. Taking an acceptable level of set, I didn't reflex it at all.
The string alignment was a little iffy at low brace, but its fixed itself at full brace, somehow. Should I worry about that? You can see in the pictures, that the not-quite-straightness of the bow is a little exaggerated. I messed it up roughing out.
-
Nice work so far, I'm no expert but you will need to post a pic of the draw so far for any one to help.
-
It's always hard to help with tiller from pics, but take your time. Look at where the bow is taking set. Asymmetrical set means something. Excessive set in one spot means something. Keep pulling it only as far as the draw weight, etc....
Looks good strung, so good so far. Boards don't try to deceive you like staves sometimes do. :P
-
It seems to me that with that front profile you going for a more elliptical tiller than circular, right now it's very circular, which means your inner 1/3 or so are doing too much bending. In the full brace pic the left limb seems to be hinging a little right past the grip, and it appears to be showing up as some set in that location in the unbraced pic (the lower limb if I am correct). Course it may be the folds in the sheets messing with my eyes.
Perhaps working the mid/outer third of the limbs from here on out would be a good idea. Or maybe somebody w better eyes will chime in :-)
-
Here is 16" on the stick.
(https://i.imgur.com/ta5uFCW.jpg)
My eyes tell me that I have stiff spots roughly in the middle of both limbs, and I'm a little afraid of a potential hinge on the left fade.
-
It seems to me that with that front profile you going for a more elliptical tiller than circular, right now it's very circular, which means your inner 1/3 or so are doing too much bending. In the full brace pic the left limb seems to be hinging a little right past the grip, and it appears to be showing up as some set in that location in the unbraced pic (the lower limb if I am correct). Course it may be the folds in the sheets messing with my eyes.
Perhaps working the mid/outer third of the limbs from here on out would be a good idea. Or maybe somebody w better eyes will chime in :-)
K-hat you hit the nail on the head before I even posted the picture.
Thankfully I have plenty of breathing room, draw weight wise, to fix it up. I could also pike it and redo the tips if I needed to. Thanks for the advice on an elliptical tiller. I'm not sure what that looks like though; could you perhaps post an example of a good elliptical tiller for me?
-
Could I perhaps make the handle and fades a bit stiffer with judicious use of dry heat and tempering the belly?
-
(https://i.imgur.com/FdC8rqN.jpg)
16" again on the stick. not sure where to go from here, apart from removing weight for a longer draw
-
Eliptical tiller means the middle of the bow will look flatter than it is now. Half an ellipse, cut lengthwise.
-
Both limbs look stiff throughout mid limb. More so on the right. 10 scrapes on each - exercise 25 - 30 pulls and check again. Leave the last 8-10" toward the tips alone for now.
Plenty of length there. If you get the mid limbs bending, it'll come around. You're in good shape now, but need to remove material in small increments or the tiller might change quickly and cancel all of the nice work so far.
I think you're looking good so far - Good Luck!
-
(https://i.imgur.com/Y1HkFHo.jpg)
still stiff on the mid left limb, but improved.
20"
-
These guys are pointing you in the right direction. She's looking better. Don't go past 20" until the tiller is right, and as barebo said take it slow. Easy to get in hurry and shoot yourself in the foot.
As for tempering, that is always a good option with most whitewoods, but I wouldn't try to use it to correct the tiller. Get the tiller right, then you can bring the weight up with tempering. That said, if the area out of the fade was hinging at around the finished weight, tempering would likely bring it back since it will make the limbs stiffer.
-
The right limb is bending nicely. What I do is draw a line right at the point where it bends too much on the left limb about 6 - 8" from the handle and write the word "NO".
You don't want to take any wood from there now as it's already bending more there. Get the left bending more mid limb to match the right, and then chase your weight a few inches at a time removing wood slowly and evenly from both limbs. With such a nice uniform stave, once you get both limbs even you can fine tune.
You're doing a fine job!
-
Thanks for the advice folks. I think I'm ready to finish it up and post again when I'm done.
-
Ive been following this, nice job so far. How is that sugar maple to work with?
-
Ive been following this, nice job so far. How is that sugar maple to work with?
Very nice. I've been doing the bulk of my work with the spokeshave. Drawknife doesn't work, however. The maple is much softer than other woods I've used. It'll dint easy if you drop it. makes very fine shavings from a sharp knife used as a scraper.
-
Here I am at 24", approaching target weight nicely.
(https://i.imgur.com/mGX26ZD.jpg)
I can draw the bow to almost full draw comfortably now, and I'm beginning to see immediate changes to the tiller with just a 5-10 scrapes of my knife.
I've heard that overlaying an elipse on paint can be a helpful aide for your eyes. So I did that, and it's telling me to take some scraps off of the top limb mid-limb, and just a little bit on the final 1/3rd of the bottom limb.
-
You actually should have two ellipses, offset from center, one for each limb. This is because of the stiff grip. Make sure you do that before you take any wood off. The two ellipses will be nearly identical though.
-
You actually should have two ellipses, offset from center, one for each limb. This is because of the stiff grip. Make sure you do that before you take any wood off. The two ellipses will be nearly identical though.
Oops.
should be able to fix up any mistake I might have made because of that. ty for the info
-
You actually should have two ellipses, offset from center, one for each limb. This is because of the stiff grip. Make sure you do that before you take any wood off. The two ellipses will be nearly identical though.
Oops.
should be able to fix up any mistake I might have made because of that. ty for the info
I would not feel like too much of an oops, there are a lot of folks who would consider it a challenge to build a bow with fades and dips and also bends through the handle. I would do the best I can fine tuning the mid/outers until you get to full draw with your intended weight.
One more pic when you get there?
-
Dang, that thing is getting sexy looking! Way to go, brother.
-
How long is it?
-
The right limb is bending nicely. What I do is draw a line right at the point where it bends too much on the left limb about 6 - 8" from the handle and write the word "NO"!
;D ;D ;D. That's what I do, except I often wrap it with tape, or color the whole area with a red crayon!
Whatever else your tiller may be, I have to say it's ridiculously SYMMETRICAL, even for a board bow! That speaks to you having a good, eye for sure.
-
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ellipse
The trick here is that not all ellipses are the same, some are rounder, some flatter than others.
Also, we say eliptical, but it isn't really half an ellipse, it is a segment taken off center from the longitudinal axis. AND on top of that, at some point we usually return to stiffer tips the last few inches.
However, that curve is super smooth and symmetrical, and that's a super good thing. Regardless.
-
How long is it?
66" ntn.
I carved the nocks, but I kinda want to do overlays now so I might have to pike it later and do that. Once I own a heat gun I also think I'm gonna give the belly a light toast, and reflex the tips.
But for now it'll stay straight.
The bow took about 1.5" of set so far.
-
(https://i.imgur.com/b3qkENd.jpg)
lil sneak peek.
still gotta oil and wax the bow, and order some new arrows. I tried painting the back just for a bit of fun, turned out good.
I shot it a little bit, but I need some new serving thread for my strings.
I'll upload a full draw pic when my fiancee comes home and can be my photographer :P
-
You've done well - it was great to follow along from showing us the board to seeing the bow.
Looking forward to the full draw and your take on how it shoots for you. Thanks for posting - Nice Work!
-
(https://i.imgur.com/b3qkENd.jpg)
lil sneak peek.
still gotta oil and wax the bow, and order some new arrows. I tried painting the back just for a bit of fun, turned out good.
I shot it a little bit, but I need some new serving thread for my strings.
I'll upload a full draw pic when my fiancee comes home and can be my photographer :P
Looks great. If you are in need of serving, 25 lb monofilament fishing line works well and is cheap till you can get some ordered in. I tried it once and it’s all I use now, but it will definitely work in a pinch even if you aren’t crazy about it.
-
Nice bow and build Julian. Looking forward to seeing the full draw picture.
Bjrogg
-
Looks real good, that's beautiful and graceful. come on with the full draw! (SH)
-
great looking bow! I think that turned out really nice!
-
Looks great. If you are in need of serving, 25 lb monofilament fishing line works well and is cheap till you can get some ordered in. I tried it once and it’s all I use now, but it will definitely work in a pinch even if you aren’t crazy about it.
Great tip! I was going to have to order some online, so thanks a bunch.
-
Beautiful tiller on that bow. How does it behave? Handshock? You can really be proud of this one.
-
Nice looking bow, you did good.
-
Beautiful tiller on that bow. How does it behave? Handshock? You can really be proud of this one.
Haven't had much of a chance to shoot it yet. No noticeable handshock though. I think the fps could really be improved with heat treating and a bit of reflex in the tips, but I'm in no hurry to do it.
-
Here's the full draw, fellas.
(https://i.imgur.com/8N88hMw.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/afgHSlf.jpg)
And here it is next to the board I cut it from! Hopefully I can get 3 or so more.
(https://i.imgur.com/4xvQ40s.jpg?1)
-
Very Nice - Bravo!
-
Nice one. Well done.
-
Great looking bow. I love that paint job.
Tattoo Dave
-
Congratulations! Very nicely done. Jawge
-
Well done Julian, she looks real good.
-
Nice bend. Congrats!
-
That's a bow😉
-
That tiller looks super! Great job! I was just considering a maple board bow and I think you’ve pushed me over the edge!