Primitive Archer
Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: DC on July 15, 2018, 11:36:52 am
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How do you get yourself out of a slump? My last two or three bows have been "failures". That is they didn't break, they just didn't tiller out nice and in chasing that they came in under weight. They've all been the same stye (R/D) so I'm wondering should I take a few weeks off bow making or maybe try something different. What do you guys do to get out of a slump?
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DC, I have taken a few years off bow building and just recently started back. It's not the end of the world, believe it of not. :o
Changing styles may help but finding something else like arrows and knives might just clear your mind so you can get back to building bows again. You've make a lot of bows in the last few years. Maybe it is time for a break.
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DC you've built some beautiful bows. I think you are the type that likes the next one to be better than the last one. I understand and it's a worthy goal. Sometimes though especially trying a new design it takes awhile to figure things out. I'm sure you will.
I agree with Pat in that I like to do a bunch of different things. Want a real challenge try some flint knapping to humble yourself. I swear every time I think I've got it figured out I screw the next three in a row up.lol I still gotta keep trying.
Bjrogg
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I have other projects on the go, or the wife finds some for me >:( ;)
I've a long term crossbow project, I do bits of art, sculpture, DIY, refurbishing old tools etc*.
Never work on bows unless I really want to, certainly never because I "ought to".
When in doubt I'll tidy the work shop, sort out staves, contemplate other bow styles, do some reading or armchair bow making.
Sure as heck after a while something or maybe someone asking something will re-ignite the enthusiasm.
Funnily enough enough I've written a lot on my blog lately about the crossbow... and someone asked a mate of mine "What's up with Del, has he stopped making bows?" My mate reassured him I was just on a break :)
Del
* If you don't have a lathe, if you can find a small old second hand one, they are V useful and fun to refurbish.
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I find inspriation in looking at the bows posted by others.
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I like variety, so between bows I build cbg guitars, forge knives and other things, do wood carving, flintknapp, and build most of my specialty tools, I'm like a squirrel on crack lol
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I don't think you are in a slump, when you are experimenting you can expect a higher rate of failure or at least limited success. If the bows are coming in too light do you know why? Are they under designed or did you use a faulty method of approaching full draw? As long as you know what you are doing and why something is happening you are not wasting your time.
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I tend to concentrate on one thing(hobby). I did cars for twenty five years, bonsai for ten, r/c sailboats for ten and now bows for(so far) five. I tried flint knapping but it's out cause my hands won't take it. If I can't grasp a tool with my whole hand I pretty much can't use it. I made a string the other day and it really hurt. So my personality and physical abilities kind of limit what I can do. I'm happy making bows and I've probably got another 5-10 years at it so maybe I'll try making some pretty bows and stop this chasing speed for a while. Not sure I'm artistic enough for pretty bows though. We'll see, thanks for the input :)
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I don't think you are in a slump, when you are experimenting you can expect a higher rate of failure or at least limited success. If the bows are coming in too light do you know why? Are they under designed or did you use a faulty method of approaching full draw? As long as you know what you are doing and why something is happening you are not wasting your time.
Well said Badger.
DC the bends on your bows make them pretty. You've made some very pretty bows. Nothing wrong with chasing that speed or distance or whatever you want to chase. Don't have to beat yourself up though if once and awhile it takes a few extra tries to catch it.
Bjrogg
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I'm pretty sure I know why they're failing. It's overconfidence/stupidity on my part ;D ;D On this last one the belly wood was getting a bit too thin for my liking and i still had a long way(I thought) to go. The tips were way to wide and the the limbs were 1 3/4 at the fades. I thought I could get away with 1/4" off the width all the way down. Too much!!! One limb was OK but the other was too light. By the time they were equal(ish) it was too late. I have to figure out how to stop myself from doing similar things. Maybe a longbow. My last longbow worked out :) :) :)
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Hi DC,
I had a very busy summer working and had no time for building bows at all. So you can call it a slump but of a different kind as well. I am itching to get back into it though and hopefully in August I have time.
Have you tried different bow woods or are you always making bows with the same type of wood? I have found HHB to be great wood to work with, so if you have not tried it you might want to give it a whirl. Maybe trying something new will get you out of the slump?
Cheers,
Phil
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Sometimes I think we're on parallel wavelengths or something Don. I've been working on the same types of bows as you (I think) and have felt a great bit of discouragement lately. Like the guys have said, I'm chalking it up to a new, and may I say extremely challenging, design in which any number of things can go wrong. >:(
I'm just gonna keep pushing until I get the result I'm shooting for cause I know it can be done, but I may need to take some breathers here and there. ;)
Glad to hear that longbow worked out. I may be all the way across the continent, but I'm right there with ya in spirit my friend. :OK
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Maybe it's time to slow down a bit?
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Jeff, are you noticing with these bows that things happen suddenly? I'm noticing that there doesn't seem to be little problems, everything goes fine and then, Oh,Oh.
Marc, I don't know if I can do that. I get out in the shop and things just roll along at their own pace. I am going to be more careful and try not to take big steps, though.
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I find it very helpful to break often and evaluate my options and the potential outcomes, especially while tillering or at other at critical decision points. Even if it's just an overnight break, as long as there is time to ponder the problem.
Like others though, I keep myself occupied with other interests and hobbies. Also, just building multiple bows, I can simply switch to a different aspect of build while I have time to think. Often times, a solution just seems to present itself as I am concentrating on something else.
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Jeff, are you noticing with these bows that things happen suddenly? I'm noticing that there doesn't seem to be little problems, everything goes fine and then, Oh,Oh.
Marc, I don't know if I can do that. I get out in the shop and things just roll along at their own pace. I am going to be more careful and try not to take big steps, though.
I know what you are talking about here. These are your big learning opportunities where you can really start to get the entire process under control. Anytime you run into a snag or something happens that catches you off guard figure out why it happened. One major problem I used to run into when working on bows with lots of curves and reflex was the tiller would suddenly change. Thats when I switched over to using full draw weight from the very beginning and all the way through the process.
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I'm glad to know that I'm not imagining it. Thanks
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I agree with others. You are hard on yourself DC. You have been making some top notch bows lately. I remember that takedown you made with osage and ocean spray handle, not that traditional, but man what a work of art that thing was. And you've been cranking them out.
I like to try different wood. I find trying to find the potential in a new species is always exciting.
I would tell you to take a break but I understand that sometimes bow building bite grips harder and you just need to keep building. I would try a different design or different material, then come back to r/d bows with a fresh mind.
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Yes Don. On the last two failures everything was going fine, in fact it was going great then... BOOM!
One was a maple-backed yew w/static recurve tips. I had it like 2" from FD with the tiller looking really good then it just blew up.
The other was maple-backed ERC. I had that one bending evenly, pulling to the target draw weight each time until I was ready for a low brace. It blew just as I was securing the string.
Both had quite a bit of glued-in reflex. I've been starting w/ a lot of reflex cause a lot of it pulls out and I really want the finished bow to retain at least an inch or two. Maybe I'm just asking too much of the wood.
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I haven't broken a bow for quite a while, I just screw up the tiller. I think I've only broken one R/D. I bet I just jinxed myself by saying that :D
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I'm pretty sure I know why they're failing. It's overconfidence/stupidity on my part ;D ;D On this last one the belly wood was getting a bit too thin for my liking and i still had a long way(I thought) to go. The tips were way to wide and the the limbs were 1 3/4 at the fades. I thought I could get away with 1/4" off the width all the way down. Too much!!! One limb was OK but the other was too light. By the time they were equal(ish) it was too late. I have to figure out how to stop myself from doing similar things. Maybe a longbow. My last longbow worked out :) :) :)
This has happened to me on like 4 bows.... I just accidentally take out to much on the belly, one wrong shave with the draw knife and BAM!! a deep chunk missing that I have to work with. A few were tears early in the process that got me all whacked out and chasing down uneven tiller and a hing.... Frustrating.
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Flint knapping really helped me slow down...just a thought.
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I tried knapping but I have arthritis in my hands and it just hurts too much to enjoy. Napping, on the other hand, I find quite enjoyable :D
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I’m in a slump too but i have found some comfort by pulling out and shooting some of my old bows that i haven’t even looked at for a long time. When i do that it just seems to make me feel better. Maybe it just reminds me that it’s in there, ya just gotta let it out. The other day i even shot my first ever hickory bow. :D
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You already make beautiful bows so no need to get artistic!
What I do to keep me from rushing is work on multiple bows and models at the same time. This gives me time to think every bow through and still work in my hobby as much as I can. And if you mess one up you always have another one in the works to shift your attention and get over the failure. Just had this problem a few weeks ago when I cracked an almost finished elm bow by heat correcting some sideways twist, continued with my laburnum five curve the same day and forgot about the elm.
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I think it cycles I went from severale failures then the last 3 bows came in perfect tiller & right weight they where all first time designs, but the difference for me is I started putting time frame on the back burner and payed attention to micro details when I put a time frame on a bow I tend to push threw and miss things, I think working on exspermental bows and changing designs keeps your mind and skills sharp , also well thinking out the design before beginning helps eliminate mistakes for me , failures are not a slump for me they just show me I missed something & If I'm just chasing speed I'm over looking design details in the end it's about enjoying the journey !