Primitive Archer
Main Discussion Area => English Warbow => Topic started by: Mikkolaht on February 26, 2019, 11:40:09 am
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Good day and I want to thank everyone on this forum, I have gained so much information and confidence while browsing these forums!
This is so awesome to see so many people who share the same passion!
First a quick little introduction.
I am a Finnish rookie bowyer, the hobby really got me hooked.
I first got in to bow making via bushcraft and survival, I made a lot of green wood bows and one day I thought to make a proper bow, so I did.
First bow was a white oak board long bow with a handle section and arrow rest.
It has drywall tape backing, 75'' 47lb @33'' draw.
I needed a more powerful bow, so I built this out of a piece of 2'' by 5'' board:
(https://i.imgur.com/AIZs9t8.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/dadvBVl.jpg)
Straight grain, or at least pretty straight.
110-115 lbs --- 29''Draw --- 76''long
(https://i.imgur.com/9Lzdir3.jpg)
I heat treated the bow while constantly adding linseed oil until dark brown, took me 1.5 hours.
(https://i.imgur.com/uG1IPSk.jpg)
The bow has 1.5'' set but considering it is ash belly from what I have heard of it is not the best wood for this purpose.
I used bamboo backing just to make it not to crack, speaking of bamboo backing.
Many say that bamboo will overpower ash belly if too thick, the bamboo on this bow is 1/4 of the whole thickness of the bow.
That being said my bow has no frets at all, maybe it is so low poundage, I don't know.
I'll add more pictures once I have added the buffalo horn nocks and I will shoot it more and do the final tiller, maybe give some more heat to repel the set that it took.
After that I'll add more pictures and show the fully drawn bow. :)
By the way, I can't even fully draw the bow(rofl), I need to make 70-80lb training bow for more muscle power.
Have a great spring and may your staves not crack in half.
Thanks!
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Welcome! Looks like a great bow, and not the easiest combo either.
There's a lot of really good Finnish bowyers around at the moment, you're in good company!
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Thanks, yeah the ash and bamboo were a bit questionable.
I made it till the end, is it luck or skill, at my stage I would call it luck!
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(https://i.imgur.com/0cq7h42.jpg)
While shooting some more arrows the old hinge started showing up again.
I retillered the bow to 32'' and 115pounds, that should do it for now.
I will wait for the horn nocks to arrive, then going to put some wax on and call it done.
It has 2'' set.
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Well done. Just goes to show what can work.
Del
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That's a miles better first warbow than mine ... or my second or third (lol). I like ash for warbows it's a shame about the emerald ash borer. Trying to grab as many recently dead trees before they rot into sponges. Good job!
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Thanks Del, by the way I love your youtube videos, very inspirational for me!
Hah, thanks a lot man, this bow has been a great teacher to me!
Shame to have such disease roaming around there, I have heard that it is a real menace.
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Mikkolaht,
Nice job! You are ahead of me! Welcome aboard!
Hawkdancer
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Very nice bow,
A ash warbow is on my list too, maybe not that heavy...
Good work!
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Hawkdancer- Haha if you say so, thanks a lot mate!
Backtowood- I think ash is great wood to work with, even tho I have limited experience.
It is kinda soft compared to oak but still tougher than it is, if that makes sense ;D
Thank you!
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Ah, I made a mistake.
I got the ends too thin and after fitting my hornnocks and trying to bend the bow it snapped.
Well I got alot of experience and I will soon make a new one and it is going to be even better than this one!
(https://i.imgur.com/kz7Jktq.jpg)
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Damn shame >:( ... horn nocks take a bit of practice... I used to hate doing 'em. I like it now :)
Del
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So, why wont that glue back together? Could you glue it, pike it an inch, put on a new nock and a thread binding to secure the repair?
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The split is so long, atleast 10inches, could it still work?
I have soon some ipe, hickory, maple, ash and bamboo, planning on making laminate warbow next time. (bamboo/hickory backing, maple core, ipe belly)
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Hopefully someone with more experience will join in, but, I would smooth off the tool marks and then wick some runny superglue into the closed part of the split and use a strong woodwork glue to repair the break with a strong clamping force - I use cellotape pulled into a string wrapped around really tight. Then I would make sure the end of the break was inside the nock and i would bind the end with thread and soak the binding in glue. May as well try, what do you have to lose?
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Mikkolaht: Why do you boo-back a ash stave? Ash is good in tension but not so good in compression => no need for a boo-backing imho?
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There was no particular reason to do the bamboo backing.
At the time I thought the bamboo would make it 100% bomb proof, but it would have made it even without it.
It was just for practising the lamination process, I didn't have other woods available. :NN
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No critisism - I was just curious. You did an impressive bow - good work! - and practicing new things is always good. Better luck for the next! Cheers
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Thanks alot!