Primitive Archer
Main Discussion Area => English Warbow => Topic started by: Ruddy Darter on November 25, 2019, 08:31:28 am
-
Hi all,
I've been working on this Oregon yew, it's quite snakey with a lower ring count ( about 23 per inch), it's pretty clean with just one knot on the back coming from the side(pictured). I got it to 30" at 110lbs with no set incurred thus far.
I am looking to heat treat with linseed oil and heat gun for next stage. Before I proceed is the tiller looking acceptable? Thankful for any opinion.
https://youtu.be/U7KZ0wDmchw
R.D.
-
do you think you could post a pic on pa?
-
Are these o.k?,
R.D.
-
Looks good.
Why do you want to heat treat, what is the target draw weight & draw length?
Del
-
i think the sixth dot to the right is stiff. anyone else seeing that? thanks for the pics.
edit- never mind, i think i saw it compared to the window.
-
Hi Del,
I think it will make it a better bow in the long run, I don't think this wood is particularly dense so was thinking a bit of heat will harden it up and less likely to follow the string(?), also crank up a little poundage. There was no target draw weight, I just made it 36"x33" at the centre and 78"ntn and what ever it came out at for a 31" draw. I won't be going too mad with the heat, I'll be doing it by hand to dry up the linseed oil and get some colour on the belly, then fine wire wool it down and finish with coats of Danish oil.
I did rescue an ash bow a little while ago with the heat treating with linseed oil and was really impressed with the result. I was quite amazed. Works wonders on ash and I got some more of that to work with over the winter.
Hi Deerhunter21,
The bow does snake a bit there on the top limb, (see above first pic) so may affect how it looks, in the video it seems to me to move o.k. (?) Infact that was an area that I went too thin with to start off with and have avoided since. a second opinion by anyone welcome.
May be some time before I get a chance to heat treat, but I'll let you know how that goes when I do.
R.D.
-
I think the bow has a good tiller.
It is reflecting the deflex at Left 6 and the reflex at Right 1 and Right 8.
-
Thank you meanewood, and thanks all for the input, I now feel confident to continue. 8)
R.D.
-
Very nice tiller :)
Treat away!
-
I would not heat-treat
-
Oops :)
I've finished putting some heat through, I would say gently though for about an hour and quarter. Very little colour change if any. I fine wire wooled it first and cooked the linseed oil till dry and then put on a belly coat of Danish oil while still warm. I've just cleaned the back up (which has gone a rich amber colour) and a coat of Danish oil, just got to polish up the nocks. All done now, hopefully it won't prove to be problematic.
R.D.
-
You don't get 'owt for n'owt .
If you heat treat the belly... yes it will toughen up the belly and give you extra pounds...
BUT .. that means the belly may now overpower the back.
I had a flight bow "Il Bastardo" ;D which was great and won Warbow comp' . I heat treated the belly to see if I could get a bit more...
It exploded :o.
Del
-
Thanks Del, and rest in peaces "Il Bastado" (--) :).
Maybe if I call mine "El Verynicebow"it may be more forgiving. :)
It is something I wanted to try out, and would keep bugging me till I did give it a go. If it does go T's-up I can put it down to experience. I got some more wood to play with. I must admit I'm a little worried about the back now, it seems harder. I'll string it near the weekend after a couple more coats and gently draw it and see what's occurring. Good or bad, I will post how it goes.
(physical weight now 31.6 oz /897g)
R.D.
-
You should let it sit for awhile before pulling it back
-
Will do Marc,
I'll leave alone for a week if that's long enough.
R.D.
-
Looks good, your mass weight is right on the money
-
Thanks Del, and rest in peaces "Il Bastado" (--) :).
Maybe if I call mine "El Verynicebow"it may be more forgiving. :)
It is something I wanted to try out, and would keep bugging me till I did give it a go. If it does go T's-up I can put it down to experience. I got some more wood to play with. I must admit I'm a little worried about the back now, it seems harder. I'll string it near the weekend after a couple more coats and gently draw it and see what's occurring. Good or bad, I will post how it goes.
(physical weight now 31.6 oz /897g)
R.D.
When I heat treat I take precautions to keep the heat off the back, layers of masking tape, or side cheeks clamped to the bow.
Del
-
Thank you Badger, that's nice to know, and thanks Del for those tips, I used a slit attachment on the heat gun for directing the heat, but if I do this on yew again I'll incorporate those pointers too , 8)
R.D.
-
Tried the bow today, not a great increase in draw weight, its hitting 100lbs@25" and didn't fancy measuring passed that on the tiller as its a bit frosty today and didn't want to chance cracking it over my head. I'll measure after some loosed arrows. (estimates at 31"?).
Holding up ok thus far.
A vid drawing it to 28-30" https://youtu.be/eI_WeqxFdkY.
And a couple of pics,
R.D.
-
RD, your upper limb looks stronger than the lower.
-
upper fade seems a good bit stiff.
-
O.k., thanks guys,
But I think I've had enough on this bow for a while, I'm just going to see how the bow shoots and have some fun with it, if any issues I'll work on it some more at a later date. I've got another couple of ash and yew staves I'm eager to work on and have learnt some from this one to put in practice.
Seasons Greetings to all,
R.D.
-
RD, your upper limb looks stronger than the lower.
+1 .A good reason to try the bow up the other way, and a good reason to leave finishing the nock until the last minute.
Del
-
Thanks Del,
Could try that out if it shoots too lousy, and nocks not a problem, it's only for me so I can always have a double stringer groove or put another horn on, I got a few bits and quite enjoy making those. A fun bow for a few winter arrows is the only requirement really, I'll put more effort into my next bow attempt. If I can get away with it and it shoots good enough that's good enough for me at the minute. Probably not the best attitude to have for bowbuilding, but all I can muster at present. :)
(I also think when I draw 30" + it may pull more even, it has a natural deflex step in the outer lower limb and a reflex in the upper outer limb.)
R.D.
-
Looks awesome man. Happy shooting! 😊
-
Thank you sieddy :),
R.D.
-
The problem with swapping end for end is that you are asking the limbs to do something else than what you did all the way through tillering. If a bit of a limb is stiff then remove wood ;)
Deer - its a longbow - no fades. Does this full draw shape reflect original unbraced shape?
-
well i ment right out of the handle section, or the 12" area on top of his hand
-
I agree there is a major stiff spot, I would fix that.
-
O.k., I gave the top limb some scraps where I thought it looked a little too fat, that's all I'm going to do until I draw up a 31" arrow. Any problems I'll adjust for as I go on.
Many thanks, I think those few scraps should help.
R.D.
-
RD, just removing wood from the thick part doesn't necessarily correct the tiller. With more homogeneous materials like FG it might but wood is too irregular you depend on that alone.
-
Hi Pat B,
I removed a little from the two areas that I regarded as stiffer, they also seemed a little fatter in comparison to the wave and flow of the grain in the wood.
I'm going to work on the tiller some more.
I appreciate the feedback, thank you.
R.D.
-
Nice one Ruddy, I hardly ever come to this English Warbow section but started checking in...Nice bend looking at unbraced man!
Don
-
Thanks Don,
I'm looking forward to finishing this bow and a couple others,
And Happy New Year one and all,
All the best,
R.D.