Primitive Archer

Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: leonwood on January 25, 2020, 01:50:38 pm

Title: Bergahorn fun project
Post by: leonwood on January 25, 2020, 01:50:38 pm: Two summers ago a friend of mine bought some "bergahorn" staves from Matthias Wiltschko on a trip to Austria. He gave me one to try, but I had no idea what it was. I did some research and found it is a soft maple (acer pseudoplatanus)
Apparantly they use the stuff in Germany to make bows but I couldn't find much examples.
After reading the bowyers bible series a few years ago I always wanted to try one of the "andaman/holmegaard" bows they talk about in one of the volumes and I figured the extreme light soft maple would be the perfect stave to experiment.
For the people who did not read the bowyers bible, this design is a combination of a stretched out extra wide paddle bow and a mollegabet.
I sketched a rough design on the stave and started the profile. This bergahorn is so soft you go throug it with a sharp drawknife like butter!
After floortillering I noticed the inner limbs got real thin at the edges. I wanted to keep the width there so started hollowing out to reduce weight but keep the width.
Finished the tiller at 48@28 and started shoooting it in. The mass of this big bow is extremely low! It looks reallly big but is so light in the hand. It shoots real smooth too, low mass works well for low handshock I guess.
Added some stain and serving wrap to dress the white wood up a bit.
Not a common style but this bow was a lot of fun to make!

Wood: acer pseudoplatanus
Draw weight: 48@28
Length: 66"
Max width: 3"
String: 6 strand 8125g

Pics

(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49440471037_0662dc6fe4_h.jpg)

(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49439774733_f5fe5c2d16_h.jpg)

(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49440197076_3f6a123a18_h.jpg)

(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49440470992_185eccdeff_h.jpg)

(http://[https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49440423332_9a886f5cb3_h.jpg)

(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49440423087_ef5b8f6ccf_h.jpg)

(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49439723603_8945a5b4a1_h.jpg)

(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49440368146_20b6d6d83c_h.jpg)

(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49439771478_e611fd2b63_h.jpg)

(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49440178607_218c50ad8f_h.jpg)
Title: Re: Bergahorn fun project
Post by: bradsmith2010 on January 25, 2020, 02:22:19 pm: Congrats )P(
Title: Re: Bergahorn fun project
Post by: Hawkdancer on January 25, 2020, 04:12:38 pm: Nice bow! Hope it keeps shooting well!
Hawkdancer
Title: Re: Bergahorn fun project
Post by: Pat B on January 25, 2020, 04:30:49 pm: Sexy! 8)
Title: Re: Bergahorn fun project
Post by: Will B on January 25, 2020, 05:06:23 pm: Great looking bow!
Title: Re: Bergahorn fun project
Post by: Hamish on January 25, 2020, 05:56:31 pm: I love the attention to detail you have done on this bow. Very Professional. Awesome.
Title: Re: Bergahorn fun project
Post by: RyanY on January 25, 2020, 06:25:26 pm: Beautiful! Reminds me of a maple bow I made years ago.
Title: Re: Bergahorn fun project
Post by: PaSteve on January 25, 2020, 06:26:24 pm: Your bows are always quite impressive. Great job on this one, too.
Title: Re: Bergahorn fun project
Post by: bjrogg on January 25, 2020, 08:27:55 pm: Nice contrast all around. Leon. From the wide limbs to the narrow levers. The white wood and the dark outers. And as always beautiful workmanship.
Bjrogg
Title: Re: Bergahorn fun project
Post by: bownarra on January 26, 2020, 01:10:37 am: Acer psuedoplantus is sycamore :)
Great looking bow and well executed in the tiller department :) That will shoot beautifully.
Title: Re: Bergahorn fun project
Post by: sieddy on January 26, 2020, 01:32:15 am: Jeez dude that's amazing! :)
Title: Re: Bergahorn fun project
Post by: Lehtis on January 26, 2020, 03:42:33 am: Cool!
Title: Re: Bergahorn fun project
Post by: George Tsoukalas on January 26, 2020, 07:43:47 am: Beautiful! Jawge
Title: Re: Bergahorn fun project
Post by: SLIMBOB on January 26, 2020, 07:51:41 am: Sweet! Nicely done sir.
Title: Re: Bergahorn fun project
Post by: leonwood on January 26, 2020, 10:39:11 am: Thanks for the compliments! And thanks bownarra! Sycamore makes sense now that you mention it! Crazy light stuff but shoots snappy. Shoots better with my lighter arrows,
Title: Re: Bergahorn fun project
Post by: vinemaplebows on January 27, 2020, 12:23:04 am: Well done!
Title: Re: Bergahorn fun project
Post by: backtowood B2W on January 27, 2020, 12:48:27 am: Cool to see a not so common bow wood bow! Great job on a challenging design - at least for me: made a longer one from birch one year ago and it was a difficult tillerjob! It also performs better with light arrows.
In the fd the upper looks longer, is this right? How wide did you make the tips?
I also like the red eye catcher and stain. Maple is quite boring otherwise.
Hope to see more white wood bows especially from you!
Thanks for taking your time and sharing this nice bow with us!
B2W
Title: Re: Bergahorn fun project
Post by: leonwood on January 27, 2020, 06:13:02 am: Quote from: backtowood B2W on January 27, 2020, 12:48:27 am
In the fd the upper looks longer, is this right? How wide did you make the tips?
I also like the red eye catcher and stain. Maple is quite boring otherwise.
Hope to see more white wood bows especially from you!
Thanks for taking your time and sharing this nice bow with us!
B2W

Well spotted! The top limb is about 1.5" longer ;D
And about the white wood: I am sorting through some pics of a backed hawthorn I made a few months ago so will post that soon!
Title: Re: Bergahorn fun project
Post by: Parnell on January 27, 2020, 07:24:57 am: Very nice. I really like the fade transitions moving out so wide. Looks great.
Title: Re: Bergahorn fun project
Post by: HH~ on January 28, 2020, 04:02:39 am: Purty

I like the red wraps.

HH~
Title: Re: Bergahorn fun project
Post by: Pappy on January 28, 2020, 05:59:56 am: Nicely done. :)
Pappy
Title: Re: Bergahorn fun project
Post by: Badger on January 28, 2020, 06:19:44 am: Very nice job on that bow. Home depot carries the soft maple. I have made tons of bows from it and very few have broken in spite of the softness.
Title: Re: Bergahorn fun project
Post by: leonwood on January 28, 2020, 06:25:49 am: Quote from: Badger on January 28, 2020, 06:19:44 am
Very nice job on that bow. Home depot carries the soft maple. I have made tons of bows from it and very few have broken in spite of the softness.

Thanks!
Funny that they sell it at home depot and that most beginners pick a red oak board. If I would have a choice between the two I would pick the maple! Way easier to work into a bow with my hand tools!
Title: Re: Bergahorn fun project
Post by: liyeliye123123 on January 28, 2020, 06:29:10 am: Very nice. Very nice. Very inspirational.

Li
Title: Re: Bergahorn fun project
Post by: M2A on January 28, 2020, 07:37:02 am: Looks great. Always nice when you figure out a new resource to use.
Mike
Title: Re: Bergahorn fun project
Post by: CallanJ on March 03, 2020, 01:20:33 pm: The craftsmanship of the bows you build always amazes me. This one is no exception. Another FANTASTIC job and a beautiful bow. Thank you.