Primitive Archer

Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: Stickhead on January 20, 2021, 12:41:52 pm

Title: Elm Self Bow, take #2
Post by: Stickhead on January 20, 2021, 12:41:52 pm: Hey, All,

I posted my first elm self bow a while back that I had made for a friend. However, it had a weak area in the bottom limb that progressively got worse as I kept shooting it in. After studying my old pics, I should have seen it coming. I ended up scrapping the bow as it is way out of tiller and doomed to failure. I learned a lot about elm and the effects of heat-treating on it, so I'll chalk it up to experience.

Anyway, I started over for my friend's bow and came up with this new and improved version. I made it a little longer than the last, and I was more careful with the tiller, armed with a better understanding of elm. I heat-treated it on the caul Marc-style, and slowly tillered it to the desired weight. I tried making some Weylin-style ridges on the fades just 'cuz. I pretty much ended up with the profile I was shooting for. Here are the particulars:

66" NTN
1-3/4" at fades, down to 7/16" tips
40# @ 28" (my full draw pic is a few inches short of that)
Pet store water buffalo tip overlays
Turtle scale at arrow pass
Leather rest and grip
Faded aniline dye job
Holds 2" of back set after use

(https://i.imgur.com/LCVFWyq.jpg)

(https://i.imgur.com/WU8IRNf.jpg)

(https://i.imgur.com/HtcMbnI.jpg)

(https://i.imgur.com/PheoD8j.jpg)

(https://i.imgur.com/l88laP2.jpg)

(https://i.imgur.com/BH88aKS.jpg)

(https://i.imgur.com/eGQ7M3M.jpg)

(https://i.imgur.com/lC1xBgn.jpg)

(https://i.imgur.com/6P1hAKe.jpg)

(https://i.imgur.com/ck6huOh.jpg)

(https://i.imgur.com/9hMFb0Z.jpg)

(https://i.imgur.com/9GGV7kk.jpg)

(https://i.imgur.com/fvZiAHc.jpg)

(https://i.imgur.com/RYZCPRs.jpg)
Title: Re: Elm Self Bow, take #2
Post by: Del the cat on January 20, 2021, 01:26:39 pm: Very handsome looking bow :)
Del
Title: Re: Elm Self Bow, take #2
Post by: Hawkdancer on January 20, 2021, 01:30:24 pm: Very nice! Neat arrowhead, too!
Hawkdancer
Title: Re: Elm Self Bow, take #2
Post by: Allyn T on January 20, 2021, 02:18:20 pm: I dig it
Title: Re: Elm Self Bow, take #2
Post by: simk on January 20, 2021, 02:34:30 pm: Sure everything nice about - profile, tiller, tips, leather, fades - I like everything about it (-S
Title: Re: Elm Self Bow, take #2
Post by: HH~ on January 20, 2021, 02:48:52 pm: Good looking rig Stick.

Shawn~
Title: Re: Elm Self Bow, take #2
Post by: IdahoMatt on January 20, 2021, 02:57:48 pm: Good lookin bow. Love the soft reflex
Title: Re: Elm Self Bow, take #2
Post by: Will B on January 20, 2021, 03:05:27 pm: Beautiful bow! Really like that profile. Great bend like all your bows. Thanks for posting this one.
Title: Re: Elm Self Bow, take #2
Post by: diliviu on January 20, 2021, 03:21:09 pm: Elegant pyramid Eiffelish bow! Should shoot hard.
Title: Re: Elm Self Bow, take #2
Post by: Arrowbuster on January 20, 2021, 05:51:55 pm: Awesome looking bow! Nice work.
Title: Re: Elm Self Bow, take #2
Post by: Tradslinger on January 20, 2021, 05:59:00 pm: nothing quite like a sleek beautiful stickbow. graceful and downright sweet. I had planned on putting a swell on my handle but this bow screams perfect on the handle. your friend should be super excited to get this bow. I know I would be. you learned very well Sir.
Title: Re: Elm Self Bow, take #2
Post by: PaSteve on January 21, 2021, 04:54:15 am: Really nice bow. Love the aniline dye job. I'm still trying to figure out how to blend the dye. It appears you have it figured out. Well done all the way around.
Title: Re: Elm Self Bow, take #2
Post by: Marc St Louis on January 21, 2021, 07:37:32 am: Looks good.
Title: Re: Elm Self Bow, take #2
Post by: bentstick54 on January 21, 2021, 08:25:23 am: Good looking bow. Well done sir.
Title: Re: Elm Self Bow, take #2
Post by: Stickhead on January 21, 2021, 08:26:10 am: Thanks for the kind words, guys!

Quote from: PaSteve on January 21, 2021, 04:54:15 am
Really nice bow. Love the aniline dye job. I'm still trying to figure out how to blend the dye. It appears you have it figured out. Well done all the way around.

I use 3 plastic containers for the blending. I put a bunch of dye into about 2 oz of water such that it's quite dark. Then I pour half of that into the next container and add 1 oz of water. Then again for the third container, so that each is 50% more dilute than the last. I brush it on starting with the darkest, leaving whispy brush strokes for the transition. Overlap with the 2nd dilution, then again with the third. I use fine steel wool to blend in the final dye edge into the raw wood.

Some recommend using alcohol instead of water, because water tends to make the grain stand up. I didn't notice it much with this elm, though. At any rate, after the dye dries, I burnish the whole bow smooth with a polished stone before applying true oil for the finish.
Title: Re: Elm Self Bow, take #2
Post by: Santanasaur on January 21, 2021, 10:29:14 am: Beautiful bow all around. Love the grip and arrow pass with the faceted fades. Great profile and dye job too. Awesome piece Stickhead!
Title: Re: Elm Self Bow, take #2
Post by: HH~ on January 21, 2021, 11:01:17 am: Stick
Did you use water based dye like minwax? Looks like the dye raised the grain a touch.

Love Elm. Great bow wood, bow last ten lifetimes.

HH~
Title: Re: Elm Self Bow, take #2
Post by: Stickhead on January 21, 2021, 12:26:36 pm: Quote from: HH~ on January 21, 2021, 11:01:17 am
Stick
Did you use water based dye like minwax? Looks like the dye raised the grain a touch.

Love Elm. Great bow wood, bow last ten lifetimes.

HH~
Shawn - yeah, I used aniline dye with water. I think there was some slight grain rise, which I burnished smooth.
Title: Re: Elm Self Bow, take #2
Post by: Selfbowman on January 21, 2021, 02:12:37 pm: You have my vote . Thats a shooter. Arvin
Title: Re: Elm Self Bow, take #2
Post by: PaSteve on January 21, 2021, 05:25:11 pm: Stickhead, thanks for the explanation on how to blend the aniline. I'm working on a hackberry stave that I want to dye so the timing is perfect.
Title: Re: Elm Self Bow, take #2
Post by: bjrogg on January 22, 2021, 06:33:36 am: I agree with Arvin. That looks like a shooter.

Very nicely done.

Bjrogg
Title: Re: Elm Self Bow, take #2
Post by: Allyn T on January 22, 2021, 07:52:26 am: Do you have a close up of the arrow pass? It looks sweet
Title: Re: Elm Self Bow, take #2
Post by: Stickhead on January 22, 2021, 08:25:07 am: Quote from: Allyn T on January 22, 2021, 07:52:26 am
Do you have a close up of the arrow pass? It looks sweet
Sure! Here ya go.
(https://i.imgur.com/9D5VDPq.jpg)
Title: Re: Elm Self Bow, take #2
Post by: Allyn T on January 22, 2021, 09:24:33 am: Thank you, I really like that
Title: Re: Elm Self Bow, take #2
Post by: HH~ on January 22, 2021, 03:47:02 pm: Alchohol based dye wont do this. Same as you use for gunstocks. Good burnish before dye will take off or burn off alot of feathered grain ends as well.

Like to due whole back for elm hunt bows.

Very nice bow. Lets know how it performs.

In 2016 i ran a 40lb elm one shot away from winning Arvins IBO shootdown. In the hot July weather.

That bow is hanging in my fathers hunt buddies Camp Wall in Maine.

HH~
Title: Re: Elm Self Bow, take #2
Post by: Stickhead on January 22, 2021, 09:12:16 pm: Yeah, Shawn, it shoots really sweet. I can shoot it all day, and get nice groupings. But then, with my short arms, this bow is about half the weight of my hunting bows. Anyway, I’ve loved shooting this one in, and I’ll miss it. On the other hand, my buddy is trading me for an awesome custom knife he made, incorporating an elk shed I found on a hunt. So I couldn’t be happier!
Title: Re: Elm Self Bow, take #2
Post by: M2A on January 23, 2021, 07:04:11 am: Very nice elm bow! Your buddy ought to be very pleased with it.
Mike
Title: Re: Elm Self Bow, take #2
Post by: HH~ on January 23, 2021, 07:09:48 am: Elm has a sweet draw feel. Like not other wood.

HH~
Title: Re: Elm Self Bow, take #2
Post by: organic_archer on January 23, 2021, 05:45:15 pm: Awesome! Loving the colors. Elm was a learning curve for me too, but once you find a design that works it makes a stellar bow!