Primitive Archer
Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: Fox on January 20, 2021, 01:52:42 pm
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Still on the quest to take a whitetail with wood and metal... I keep making bows I'm not happy with :P...... heres a locust stave I'm chasing a ring on now, I'm trying to decide what to do with it. What design for a reliable hunting bow? I'm open to anything. The stave is 1" thick, 69" long, and 3" wide. it has a good few big knots/thorns. My draw is 25-27". the areas I hunt are often in mountain loral or open forest.... what is some of yalls top bows? :BB :-D ;)
-Fox
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/50856510898_d5b6ce8095_k.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2ku1USN)Untitled (https://flic.kr/p/2ku1USN) by Livvydog (https://www.flickr.com/photos/141458655@N02/), on Flickr(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/50856510603_3f0bfe0133_k.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2ku1UMH)Untitled (https://flic.kr/p/2ku1UMH) by Livvydog (https://www.flickr.com/photos/141458655@N02/), on Flickr(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/50856510228_553088c47b_k.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2ku1UFf)Untitled (https://flic.kr/p/2ku1UFf) by Livvydog (https://www.flickr.com/photos/141458655@N02/), on Flickr(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/50857227036_0587962af5_k.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2ku5zL1)Untitled (https://flic.kr/p/2ku5zL1) by Livvydog (https://www.flickr.com/photos/141458655@N02/), on Flickr
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Jawge cut his teeth with black locust for bow wood. Thought he would have been along by now. My experience with black locust is limited to nine bows, so I am certainly no authority with this wood, or any other wood for that matter. Of the nine attempts the first 5 were failures. I either got belly fret, or the bow's back broke. It had thin rings, so I just removed the bark, and that was the back. Not good locust. The last 4 bows were from a good log with nice thick rings, and knot free, and had some snake. I sinew backed a 45, 52, and 62 inch , and made one 62 inch self bow all in the 45lb range.. Good wood , chasing the back to a good heart wood ring,trapping the back, heat treating the belly on a form to get good alignment, and tillering to the best of my ability are some of the things that helped me to get a good end result. Sinew didn't hurt either. Your rings look good. If those giant knots are close enough together to incorporate into your riser, and still get 62 inches of bow that would be ideal for your poundage, and draw length. Hope this helps a little,and all of this information came from this forum.
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Locust will make a very good bow but it can be finicky. Make it a little long, leave it wide and make sure your tillering is spot on. I wouldn't worry about the cluster of pin knots and you seemed to have placed the hollow knot well within the limb. Instead of trying to figure out what design to build just build a bow, straight limbs, flat belly and temper the belly well.
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Okay I’m thinking I’ll go for a normal flat bow.... so those two knots are both pretty close to the edge... so I gotta choose which knot to have in the bow... the knot clusters would be in the handle / fades and the one with a hole mid limb...
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I'd suggest going for a minimum limb width of 1 3/4". If you leave the crown on the back it can act as a natural trapping so the back doesn't overpower the belly and cause compression fractures. I'm a beginner bowyer so take my advice w a grain of salt. However, everything I'm suggesting I've learned from TBBI and other more experienced bowyers on here.
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leave it long, and and wide as you can,, it should make a great bow,, narrow the tips,, see how it shoots at 69, before you go shorter, my black locust 70 incher,, killed a nice buck and some 3 d targets too,,
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For target shooting 66 to 70 inches is what I like to shoot, but when I hunted it was always 58 to 62 inch bow at 25.5 inch draw at 45 lbs. Just a personal choice for each of us I guess.
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Yeah I do like shorter bows when In the woods.... one reason is I can’t shoot while sitting down with a bow really much longer then 60”
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You can, but you have to cant the bow to the point that you may be uncomfortable shooting it. Making it longer at first does make a lot of sense to get a functional bow with black locust, and then maybe shorten little by little as you go. Good luck.
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Looks like you are doing a good job accounting for the knots.
The stave is pretty crowned so leave it longer. I'd say leave it a good 68" nock to nock.
Have fun. :)
Jawge
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maybe if you want a shorter hunting bow,, use a different stave,, or even a board,,
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yeah no I'm planning on leaving this longer... I was thinking 65" for a 26" and a slight bend in the handle, something like that... I finished chasing the ring and will post pics tomorrow, thanks guys! :BB
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How many bows have you built Fox?
I'm thinking of challenging you to a build along competition like the senior members did with the recurves a few weeks back ;D, but my ash isn't quite ready, my left hand needs to heal for a few weeks, and school starts Monday :-\
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How many bows have you built Fox?
I'm thinking of challenging you to a build along competition like the senior members did with the recurves a few weeks back ;D, but my ash isn't quite ready, my left hand needs to heal for a few weeks, and school starts Monday :-\
I would take part in this. I have a black locust stave ready for my forth bow.
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That’d be fun you two... I have made maybe 5 or so functional bows... but lots more not so good ones to get there ...
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I may finish up this bow. But I’ve got more staves in if you want to do it In a few weeks when you’re ready?
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I may finish up this bow. But I’ve got more staves in if you want to do it In a few weeks when you’re ready?
works for me
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Looks like a good piece of locust you got there. I think you have a good plan for 65" ntn with a working handle, should make a nice bow for you. If it were mine I'd start out with 1.5" width for the middle half or so then tapper to narrow tips and that would depend on how the knots laid out. You could maybe narrow things a bit latter during tillering. Looks like you are doing a nice job around those knots. Look forward to see how your build progresses.
Mike
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Quote from: Fox on Today at 12:15:32 am
I may finish up this bow. But I’ve got more staves in if you want to do it In a few weeks when you’re ready?
works for me
Works for me
This isn't a race of course, so the timing isn't important.
If Deerhunter is reading this I hope he'll chime in as well. ;D
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Quote from: Fox on Today at 12:15:32 am
I may finish up this bow. But I’ve got more staves in if you want to do it In a few weeks when you’re ready?
works for me
Works for me
This isn't a race of course, so the timing isn't important.
If Deerhunter is reading this I hope he'll chime in as well. ;D
Yes deerhunter will hopefully see this!
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Thanks m2A... I was hoping you’d say something, I’ve liked your bendy handle bows, and work with locust. :)
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So what are the challenge parameters I'd like to try
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So what are the challenge parameters I'd like to try
Ally T. I think we’re just doing buildalongs kind of together? It’s tradcraftsman’s idea, so I’m not 100% sure ;D
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Yea i think just build whatever u want. I already have a design in mind for my stave.
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The first annual(?) newbie build along challenge! I like that! :BB (--) (SH). Set up some parameters and have fun!
Hawkdancer
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We can start a new thread for it kind of like the bow trade where everyone post their progress as they go
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The first annual(?) newbie build along challenge! I like that! :BB (--) (SH). Set up some parameters and have fun!
Hawkdancer
Good idea hawkdancer!
We can start a new thread for it kind of like the bow trade where everyone post their progress as they go
Good idea allyT !
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Maybe entry requirement is having built less than 80 bows?
How about the greatest cast per pound after 350-400 shots? maybe putting them all in a poll like BOM? Speak up if you have any other ideas, I just thought this up now.
If HH, Simson, Badger, or Marc want to join I'll fold right now, they're wonders ;D
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Maybe less than 20 lol, and let's put a time frame on it otherwise I'll never get it done : )
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I have built more than that :-\, though I only have 7 that I would shoot right now. Maybe finish before May 15th?
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That's 4 months-ish I'm ok with that, exactly the motivation I need. Ha ok well then anyone that considers themselves new can do it we won't put a bow number on it
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Im ok being done by may 15th. Maybe the parameter should be selfbows only?
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I also agree we should start a thread for everyone to post their progress.
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should I use the bow I'm making now? or should I do another one for the group build along?
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A single thread for all of the competitors is good by me, might get a little confusing though. I don't know about all selfbows, someone may run into trouble and need to add a backing. Fox, use whatever bow you want, I'll be using the smaller stave from my white ash thread.
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I completed only 2 bows, am I still a newbie? LOL
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Well zugul you're an expert compared to me with your two : )
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I don't really think so: one of them liflted a big splinter on the back and the other One has frets on the belly and good 5" of set...
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Join the challenge I guarantee there will be experts chiming in to help us