Primitive Archer
Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: Ranger B on August 28, 2008, 10:21:07 pm
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Pappy put of a couple of pics of the stave then the initial cut out. Here are a few after getting it floor tillered and some initial work on the tiller tree. Also, a lovely picture of what we all love to see....shavings by the vice. This is my first hackberry and it is some white white wood. Nice so far.
Ranger B
(http://i289.photobucket.com/albums/ll210/RangerB/IMG_0398.jpg)
(http://i289.photobucket.com/albums/ll210/RangerB/IMG_0396.jpg)
(http://i289.photobucket.com/albums/ll210/RangerB/IMG_0394.jpg)
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just cut out
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draw knife on the stave
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Looks good so far Ranger! that does look like some white-white wood, good luck with her. I'm agonna cut some hackberry here before too long, hope it's as nice as I hear :).
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Looking good.......
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I have had some drying in the shop for a while. Your work might make me give it a try for my next bow!!
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Woke up at 2:50 a.m. and couldn't sleep so I went to work on this. Hope to get over to Pappy's today and heat the belly.
Jimmy
(http://i289.photobucket.com/albums/ll210/RangerB/IMG_0401.jpg)
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Wow! 2:50 am, sounds like me Jimmy. Anywhere between 3 to 4 am, bam - awake and staring off into the darkness. Hackberry's looking good. I see you have a heat gun right there on your workbench - If I lived that close to Pappy's I'd probably be over there all the time too ::) ;D.
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I think hackberry is under utilized as a bow wood. It definitely splits easier than other members of the elm family. Looks good so far. Keep us posted with pics and info.
Tracy
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Looking good Jimmy,keep up the good work.
Pappy
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It's looking good so far. I wanted to give hackberry a try sometime. Looking foward to see the progress.
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Looking good. That hackberry is sure easy wood to work. But it will surprise you with its performance.
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Nice looking hack bow.
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So everybody thinks Hackberry is good huh? I have access to a bunch of it staight as a string too. I suppose I should go ahead an cut a few and get em started curing. Any suggestions on how to work the back? Should I just take off the bark and cambrium and then thats the back? What is a good design for Hack? I prefer pyramids. I did'nt realize it was related to elm. I know elm is good stuff I just figured becuase there was so much straight hackberry around that it could'nt be killer bow wood. That would be too easy. Danny
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Got a lot of work done yesterday and today. Got her to this point and even shot one dozen arrows through her. I've some fine tuning to do but I'm getting there. Here are a few more pics. Next one should be at full draw and you can give me an opinion on tiller.
Ranger B
(http://i289.photobucket.com/albums/ll210/RangerB/IMG_0410.jpg)
(http://i289.photobucket.com/albums/ll210/RangerB/IMG_0408.jpg)
(http://i289.photobucket.com/albums/ll210/RangerB/IMG_0405.jpg)
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Tiller thoughts? Looks like a little flat spot on the bottom limb to me.
(http://i289.photobucket.com/albums/ll210/RangerB/IMG_0414.jpg)
(http://i289.photobucket.com/albums/ll210/RangerB/IMG_0413.jpg)
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Hard to tell....you don't seem to be drawing it from Parallel to the Rest....but it seems to me that the Bottom Limb from about 1/2 ways from the Fade to the Tip is too stiff.....JMHO....But it really is looking good so far....Making me want to go and work on one of the three I have!!!
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Yes, that bottom limb has been a little tricky. There are two knots within 6 inches of one another and both of them are with 15 inches from the tip of the bottom limb. I think I need another photo with a totally dark background. The light is kinda screwy in that picture as well.
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I'd scrape a little on the bottom limb about 6 to 8 inches from the tip. But I would stay away from that spot where the shadow crosses above it. It look's like it's not far from hinging. Oh!, just noticed, it's new grass and not a shadow.
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That looks real darn good Jimmy - can't wait for the full draw!
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I'm no expert, but it sure looks to me like a hinge starting in the lower limb, about 2 inches down from the grass shadow.
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How's this tiller looking now?
(http://i289.photobucket.com/albums/ll210/RangerB/IMG_0422.jpg)
(http://i289.photobucket.com/albums/ll210/RangerB/IMG_0421.jpg)
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I'd take a little off the top limb just above the fades, about 6" above the handle, to match the bottom limb. It looks stiff there amd I think you took a little too much off the bottom limb at mid limb.
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Pretty much what mullet said, the bottom limb is bending too much mid limb, might want to scrape the fade some on the bottom limb then make the top limb match.
Also might want to make the top limb the bottom limb :)
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"Ditto" - top limb needs a little more scraping.
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Same as the rest said.Bottom limb to much in the mid limb area and top not quite enough.
If you miss weight you can always pike it some.Take a inch or 2 off the bottom and re-tiller.
Or just live with it.The only problem is the bottom if left like is is will probably take quit a bit
of set if it don't give up altogether. :)
Pappy
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Jimmy, I agree with what the others have already said. I think I would try shortening the bottom limb at this point to stiffen it up some. You might also try heat treating the bottom limb a little more then the top limb...
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Thanks to all for the candid comments. It's back to school :)
I need to go back over to the Twin Oaks Institute of Higher Learner and make sure I pay attention in class. Hopefully, I can still save the Hackberry Hammer's Life.
Jimmy
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O ya I think you can. Just need a little tweaking.See ya in a few days,Don't forget the club shoot
and the Bash next Sat.Big pot luck supper and a shoot right after the working in the morning. ;) :)
Pappy
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What a site! Good advice you got above, Ranger B. Congratulations on your bow. Jawge
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Ok I took 1.5" off the bottom limb and a few scraps prior to stringing. Here is where we are. Still looks like a lot of bend in the bottom limb to me. Thoughts?
(http://i289.photobucket.com/albums/ll210/RangerB/IMG_0427.jpg)
(http://i289.photobucket.com/albums/ll210/RangerB/IMG_0429.jpg)
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With cutting the 1.5" off the bottom it's still 30" from the shelf to the bottom nock and only 29.5" from the shelf to the top limb.
Ranger B
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That looks a lot better! How is it shooting?
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Looks a lot better Jimmy,take a little off the last 13 of the bottom and a little more from the fads
out 3/4 inches and a little more off the top limb.Have you still got plenty of weight to work with?
Like I said that helped a lot. :)
Pappy
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That looks better Jimmy, where is your weight at now? If you need to reduce the weight, I think I'd leave the bottom limb alone and take just a touch more from the fades top limb and lighten up the last 12" or so of the top limb leaving about 4" out from the tip stiff.
That's my 2 cents worth...it probably would be fine as is if you're pleased with it.
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Lookin good. Pappy and Greg know what they are talking about so I would lsiten to them, they have posted some killer bows on here and I respect everything they have to teach on the subject. I am really glad you did this hackberrry, you have proven to me that it can make a very nice bow and I would really like to feel how it shoots. I will have to do one, one of these days. Danny
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I took some off the tip and a little in the fades then thinned (narrowed) the bottom limb a bit so it wasn't so much wider than the top limb. On my hand pull scale it is 50# on the money but I don't always trust that scale. It's ok because my other 50ish # bows pull around 47 on it so I'm ok with weight. I haven't had a chance to shoot it yet so who knows how it will feel. That bottom limb seems so much shorter to me but I guess it's just what I'm used to. Like I said, if you measure from the shelf to the nocks the bottom is still longer.
Jimmy
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Ranger the bottom limb may be longer measured from the shelf but thats not accurate measure both limbs from the bottom of the fade where bend starts
that is your actual limb length everything in between is just dead wood. BTW looking much better now, I would shoot it before doing anything else and see how it feels :)
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Here is the latest photo. Much better you think?
(http://i289.photobucket.com/albums/ll210/RangerB/IMG_0430.jpg)
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Now.....leave Er Be Jimmy...........I beleive that you got this as close as you are going to get it now.....looks nice....
I was always told that you can fix something till it's Broke......
Sorta like the Safety Programs We have at Work....I keep telling them that You can push Safety at People till You Hurt Them
...and they cant comprehend what I am talking about....go figger!!!!
::)
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Looks great Jimmy. Now take it to the club shoot and show them how its done. ;D Justin
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That looks real good , Jimmy. I see the problem now, wasn't paying close attention before. You were holding the bow upside down with the wrong hand, :-\ ;D ;)
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Jimmy, you will convert a few more from the dark side when they see you shoot your new bow..looks great!
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Lookin' good...now go send some arrows down range! ;)
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Thanks everyone for the help. This one gave me some new challenges but the bleacher full of great coaches saved the day in the end. I shot it some last night and it shoot pretty well. Need to get some arrows tuned with it. I took out a handful of arrows and they all wag their tail (nock) left in flight and impact left of the bull. Even some 33" arrows that are spined for 40-45#. I'll have some tuning to do.
Ranger B
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That did turn out nice after all the fine tuning - looks good now!
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Looks good to me Jimmy,that helped a lot.Maybe I will get to see it this weekend. ;)
Pappy