Wapiti - Vine Maple start

[Gordon]

You're going to break some if you push the limits of the wood - which I sometimes do to get a feel for what it can do. No big deal, it's just wood and there is no shortage of vine maple around here. Highly stressed design means the wood is under a lot of strain. The bow that failed on me held about 3" of reflex, was only 61" in length and had a stiff handle. That's a lot to ask of vine maple at my draw length. But it was a hoot while it lasted!

Tension strength is the ability of the wood fibers to resist stretching (as in the back). Compression strength is the ability of the wood fibers to resist being compressed (as in the belly).

The limbs of the bow must absolutely bend evenly along their length. What I'm saying is that I don't worry so much anymore about making the limbs look even.

That's a fine looking piece of wood you have there. I don't think the knots will give you much trouble.

[BigWapiti]

Thanks again Gordon - so the reflex - that is what is showing on my photo right?  Where its laying on the table and curling up at the ends.   How do you get your bows to be straight when they are unbraced?  Seems like this one is going to turn into a deep U if it keeps curling like this.   Do I steam and clamp it, or will it work itself out when tillering time comes?

Mike

[Gordon]

BW, the stave will lose much of its reflex during the tillering process.

[BigWapiti]

Well, I hope to look back some day (probably a day long long from now... sigh) and be able to say, "remember that first bow I did -- I'm so much better at this today" ....

Its been a fun day, and most of you probably would never post a bow like this... heheheh, but I believe in learning from thy mistakes...

Pic 1, is after a bit of tillering, still a lot of reflex showing in this VM stave.  It looks rather equal, when you first look at it - but do notice the kink on the left side (bottom limb) right off the fade.  Its been a bugger!

Pic 2, shows no strain on the limbs, rope is slack.  Its sitting a bit uneven, but after some tillering the reflex on the bottom is starting to give in.  The right side, top limb remains.

Pic 3, shows pulling some strain on the limbs.   I can't figure out what to do about the crook in the bottom limb.  The top limb is still a bit stiff but is starting to pull a nice arc.  the bottom tends to bend strangly - the dip of the crook pushes upward and there's a hing forming just to the left of the crook.

I guess, my bashfulness aside, what would you recommend.  Throwing it away and starting over has already been considered , but I want to learn on this one - even if it ends up being a 3# bow, I'd like to see how you guys straighten issues like this out.

Thanks!  (go ahead and laugh, I am.    )

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[Gordon]

Yes, you've developed a pretty good hinge on the left side just past the crook. With vine maple the transitions between hills and valleys are very tricky to tiller and it is easy to remove too much wood. You can try heat tempering the belly where it hinges, but I think you are already too far gone.

I am certainly not going to laugh as I ruined 4 vine maple staves in a row before I got my first shooter. Then it took about another 6 bows before I finally began to get a feel for the wood. Hang in there it will come...

[BigWapiti]

Thanks Gordon,  I appreciate it.

So now that I've done some shaving and have somewhat the feel for this.  One thing that I kept considering..  When you start floor tillering, and you start to get the bend.   Whats best when tillering for an even curve - do you try to work the limb from the fades, tillering outward? or do you start working the bend from the tips inward?  Or... do you work the whole of each limb?   Not sure this makes sense.

I was thinking that starting closest to the fades and working outward as I tiller might have been a better approach??

I'm starting another tomorrow.  I've stared at this one since you wrote, and I think you're right, any add'l shaving and its gonna just get extremely weak.

Thanks again.

[Gordon]

BW,

I tend to work the entire limb except for the last 3-4 inches of the tip. Highly reflexed staves like the one you have can be extremely difficult to tiller. You have to go at it very deliberately because once an error shows on the tree it's usually too late. At the early stage you almost have to tiller by feel. I run the limb between my thumb and forefinger and feel for thick and thin spots. Once vm begins to lose its reflex it happens quickly so you must be careful not to remove too much wood at any one time and excercise the wood well in-between. Also the long string will hide many errors so try to get the bow on a short string as soon as you can do so safely. I usually go the the short string when the tips move about 10" at my target weight.

Gordon