Bow Building season is here

[fatboyz]

Pete what do you use to glue the nocks on the Ramin shafts? I tried epoxy but they just pop off after drying?

[fatboyz]

SUCCESS.... SUCCESS!!!!
Well I finally got one that worked! I finished my maple bow with hickory handle today. My Ramin arrows are done too. Just have to "serve" my string then I'm going to shoot it. I'll post some pics tonight. The wood is still"white" but I want to shoot it. I'll put the oil to it tomorrow!

[petew]

Shoot it about 100 arrows, checking tiller along the way, then put the finish on.

[canoes]

hi,
I am curious, can soft wood materials be used for bows, such as yellow cedar?

thanks Larry

[petew]

Originally Posted by canoes

hi,
I am curious, can soft wood materials be used for bows, such as yellow cedar?

thanks Larry

https://sites.google.com/site/onemississipp/bowwoods

[canoes]

thanks for the link.

[fatboyz]

Well the first 50 arrows shot pretty good. Did a little tiller adjusting. Man it whacks my arm every shot though. What am I doing wrong Pete?
Here's a few pics. (and by the way the 2 high arrows were just to hang the bow on) The arrows were shot at 15m.

[Galmozzi]

Hey nice job, congrats. What are the stats? I did not read the whole thread, did you back it? Look forward to seeing the finish too.

[fatboyz]

It's a 68" maple board bow with a Hickory handle. It's a self bow so it isn't backed. It's 50# @ 28". I'm using Ramin wood shafts from Git R Done Archery that I varnished and fletched.

[petew]

looking good.

[fatboyz]

Another 60 plus arrows through it today. A little advice from Pete last night helped. Adjusted the brace ht. (Pete it was only 5 1/2") rebuilt my old arm guard and no more whacking my arm. I did a little more tillering and lightened it up by about another 4-5 lbs. to it a little easier to draw fully and consistently. seems to be a winner so far.

[petew]

Sounds good. If you are hitting your arm YOU are doing something wrong. I only use an arm guard if I need to keep a sleve out of the way. Change your grip, and chuck that Dacron string in the trash. It should brace between 6 and 6 1/2" max.

[fatboyz]

I tightened the string and braced it at 6 1/4". Changed my grip like you suggested, on the first joint of the thumb. After that the Arm guard wasn't needed, most of the time! I think the grip was a little chunky, and the draw was a little heavy before the work I did on it today. Should be ready for some oil this week. I have over 100 arrows through it now. I never hit my arm when I shoot the Beaver Creek so I think I have it licked on the maple bow now.
Thanks again for the help Pete!

[petew]

You can do some grip shaping , that will help too. Missed the part about the nocks on the shafts. Clean the taper on the shaft with sandpaper and use Fletch tite. It doesn't hurt to scuff the inside of the noc too.

[fatboyz]

I ended up using Fletch tite and so far they have stayed on, even after a few scoots through some icy snow and pass through the edge of the target bag!

[fatboyz]

Hey Pete, do you keep your arrow shelf flat, and do you pad it with anything like leather?
Thanks.

[petew]

Leather, beaver Tail, or velcro with the sticky back all work good

[fatboyz]

Well I worked on the cherry stave I started early in this thread (it was still a little green) yesterday. It had a bit of a check through the pith but that was cut away. I laminated on some Hickory for a handle as the check was deep in the centre. It's going to be a bit snaky, but now I understand that's ok. I'm going to back it with sinew as I now have a source for beef legs!
The maple bow shoots great. I cut the arrow rest a little deeper and that sorted out an issue I thought was wrong arrow spine. Weather is nice and I put 200 arrows through it yesterday. (I feel it this morning!).

[petew]

If it is checking it is still wet. It will take a huge set if the wood is not dry.
Patience .

[fatboyz]

I'm going to shape the handle and seal the ends. It will be at least another month before I can get things ready to back it. I will floor tiller it and then back and finnish it, but for now it will dry a bit more. It's been drying in my wood heated man shed for 2 months so it's getting pretty dry. I wanted to rough it out to see if it was useable.

[petew]

Just rough it out, do the floor tiller after it is dry. Can Tire has moisture meters cheap.

"(and by the way the 2 high arrows were just to hang the bow on"
You sticking with this story?

[fatboyz]

You bet I am Pete!! The wild shots missed altogether and I needed the metal detector to find them!! Varnishing up a few more Ramin shafts today. Made a drying jig from an old Windshield washer jugm

[Bonescreek]

Takes a lot of patients to build bow. Great work.
Thanks for sharing.

[petew]

Actually after you build a couple stick bows it goes pretty fast if you have a decent stave or board to work with. The Pyramid design is a quick and easy way to go. You can knock one out in a day without much sweat.
Our biggest obstacle here is getting good staves or boards to work with. Split staves are my favorite.
Pete

[Pekan]

Wow. You must be a patient man!
I'm on my third board bow, the first two broke during tillering-over drawing them. Just can't seem to not rush the process.

My current one will have a fg backing. Just need a win under my belt!

[Pekan]

Has anyone made or seen a Tamarack self bow?

My goal is to make a completely local (Alberta) bow and I'm not too confident in birch as a bow wood, and don't think I have the skill to bang out a saskatoon or choke cherry self bow.

Or any suggestions on a local wood?

Can't wait for the day that I saunter on in to CAC with a home made bow and stick it in the yellow part of the target!!

[petew]

I would go for a Saskatoon / choke cherry before I went to a Tamarac.
Pick a small diameter shoot that is clean of branches.
They will peel easy now, but will need to be peeled and sealed immediately.

If your bows are breaking you are not taking time to exercise them and are over drawing them during tiller.
Don't draw past the target weight during tillering and exercising the limbs. Exercise it at least 25 times during each step tillering.50 is better. Tiller it to at least an inch more than the draw length you want .

[fatboyz]

I tried a tamara bow this yr. It. Was coming along well, although the draw wt was quite light. There were two very small insect holes on the lower limb and it failed there. I did have success with a maple board bow and all friend made a birch flat bow. I am currently working on a cherry sinew backed bow. Gonna stick a deer with the maple bow this fall I hope.

[Galmozzi]

Originally Posted by Pekan

Has anyone made or seen a Tamarack self bow?

I too made a Tamarack one last year and it had very little power. The wood is flexible and durable but the density might not be nearly enough. I had it tillered to 30 inches. I broke it but that was a result of curiosity and over straining it. Making a hunting weight bow from just Tam would be pretty tough. The upside was that it was super easy to work the wood. I am going to continue experimenting with designs & combining other woods with it. Good for practice if nothing else.

[Pekan]

Originally Posted by petew

I would go for a Saskatoon / choke cherry before I went to a Tamarac.
Pick a small diameter shoot that is clean of branches.
They will peel easy now, but will need to be peeled and sealed immediately.

If your bows are breaking you are not taking time to exercise them and are over drawing them during tiller.
Don't draw past the target weight during tillering and exercising the limbs. Exercise it at least 25 times during each step tillering.50 is better. Tiller it to at least an inch more than the draw length you want .

When you say sealed do you mean with wax? Do you just seal the ends?