Anyone tried brushbox for selfie??

[littlejohn]

Merry xmas to everyone and their families.
Just a quick question.....I have a stave of brushbox that I hope to rough out and have a go at a self bow.....
Anyone have any experience of this timber ??????
Regards...Pete

[longbow steve]

I have seen an English style longbow made of Brushbox. Seemed pretty good. Steve

[perry]

Yes mate, I have made several, all of them a sub 50# long narrow flat bows and they all crysalled to a degree, especially around knots. I had not made many Selfbows at that stage so perhaps my craftsmanship was sub par but I feel that Brushbox is a little weak in compresion and needs a wider profile. The staves I had at least where dense and when finished well tillered, limb mass caused some handshock.

I also used 19mm floorboards - not deep enough through the handle perhaps so I was restricted to a light draw, narrow long limbed working handle design. The bows tapered in straight lines the last 18" or so of the limbs. A chunkier piece of timber would still enable a working handle and wider limbs, perhaps very narrow yet deep tips would help with handshock.

I made one up at the Tiaro muster years ago that I backed with Jute twine. It fretted BAD and crysalled all along the limbs but proved a good shooter and would not break due to the backing no doubt. I've no doubt a good reliable bow could be made from Brushbox, just make it relatively long and a wider limb design

regards Jacko

[littlejohn]

Thanks fellas,
I'll bear that advice in mind and give it a shot. nothin' to lose.
Pete