Ozzie Hickory Self Bow

[twisted limb]

Since Stuntmunky asked the question I thought I would take the oppertunity to show off my latest bow.
Timber is Acacia falciformis locally called Hickory, 66" NTN, 50#@28", limbs are 2" at widest point beeswax finish.
Shot a couple of field rounds recently with it and I was really happy with the the way it shot.
Hope you like it.
John Deer

[Stickbow Hunter]

From what I can see it looks good. It appears you have just taken the bark off and used that as the back of the bow which also results in quite a lot of sapwood???

Would you please post up some bigger photos mate so we can see the bow better as it looks to have real character?

Jeff

[bigbob]

From what I can see it looks good. It appears you have just taken the bark off and used that as the back of the bow which also results in quite a lot of sapwood???

Would you please post up some bigger photos mate so we can see the bow better as it looks to have real character?

Jeff

As Jeff says, but from what I can see it looks like a great bow. My eyesight wont allow me to see the details though.

[rodlonq]

Looks real good John, but like the other fellas say the detail is a bit small mate. Thanks for sharing it and looking forward to bigger photos.

Cheers...... Rod

[twisted limb]

Hello again, I did shrink those pics a bit to far try these.
Yes Jeff it's mostly sapwood I have made a few from the heartwood but they would need backing I think.
John

[Gringa Bows]

Lookin good mate.....

[Stickbow Hunter]

Well that is much better for these eyes, thanks. Photos are fine up to 600 - 800 pixels on their long sides mate.

I love the character of it John - excellent!!! All you need now is to go out and shoot some game with it.

Jeff

[Gringa Bows]

I like your choice of broadhead too John

[bigbob]

Very nice. Like the colours in the wood too.

[Nephew]

That has real TRAD character, hey! Love the look of it, and as Rod says, good choice of broadhead, too!

[twisted limb]

Thanks for all of your comments guys, the wattle trees can yield some pretty hard hitting bows that are lots of fun to make and shoot too.
John.

[Hamish]

Nice bow, Most of the heavier acacias make good bows. How much stringfollow did it end up with?
Hamish.

[twisted limb]

Hamish it took a lot of set right to the tips but with a bit of heat I reflexed the them back even with the handle.The reflex gave in a little but the effect on performance is incredible it went from being a dog to a really good shooter.
John.

[looseplucker]

Love the character of that bow.

Am assuming that the grain was wavy in places - do you have pix of the bow in buildalong?

[twisted limb]

I'll do a build along for the next one mate.
John

[looseplucker]

That would be cool. I have a couple of laminated bows on the boil currently but also have some nice bits of black wattle, cherry and will be getting some Hickory wattle from the Towamba valley.

Buildalongs pending. Hope to get some lams squared this weekend - in between a kids tennis tournament and making arras.

Cheers

[Brumbies Country]

I just saw this. Great looking bow John with lots of character. You are doing some great things with that Hickory wattle. I was impressed the good results you got after steaming the set back to the tips back to the handle level. Something I read in the TBBs made me wonder if that would work, but it sounds you have had great results.

I didn't get to the Snowies or Shellharbour. I'll give you a bell soon and come over and catch up. The BL bow is going well.

Simon

[KellyG]

That is some beautiful wood and a nice looking bow.

[twisted limb]

That is some beautiful wood and a nice looking bow.

Thanks KellyG, the heartwood and the sapwood colours have a great natural contrast I think.

I just saw this. Great looking bow John with lots of character. You are doing some great things with that Hickory wattle. I was impressed the good results you got after steaming the set back to the tips back to the handle level. Something I read in the TBBs made me wonder if that would work, but it sounds you have had great results.

I didn't get to the Snowies or Shellharbour. I'll give you a bell soon and come over and catch up. The BL bow is going well.

Simon

Hi Simon, I think this could be my fastest bow yet reflexing the tips after the string follow occurred has given the bow a mild deflex/reflex shape.
I just fitted a leather grip and arrow shelf, sweet shooting now no more featherburn.
See ya mate.

[Dennis La Varenne]

John,

I am very interested in any Australian native woods used in bow making. Your bow tillered out rather well even though it took a lot of set.

Perhaps on another occasion using the same wood, you might try leaving more heartwood and thin the sapwood more. That may make the bow a little more resistant to set because the heartwood is often better at resisting compression. Your bow had only a veneer of heartwood on the belly which may not have been enough to resist compression.

Even a few millimetres of heartwood over the full belly would help.

Thinning the sapwood should not be a problem with an Australian perennial wood since we don't have the seasonal growth rings the northern hemisphere deciduous species have with their inherent problems of sheering between those rings - hence the need to follow a growth ring on deciduous woods.

Worth a try.

A mate in Gippland who was doing s lot of work on Eastern Red Ironbark was beginning to come to the conclusion that having a bit of heartwood on the belly made his bows better against string follow. He almost NEVER followed any growth rings on any of his E. tricarpa bows and cut many of them out with an electric planer. Not one of them broke because of violated growth rings.

[stickshooter]

looks great John,I'v always found self bows to be great looking