First go at making a bow

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smigreth · #31 Post by **smigreth** » Sun Jan 27, 2013 3:20 pm

it may just be me but it doesn't seem as bad on the other side. (just to be clear i mean side not end).

the marking is at the same place as it is on the other side

Edit:swapped the photo for a clearer one

longbow steve · #32 Post by **longbow steve** » Sun Jan 27, 2013 3:23 pm

There are plenty of bows that you can make that short. If you can make it work through the handle you are set. How is the grain on the edge of the board? Cheers Steve

greybeard · #33 Post by **greybeard** » Sun Jan 27, 2013 3:52 pm

If you have concerns regarding the integrity of the board you could back the stave with a strip of pole bamboo.

A rectangular limb cross section in the stave should help to minimise stress areas.

Daryl.

yeoman · #34 Post by **yeoman** » Mon Jan 28, 2013 5:27 am

You can squeeze a bit more length into a stave (or two depending on width) from that board. In this image:

http://i1234.photobucket.com/albums/ff4 ... eae666.jpg

You could go two inches longer past the horizontal line.

In this image:

http://i1234.photobucket.com/albums/ff4 ... 000fcd.jpg

you could go another two or three inches past your horizontal line. So that's at least five inches longer than your original 1.65m. 1.65m is about 65 inches. Plus another five is 70, which is plenty. I'd be confident adding that little bit more at the tips, especially if you keep the tips quite stiff, because wood that bends little is strained little. Strain and stress pull wood fibers apart.

If not a backing with bamboo, you might consider a backing with jute webbing. Quite quick to do, cheap to get started, and rather durable. Do a search on 'jute webbing' here on the forum to find some useful information on it.

Dave

smigreth · #35 Post by **smigreth** » Mon Jan 28, 2013 9:19 am

Thanks Dave for your help. your a life saver.
Just a few concerns, You've seen this photo right? it starts to bend way before the marking

its a different view of this
http://i1234.photobucket.com/albums/ff4 ... 000fcd.jpg

also when i mark out the bow can i leave my limbs straight or would i need to follow the grain?

thanks
smigreth

RobHunter · #36 Post by **RobHunter** » Mon Jan 28, 2013 9:40 am

Hi

Just to give you an idea,

Courtesy bowyer trad bible

Vol 2

Rgds rob

smigreth · #37 Post by **smigreth** » Mon Jan 28, 2013 10:37 am

Thanks Rob. it looks like you have a digital version of the book, could i maybe have a copy?

yeoman · #38 Post by **yeoman** » Mon Jan 28, 2013 12:33 pm

Even with the grain like that, I'd use it for a selfbow, and definitely for a backed bow.

I would highly discourage sharing digitised versions of copyrighted material. Especially the TBB.

smigreth · #39 Post by **smigreth** » Mon Jan 28, 2013 6:05 pm

just want to confirm everything is ok before i start cutting things

thanks
smigreth

smigreth · #40 Post by **smigreth** » Tue Jan 29, 2013 8:28 pm

Should I move throw further towards one end or should I leave it as is?

Thanks for putting up with my worrys and questions, I realize I probably got quite annoying at times.
Thanks guys
Smigreth

yeoman · #41 Post by **yeoman** » Tue Jan 29, 2013 8:57 pm

It seems okay to me. I say go for it. How long is it?

Don't worry about being annoying for asking questions. It is how we learn. Every accomplished bowyer here once went through a stage of asking pesky questions of those that knew more.

smigreth · #42 Post by **smigreth** » Tue Jan 29, 2013 9:20 pm

Thanks it's just that I worried about messing up.
It's 68 inches from tip to tip, handle is 4 inches long and 1 inch wide, fades are 2 inches long and 2.5 wide and tips are 3/8 inch wide.
Would I need a riser?
Also im considering bamboo backing, would I need any special bowers equipment? I've noticed that there are 2 new threads about this so I'll be sure to keep an eye on them.

Smigreth

Daniel Smith · #43 Post by **Daniel Smith** » Tue Jan 29, 2013 9:46 pm

hey mate,
sorry but i couldnt be bothered going back through the thread looking for the answer.
But are you making your bow from Spotted Gum?

yeoman · #44 Post by **yeoman** » Wed Jan 30, 2013 4:52 am

You shouldn't need any special equipment. To prepare a bamboo backing you either need a power planer, or a hand planer with lots of patience, or perhaps a belt sander with a range of belts (in addition to a very good respirator).

My advice has always been for beginners to bamboo back their first bows, but now I think perhaps jute webbing for backing is cheaper to start with, and far easier for the inexperienced.

I don't think you will need a riser. Depending on your intended draw weight. How heavy do you want the bow to be? If you want it more than about 45lb, then maybe thickening the handle by 5mm would be the absolute maximum you would need. If you can't resaw timber to that thickness, just glue on 19mm, then cut it down later by whatever means necessary. Glue this piece on before cutting the bow's width and thickness out.

Dave

yeoman · #45 Post by **yeoman** » Wed Jan 30, 2013 5:16 am

The other tidbit of advice I would give is widen the handle to 34mm or something close to that. This will reduce the need for a riser. 45lb, with a handle 19mm thick and 34mm wide will be sufficient without a riser.

On a course late last year a student made a bow that drew 64lb at 28", and the handle was 36mm wide and 19mm thick. It was a longbow though, and bent ever so slightly through the handle, but for 45lb or so that would be plenty of cross section.

smigreth · #46 Post by **smigreth** » Wed Jan 30, 2013 8:59 am

ok I've widened the handle to 34mm
Would a taper to 10mm be ok?

yeoman · #47 Post by **yeoman** » Wed Jan 30, 2013 3:56 pm

That would be okay. 12mm is fine too, and for a first bow you won't notice the difference in performance.

smigreth · #48 Post by **smigreth** » Sat Feb 02, 2013 8:52 pm

Should the taper be flat or should it curve gently towards the tips?
Also I'm trying to decide whether to back with bamboo or jute, foul you help me decide?

Smigreth

yeoman · #49 Post by **yeoman** » Sun Feb 03, 2013 4:56 am

In which dimension (width or thickness) do you mean?

Try jute if you're unfamiliar or not confident with tools and woodwork. Cheaper, easier to apply for a beginner, and harder to mess up. If your bamboo is too thick, or has irregular thickness or poorly tapering thickness, it can overpower the belly. Jute is a consistent thickness.

Having said that, in my bowmaking classes, students make bamboo backed longbows. All my students so far have been first-time bowyers, and their bows turn out very well indeed. For years I have recommended beginners use bamboo. And still will. But jute is easiee to apply.

So this post perhaps isn't all that helpful after all.

smigreth · #50 Post by **smigreth** » Sun Feb 03, 2013 7:27 am

I meant thickness,sorry
I really like the look of bamboo, but jute is cheaper and easier... So hard to decide!
Is tillerring done before backing?

smigreth · #51 Post by **smigreth** » Sun Feb 03, 2013 1:40 pm

OK so I've finished cutting and sanding the shape (except for the handle), now to start tapering the thickness, is the taper meant to curve or is it just a straight line.

smigreth

yeoman · #52 Post by **yeoman** » Sun Feb 03, 2013 2:06 pm

For a bow in which the width tapers in straight lines to the tip, the thickness from the fade should be a consistent thickness - no taper at all. If you make the limbs 12-14mm thick, that should give you enough meat to start floor tillering.

smigreth · #53 Post by **smigreth** » Sun Feb 03, 2013 2:24 pm

Ok thanks, but I'm still a bit confused about how to thin the limbs. How and where would I make the transition from the original 19mm thickness to 12mm?
I seem to have removed a bit too much material from one of the tips so the width is now about 2mm less than the other end

, this isn't too much of a problem is it?

thanks for sticking along and helping
smigreth

yeoman · #54 Post by **yeoman** » Sun Feb 03, 2013 3:51 pm

The bow will not be lost for the sake of 2mm difference in width at the tips. I've done much worse

Measure about 1.5 inches past the outer part of the fades. Mark this on the sides. Measure 14mm from the back at this point, and put a dot on the intersection. From this point, draw a straight line to the belly surface of the board (the full 19mm) at the same distance from the centre that the narrowest part of the handle starts.

This is all much easier to show in person.

To reduce in thickness, you might use a power plane or a bandsaw. I would avoid a table saw and/or belt sander. One is too fiddly for the job at hand, the other will take far too long.

Dave

smigreth · #55 Post by **smigreth** » Sun Feb 03, 2013 4:30 pm

is this what your trying to say?

yeoman · #56 Post by **yeoman** » Sun Feb 03, 2013 4:38 pm

Exactly.

smigreth · #57 Post by **smigreth** » Tue Feb 05, 2013 6:28 pm

AAAHH

, I accidentally started cutting the handle on the one inch width line(I'm a genius aren't I?), now my handle is one inch wide. What do i do?

yeoman · #58 Post by **yeoman** » Wed Feb 06, 2013 4:53 am

I'd do this:

http://highchartpatterns.net/wp-content ... -on-11.png

You will need to glue a riser onto the handle, on the belly side. Maybe 5 mm thick or so. Hopefully you haven't cut the thickness yet.

Dave

smigreth · #59 Post by **smigreth** » Wed Feb 06, 2013 5:01 pm

Thankfully i have not, so i need a riser now

, how would i do that?

yeoman · #60 Post by **yeoman** » Wed Feb 06, 2013 6:04 pm

Stick another piece of timber onto the belly side of the stave. Any thickness will do, because you can cut it down to size later. You will need the very strongest glue you can get. Titebond 3 is very good. Gorilla Glue is likewise very good.

Others can chime in with their own opinions of the various epoxies out there.

Make the riser block only a little shorter than the entire fades/grip area. As like before, you can cut down to size more accurately this way.

Dave

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