Newbe has questions

[iaduckhntr]

Great site!!! So much cool info my head wants to explode. I'v never built a bow before. I want to build one like an old english long bow or Howard Hillbow. I want to do it from tree to deer hunter. The victim is a mulberry, about 10" dia. fairly strait trunk. I'm 6'2" & have a 29.5"draw. Thinking about 50#er. How long do I need? Split or saw for staves? How long& how is best to dry& how dry is enough?A few of many ??? I have.
  Is there a book that would be a good place to start from? This would save yall a bunch of dumb questions. Thanks in advance.
Dennis

[KellyG]

Dennis,
there will be a lot of great bowyers answer this. I just wanted to say welcome to the bug. I am new to trying to make a bow.
I have read Traditional bowyers Bible 1,2 and 3. I have not gotten 4 yet. They are a great start. Plus if you do a search on this site chose each area separate. I.e. bowyers bench, build a longs, how too and even the Pow Wow. If you do it this way you get fewer hits and don't get frustrated.

I am only regurgitating now what I have read hear and in books. If you cut and split the log seal the end with wax, 50% elmers and water or latex paint. I don't know if you can just remove the bark on mulberry or not and use that as the back. I do know that to help it dry faster you can rough out a stave to floor tiller but you have to seal the back. Then let her dry. month or more.
Ok experts am I a good parrot or what, now give him the real scoop.  
Good luck Dennis,
Kelly

[Roy Steele]

Split,68 to 70"s, Good wood for a bow but not a engish long bow.A straight grain wood is better hickory,ash etc unless it's very straight grained.And not a good bow for you(build)to start with.Build a flat bow with your mulberry.The exsperence will help you WHEN YOU BUILD A ENGLISH LONG BOW. If your draw leanth is your compound draw leanth with a long bow it will shorten and inch or so. You will close your stance and won't lock you elbow.

[okie64]

The Traditional bowyers bibles are a great place to start. I have never worked with mulberry but I think it has a few sapwood rings like osage and locust. You'll probably need to work those off to get to a good back ring. If u take the bark off you will probably need to take the sapwood off at the same time or it will crack everywhere. I ruined an entire log of osage one time by takin the bark off and leavin the sapwood exposed. Welcome to the bench, you'll get some great advice on here.

[Pat B]

In Howard Hill's book, "Hunting the Hard Way" he has one chapter on types of bows and another on "How to Make Bows...". He goes into tools, wood and designs.
   The basic bow style he discribes is a typical American longbow, 6' long(for 28" draw), 1 1/4" x 1 1/4" at the handle and a straight taper to to 1/2" x 1/2" at the tips, with a flat back and rounded belly.
  Hill recommends using lemonwood(Degame') for the bow wood. Back in Hill's day, lemonwood was a common bow wood. It is hard to come by now. Any of the regular bow woods should make a good Hill style bow.

[don s]

isn't mulberry a member of the osage family? or, vice versa?
           don

[Diamondback59]

maulberry is the closest cousin to osage and yes it defintally will make a elb iv done it   i make all my maulberry same as my osage  maybe just a tad wider    if i was you id make a flat bow with it first read the bowyers bibles and learn the ropes befor ya tackel a elb good luck and dont be afraid to ask ?  lots of guys here will help ya oh  i forgot and seal the emd s with poly  it s much better   brock

[iaduckhntr]

Thanks for all the replies, it gives me a place to start.
Kelly & okie the Trad bowyers bible sound like a great place to start at.
Roy Ikept the same draw length& style when I shot a compound as when I shot recurves, maby thats why I didn't like compounds.
Pat I rember that Hill book from when I was a kid. I'd like read it again.
I think for now the tree will come down, split& seal it then let it dry. I like Roys idea to start simple, I think a red oak board bow will get built for spring carp sticking& gettn back into shootn form. Thanks again.
Dennis

[KellyG]

If you want to do a board read 4estr's tread  here. I think is is titled so you want to build a bow.. If you cant follow that and build a bow then you need one on one with a master. Read it all the way thru there are many question asked and answered and few ideals on how to do some things differnt.
kelly

[iaduckhntr]

KellyG I read thru 4estr's thread ALL of it long one. He makes it sound simple, I think its a good place to start at. Again thanks to all for the replies.
Dennis

[John Scifres]

- Cut the tree as close to the ground as possible and then cut an 80" butt log.

- Quarter the butt log using wedges and sledge and then split the quarter to make 8 staves.  Seeal the ends with shellac.

 

 

Here's a wood cutting and splitting expedition I wen to n a couple years ago:    Wood 2009  

-  Take one of your staves and peel the bark and most of the sapwood.  You can leave one ring of sapwood to make your ELB look like yew wood.  Here is a very important thing that you cannot ignore.  DO THIS STEP ALL AT ONCE AND THEN SHELLAC THE ENTIRE PEELED STAVE with a couple coats right away.

Here's how I rough out a bow and chase a ring:  Roughout  
 
For an ELB (English Long Bow) out of mulberry I would go with:

- 72" NTN (nock-to-nock)

- 1-1/4" wide for the entire middle of the bow all the way to midlimb and then taper to 1/2" nocks.

- start with a square cross section, i.e. about 1-14/" thickness and then knock off the corners

- tiller for a bendy handled bow.

Here's my tillering tute.    Tillering 101  

Have fun.  Post pics and stories.