first board bow

[Whelen35]

I just finnished my first board bow today.  it was made out of white oak 66" long and on my bath room scale is about 53# after about 25-30 arrows shot out of it.  It seems to have taken about 1.5-2" set inthe limbs now after it has been worked a bit now and shot at my draw length of 27" and draw weight tested at 28".  I did everything by hand no power tools.  Wood and i have a hate relationship.  I can not work well with wood. This is my attempt to make friends with it.  I am putting a polly stain on it now, so I will poast pic's later, it is ugly, but at least it did not blow up when it was shot.  This could be a fun and hopefully wood and I well get along better as we go along.  Thank you to all here for all the information you on the websight are willing to share.

[macbow]

The wood can sense fear. Work it slowly and get the feel of the wood.

[George Tsoukalas]

Good for you. Congratulations! Jawge

[Ranger44]

Way to stick with it.  The best way to learn this stuff is unfortunately   by making mistakes.  The good news is that you get to play with it all while doing it.

[Whelen35]

anyone have suggestions for wood types for a second bowthat would be a good learning project.  It is kind of funny, I can make very precise things in my metal lathe and vertical mill, but wood and I have never seen eye to eye, I am as well as my wife and kids are suprised that it seems to actually look something like a bow and that it shoots arrows without any serious body dammage to me.  This could be fun.

[KellyG]

Yep osage or hickory.

[gobbler716]

I am still working on my first board bow.  My design keeps changing in my mind.