First Time Bowyering

[lonestararcher]

This was my first attempt at bowyering. Any advice/constructive criticism would be much appreciated.
I was trying to make a 48" ntn red cedar pyramid type bow.
It was 1 3/4 at its widest and about 1/2 inch at the nocks.
I started with a log about 6 ft long and 10in across. Quartered it with a chain saw then split the stave from one of the quarters with a wedge and sledge. Worked it completely down from there with a draw knife, plane and rasps.

Pics are from my camera phone and I didn't photograph the whole process but here is what I got.

 
Back of the bow (there is a smudge of blood from where I cut myself).

 
Side of bow

 
Belly of Bow

 
this is a steam box I made. I steamed it for about an hour

 
This is it clamped down on a 2x6 to try and take some limb twist out. For all you other beginners, a piece of cardboard as a pad between your bow and the clamps is not enough. I had a few little circles on the belly of my bow after. (they did sand out though).

 
this is me trying to press out a "snakey" portion of one of the ends... didn't work very well.

 
It broke on the tillering board while I was measuring draw weight. I guess I over drew it. It had about 42 lbs of draw. I forgot @ how many inches though, I think it was about 24. I almost cried.

[swtchbckshtr]

hey Thats how ya learn, pretty piece of wood. I tried on a couple oak board bows and now im trying a stave. learned alot from the board bows. I think your on the right path, just next time take a lil more time. Im no pro still learning myself. good luck

[Mike Most]

Hey what part of Texas are you from. Welcome to the Trad gang the best place on the web.

I think you will like this place. 48" is a little short for 42 # at 24 inches of draw or so.. if it were me try for one about 66 or 68 inches; my last 48 inch bow was 3/4 wide at its widest and tapered down to 3/8 or about that. I got it to 25# at 16 inches. (Kids bow)

Good to see you here, many will give good to great advice.  The best on I see on here for wood bow help are the Posts by Pat B.

Enjoy the ride.

[lonestararcher]

Thanks mike, I'm over in Houston.

Yeah I was really stuck on doing a short bow. I really like the idea of a Planes style recurve with sinew backing but I think your right about starting out longer. I realized I need to think simpler too till I figure out what I'm doing.

[Murkar]

Looks just like my first bow!    I'm yet to attempt a second but that's how you learn...it is frustrating but then you learn to do things differently to avoid that. As the only suggestion I can really give I'd have to say from my experience with wood working so far, the only way you can learn to avoid mistakes or correct them is to make a few  :D

[Pat B]

ERC makes very good bows but can be full of surprised too. I agree with Mike in that 48" is too short, especially for your first bow. Start off with a longer bow(66" to 68") and learn proper tillering. As you improve shorten the bows until you get the length you want...but learn proper tiller first.
  Backing ERC with rawhide, silk, linen or heavy paper gives a bit of insurance to your success.

[inksoup]

although i am still in learning curve (well at the end philosophically we are all)i can give some of my information that i have learnt from the web and other masters.
the length of the bow, except for the backing added power, should be twice + %20 of the poundage that you are shooting for. this is for the long bow types of course.
for the turkish type of bows the poundage power comes not only from wood but also the proper combination of sinew and horn and reversed C shape.
for the beginning, if you are not giving up person, i my opinion of course, you should start with the hardest one so that you can learn more by making it so then easier ones will be child play for you.

take care.
happy trying  

[SEMO_HUNTER]

I tried to heat bend some red cedar one time myself and thought it would look good in the limbs of a short take down I was going to build. My results looked very much like yours and I haven't touched cedar since. It doesn't like heat and it won't bend worth a crap, much better woods out there to work with in my opinon.

Sorry you found out the hard way. Glad your ok.

[Don Drake]

I have read and heard several say that osage is hard for a beginner to use.  I disagree.  I am in the middle of my fourth osage bow and so far have had no breaks.  Now that I said that, watch me break the fourth one  

[lonestararcher]

It occurred to me that it may be a good idea to photograph the process of building my steamer to do a build along after i built it. But I will measure all the sections and take some close up photos and post it in the build along section and post a link to it on this tread (tonight if I have enough time).

I like the idea of buying staves on ****. Hadn't thought of that. Plus 15-25 bucks is a price I can handle!

[KellyG]

I wonder if ERC is one of the woods that likes dry heat better. I hope you try that wood again, I mean what a handsome bow it will make.