Advice please on my bow!

[Regular Paul]

First let me thank you all for how much I've learned from lurking here the last couple years. I built my first bow almost three years ago as an apartment dweller and went on hiatus after that. I'm now a home owner with some garage/shop space and the bug has bit me again full bore.

I can't believe how much I learned making my first RO board bow. I more or less followed Sam Harper's build along (it's awesome) and it's 70" NTN, built from a 1x2 that tapers mid limb to roughly 1/2" nocks with 10" walnut riser and walnut tip overlays. I managed 48# @ 28" but it seems way overbuilt, bulky and slow. It lifted a splinter but my linen backing saved it, the bandaid is holding and it's still shooting today! I'm certain I should have tillered more near the fades, but for some reason I was terrified of the riser popping off. Don't know why, just was. Rookie inexperience I guess. Here's a few pics of it. Advice is welcome!

   
   
   

I've been pillaging Menard's lately and have some nice boards that I hope to start working on soon so you haven't seen the last of me! Thanks again and glad to be here!
Paul

[bornofmud]

Looks great!  I think you were right in being worried about the riser popping off, looks like there is very little transition between the riser and the limb, which on a bow that bent closer to the fades very well could have meant a popped off riser.  Tiller looks pretty great!  The trick to speed is basically taking off as much wood as possible (especially the further out you get on the limb) while still having the bow bend how you want and not over stressing the wood.  Much trickier on the all wood bows than the fiberglass ones.  You could try doing a wood backed bow (say BBO or BBH) and add a little reflex-deflex like the fine bows Roy from PA makes, might get you closer to the performance you're hoping for.  Nice job!!

[Iron Eagle]

For your first bow looks pretty darn good. I usually cut staves and use them but I've made a couple board bows. After I glued the handle I try to make a gradual taper into the main board. Hope this helps.
 

[Regular Paul]

Thanks for all the advice! When in built it my fear was in my unknowing of how much I should be working into the belly near the riser. Turns out way more than I did. I was also afraid of narrowing the griot too much and making it weak. I just really wanted to see my effort turn into a shooter. Slow as it might be.

Now that I have more space, resources and a band saw I'm excited to start experimenting and pushing the limits of performance and my abilities. Light and fast at hunting weight is my goal for my bows. For my wife, just easy to shoot.

And obviously, I got the photos to post, but now I can't get the title of my post changed!

I'm sure staves will be in my future sometime but for now boards are cheap and easy practice.

[Roy from Pa]

Not a bad looking bow, however your edges of the bow limbs should be rounded off a lot more. Square edges lead to failures.. You need to resize that second picture, it's way too wide and mess's up the thread.

[Regular Paul]

My bad on the pic. I've been trying to get this to work between 5 minute naps and screaming fits from my 3 month old. I'll round the edges more on the bow too. I had a feeling that played into my splinter. Keep the advice coming!

[bigbob2]

Iron Eagle is that a Palm wood bow you posted?

[LittleBen]

Thats red oak I'm pretty sure.

[Iron Eagle]

Ben is right its red oak.