Deflex / Reflex selfbow

[Chris Wilson]

Looking real good there David.  You da man!      You need to bring that rascal to Twin Oaks this year so I can put a few arrows thru it.    :D   I promise I'll give it back.  Well, maybe    :rolleyes:    

[DCM]

Chris,

Maybe I'll wait and let YOU shoot it in at Twin Oaks.  ;-)

RH is running 30% to 35% in my hot box lately.  I'm thinking about letting this bow pick up a little moisture before I stress it max.

[Glasspoint]

[Glasspoint]

Looks like something the Elves would shoot...

[DCM]

I recut the nocks, shot the bow 8 or 10 times 24" or 25" draw and left it braced 2 hours.  I don't see that it's taking any permanent set.  It rests back just a smidge.  No creaks or pops.

 http://home.midsouth.rr.com/ddmims/ss13.JPG

Timo,

The limb dimensions are:

Lower - 26" long, 1 7/16" x 5/8" fades, 1 1/4" x 7/16" midlimb, 13/16" x 5/16" 2" from nocks.

Upper - 27" long, 1 3/8" x 5/8" fades, 1 1/4" x 7/16" midlimb, 3/4" x 3/8" 2" from nocks.

The nocks and outer limbs are a bit fat yet and while it shoots good, and fast like a new bow, it does hum a mite.  Feels like it needs a proper string.  My tiller string is a fright.

[Timo]

Pretty close hey bud?I'll copy them down for further use. Nocks look good! But my word.....I didn't know the thing had that hole all the way through it!!!

Keep them pics comin

[Hartung]

Originally posted by DCM:
... For some of you aspiring bowyers, all that stands between you and a project like this is some bow wood and courage.

...and some hints on how to tiller that kind of reflex, DCM please   :confused:  

DCM    

Thanks!

[AZStickman]

I do believe ya made it the full 8 seconds... You can tell your girls that as far as I'm concerned you "Cowboy Up" with the best of em....    ..Great build along David...... Thanks for sharing it......       Terry

[reflx-shtr]

Man, things like this make me feel unworthy to even post a message, let alone build a bow.

Outstanding Dave.

[DCM]

Timo,

Like you I love it when folks post pics.

Terry,

I might have her rode but I ain't out from under foot by a long shot.

Leo,

Reflexed bows tiller just like all the others.  Just be patient and take wood where it doesn't bend enough.  It does take a little getting used to the stiff triangular look at brace height though.

Lonnie,

You are a great bowyer for the experience you have.  In fact I see a majority of new bowyers early bows are much better than mine were.  Honestly, tillering this bow once I got the string on and centered was as easy as any simple board or straight stave bow you'll make.

[John Sturtevant]

Gee.
Used to enjoy nothing more then taking a piece of the weirdest wood I could find and trying to talk it into being a bow.  
Whether it wanted to or not.
Haven’t done that for quite some time now, but this inspires me to go scrounge thru the burn pile behind the shed.  
Really a wonderful job David.

[DCM]

Thanks John.  Don't waste yer firewood!  Wait and I'll bring you a piece to MoJam.  ;-)  Knarly wood is definately where the magic lives.

[George Tsoukalas]

Lookin' good like a DCM bow  should. Jawge

[DCM]

Well I shot the bow some more and while it has decent manners it needs it's outer limbs narrowed and nocks recut.  Unfortunately when I started to draw up past 26" the fateful pop that signals spontaneous dissassembly came a knockin'.

  http://home.midsouth.rr.com/ddmims/ss14.JPG  

Some serious consideration is called for here.  I don't want to settle for a 40# bow.  I only need a lil taste of more strenght.  50# ain't much more than 45#.  Sinew isn't really the option in a repair like this.  As it's at the arrow pass no kind of wrap suits me.

  http://home.midsouth.rr.com/ddmims/ss15.JPG  

I'm considering a thru hole, or blind hole and pin it with a solid piece and URAC.  I really need to see what's down in there and fill it if I can.  Only other thing I can think of is take the crud out from the top and then fill it in from there.

Suggestions?

[Timo]

Bummer dude! Had the feelin that might happen.I can see in those pics, that one side looks tough enough,but the other looks a bit weak. Not sure what to tell you about it? The first thought was to drill it out,and glue in a wedged pug from both sides?

Will the urac cure in the center well enough?

Or you could epoxy a metel "shoot through" roll pin,and call it center shot?8^

[horseapple]

Dang David, just when you was getting down to the nitty gritty... How about dremeling the soft punk out then epoxying it with osage shavings added in the glue, also for added strength you could rodwrap the area, to nice of a bow not to try and save it... On another note, we have this master bowyer that lives down south of me named Leon Blagg, he's been building osage bows probably before I was born... now thats along time:)  anyways back to the story, Me and Hinge was at his house probably 3 or 4 yrs ago just admiring his bows when he pulls out this unbeleivably crooked -ss piece of osage, I meen it looks alot like your bow but was severely reflexed, he pops a string on it and braces it, I would've never thought it would have stayed strung more less stayed together as he drew it... Funny thing is that his kinfolks had been cutting wood and saw this crooked -ss osage and just for fun cut it down and took it to Leon for a good laugh, well to say that Leon got the last laugh would be an understatment, I would just love to get a picture of that bow and post it here, words just can't desribe it... nothing quite like osage character bows...

Joe Don

[frankb]

DCM

You're still 'Da Man!

That was one heck of a fun build-along, bud.  


-Frankb

[DCM]

I've always been fascinated by the knarly stuff JD.  There's a picture in one of the TBBs that really got me thinking, even before I started building any bows.  I was surprised at how viable some of the more crooked-up stuff is for bow wood.

Thanks Frank.  I enjoy when folks post build alongs as well.

After sleeping on this problem I'm more inclined towards working the knot out from the top.  I think if I could get a solid rod about that diameter down in there it would hold up fine.  Trouble with one of these unusual problems is you don't run into a lot of folks with direct experience.

More suggestions please.

[rocdoc]

David.  If it blows on you......I'll have lots of advice for you then......got lots of experience with that!    

[Hammerhead]

and to think that stave looked like firewood to me...

That is one truly wild looking bow. I like it.