My First Holmegaard Type Bow Attempt (Compleated Pics - 09/14)

[ber643]

Thanks, Glenn and Shaun - Missed your post yesterday, Glenn - didn't mean to ignore you.

I considered flipping the bow but decided not to due to some markings I have on the back. I've been working on it most of the morning, with the short string. Small scrapings to even things up and try to finish up the tillering and weight. Right now it's pulling 36# @ 20" and I'm not trying to go beyond that until I do get e'm evened out (unless it's by accident). Hope to get it set for some varied pics before dark.

[ber643]

Been working on the bow today to even the limbs up, and, while it is not fully at that point, it appears to be close. First, though, since I have been doing some shaping, etc. during the last week or so, I took some pics to show her new "figger" and thought you might like to see them

Back unstrung:

 

Belly unstrung:

 

Belly at brace (aprox. 4"):

 

Now, the latest tillering pics, starting with her on the tree at low brace:

 

With the pully connected at my normal draw point, ready to exercise:

 

After exercising, drawn to 36# @ 20":

 

The sun was very bright in the entrance to the carport and is washing out the left limb appearance some - it's not as thin as it looks. I'm thinking the Right limb needs to bend a little more at the the handle fade and out a little ways, and that the left limb needs to bend a little more as it gets closer to the transition step - before I go any further on draw weight - but figgured I'd show it at this point anyway (I was getting tired, and my poor ol' brain was getting a little befuddled trying to get that left limb bending right again - LOL).

[Dano]

The right limb looks good to me, the left is deffinately stiffer, you picked a good time to take a break. This is the point where bows get ruined. Nice work on her figure Bern, don't tell Rose tho  

[ber643]

Yeah - that seems to be the concensus on the other site too, (with some concerne about the right being too weak). I hope not though. Thanks, Dano. I'll leave the right alone and go easy on the left to even them up, I hope.

[ber643]

The left Limb is responding but awfully slow. It's been giving me fits like that all afternoon, and led me to second guess my thinking on the right limb earlier. That's what got me in trouble. I hope I can get out of it now - without a disaster.

[Dano]

How much are you exercising after wood removal Bernie?

[Shaun]

Looks likes the left limb needs scraping but I like Dano's idea of taking a break. Near the end is the time to go real slow.

[ber643]

 

Dano, I religeously exercise it a lot after each reduction, first on the floor, then as I brace, and finally about 30 to 50 (relatively short) pulls on the tree. If anything I probably over exercise them. I exercise the bows I shoot a lot like that also - good training for them - and me      

Actually that Right limb seemed to go very suddenly, as it had appeared the stronger to me all along. It's also funny about the left one seeming to not respond too readilly to the shaving. It appeared to be the weaker limb all along, and yet it has surprised me in how stiff/strong it is. I finally got it responding some last night, before I got too tired and quit. It looks closer now and is acting more responsive to each scraping. I'm proceeding verrrrrrrrrry slowly with it (so as not to repeat the right limb "happening"). I will try another limited scrape pass and floor exercise on it this AM, before I eat, and then hope to get back on it again later today, after family matters. In any case, it's been a real learning experience, for sure.

[Dano]

Sounds like your exerscing enough. I was talking to Mike Westvang of Dryad bows at Mojam, he was saying they shoot their bows with a short draw quite a bit towards final tiller, this helps register the change after wood removal better. Seems like some wood just refuses to change, then all of a sudden POW it's too weak. Your doing great Ol' Brother.  

[Pat B]

Bernie, She is coming along well. I have found that even with a short string and exercising you aren't getting positive effects of wood removal. Try exercising it with a regular in hand draw(to only 20"mol) and see if that doesn't help. The way you hold the bow and the way it rests on the tree are totally different.  You might also try leaving it strung at lo brace for an hour or so to see if that doesn't sweat out the little bit of bend on that stiffer limb.
         Pat

[BLACK WOLF]

Totally agree with what Pat just suggested and with what Dano said about Mike shooting his bows near final tiller by short drawing.

Ray  

[ber643]

Hmmmm, both things are interesting, and I have read occasionally about leaving at brace for awhile now and then, towards the end. Certainly both are easy enough to try, and couldn't hurt IMO, and I certainly respect the opinions of those making the suggestions. I short draw to try out kids bows all the time - and every now and then I short draw my own bows - when I don't mean to, come to think of it       - . I'll give them a try, before going too much further. Just got home, and may get a chance to work on it again later today.

[BLACK WOLF]

By the way...keep on being patient with it Bernie...it's looking good.

Ray  

[ber643]

Good advice, Ray, that I will follow.

I decided that instead of putting the Holmi on the tree, I would try putting it at brace for awhile first, since I had scrapped it a little more this AM. At brace it looked more even than it had since the right limb had gone wimpy on me, so I decided to take a Cane arrow out and short draw shoot a few to see how it acted, and perhaps help it take proper curvature, as suggested. I stood aprox 10-11 yards from my large foam target (just in case- LOL), and started shooting, and retrieving, the arrow. I wound up shooting 25 half-draw shots (fun!). BTW, It would have been uncomfortable for me to pull it further than that, so it still has draw weight. All but one hit landed inside a 10" center of the target, flying very well for being shot from a unserved and unnocked string, and non-compleated bow. I was impressed. A little noisey, and a tad hand-shocky but to be expected at 4 1/4" brace, off the hand, probably. (I should probably add that it shot equally as well held upside down for about 5 shots - by accident - DOH!) It still looked as good as it had before shooting, though not quite perfect yet, so I took a picture (the highlight is from the flash):

 

I'll run it on the tillering tree again before proceeding with any indicated further work, but I think these proceedures are viable aids and am glad they were brought up. The bow is hanging at brace, even as we speak, to "cook in" if it will - LOL.

[Glenn Newell]

She's looking good Bernie...Glenn...

[Dano]

Looking good Bernie, you can see by your last pic that the upper limb is still a tad stiff, you'll get there, take it slow.

[BLACK WOLF]

Woo...Hooo! That's gotta feel good. To see and realize your soooo close to having the bow you have been trying to create. I know I get even more excited as I get closer to the finished product.

I agree with Dano...that top limb is looking a little stiff.

Don't leave it too long at brace  

Doin' great!

Ray  

[ber643]

Thanks, guys and I agree.

After that (and supper) I decided I just wanted to see how the bow looked on the tillering tree before I quit for the day on it. As soon as I picked it up I saw it looked even a little better (doesn't mean it will stay after unbracing - but .........???). Once I got it on the tree, exercised it, and drew it (34# @ 21"), I decided it was worth a couple more pics for your perusal as well    .

At Brace:

   

Drawn:

 

[Dano]

OH!! That looks real good!!!

[ber643]

Thanks, Dano. Wonder if it will still be that way in the AM   :D  And if I can draw it to 25"    

Looks pretty much like whatever I might do now I pretty much need to do to both limbs (if I can),I'd guess.