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Author Topic: Yippee! I have a bow!  (Read 1233 times)

Offline Dick in Seattle

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Yippee! I have a bow!
« on: January 18, 2009, 07:50:00 PM »
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Yippee! I Have a Bow - With Pix

Postby Dick in Seattle on Sun Jan 18, 2009 4:43 pm
OK... got the pix processed (and added to the Beginning Bowyer's Log web page). Here is the previous message again, but now with four pix. I'm interested in what you think of the curve...


This mornings work was the real excitement of this journey. Up till now, I've felt like I was building a pyramid the hard way... piling up bricks in a cube with the anticipation of then removing everything that didn't look like a pyramid. This morning I bandsawed the bow out of that layup and I felt like running up to the Pharoah and yelling, "Look, look, it's a pyramid!" It's truly amazing how you feel at that moment when, in spite of all the worries and all the mistakes and problems, a bow does indeed appear. And, if I may say so, it is a beauty. Quite different in the appearance of the wood and, of course that curved flatbow shape I'm working with. I got better pix this time (found out what setting in my program I had changed!).

Even better, once I edge sanded and generally smoothed up... though still far from final finishing... the limbs came out straight, no twist... the curve looks good. The limb that will be the bottom is 1/4" less brace height than the top, so no special tillering will be required. Best of all, the weight is going to be almost right on what I planned for the layup formula... I nocked it at a full 68" and it is pulling almost exactly 31#. Now, it is going to lose some weight as I finish it up... probably about 5#. I'll keep track of that and will probably end up cutting the limbs back for a 66" or 64" bow. I was hoping for maybe 62" to gain a bit of speed, but, hey, to come that close on my first effort just has me walking on air. The pix I got include the limb and tiller checks at half draw and some shots at full draw....

If you want to know what i'm feeling like right now, picture a beagle puppy with a new tennis ball :^)

 

 

 

 


At times I think it looks like too much curve at the fades, particularly in the third pic, with the wood brace... not so much at full draw. Feels good, but do I want to move some curvature outboard a bit?

Dick
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Dick in Seattle

"It ain't how well the bow you shoot shoots, it's how well you shoot the bow you shoot."

Offline Focusource

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Re: Yippee! I have a bow!
« Reply #1 on: January 18, 2009, 08:31:00 PM »
I knew you could do it!  Way to go, Dick.
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Offline Shaun

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Re: Yippee! I have a bow!
« Reply #2 on: January 18, 2009, 08:55:00 PM »
A little more bend near mid limb would give you a more classic D shape but you will loose draw weight. How does it feel, shoot, behave in the hand etc.?
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Offline Greg Szalewski

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Re: Yippee! I have a bow!
« Reply #3 on: January 18, 2009, 09:19:00 PM »
That's great Dick. Looks like you have a good start. Now comes the fun part.
FYI: I cut my first one out on a bandsaw as well and ruined the blade. Now I just use the belt sander (36 or 40 grit).
GS
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Offline Aeronut

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Re: Yippee! I have a bow!
« Reply #4 on: January 18, 2009, 09:34:00 PM »
:clapper:  

Dennis
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Offline Dick in Seattle

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Re: Yippee! I have a bow!
« Reply #5 on: January 18, 2009, 10:22:00 PM »
greg... are you the one who uses the Rigid oscillating belt sander?   I remember a post about that.   The bandsaw cutting did pretty much do in the new blade.  I used the sander some, but the belt wasn't course enough to really knock off material.  I'll have to a course belt for it. Sanders are about my favorite tool.  I' real used to using them.
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Online kennym

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Re: Yippee! I have a bow!
« Reply #6 on: January 18, 2009, 10:38:00 PM »
Great job Dick!!   :thumbsup:    :thumbsup:  

I'm with Shaun on the tiller!


36 grit rocks!!
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Offline rossinvrland

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Re: Yippee! I have a bow!
« Reply #7 on: January 18, 2009, 11:11:00 PM »
Your bow looks great! Enjoy your work.
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Offline talkingcabbage

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Re: Yippee! I have a bow!
« Reply #8 on: January 18, 2009, 11:14:00 PM »
Looks awesome Dick!  

By the way, how do you tiller a lam bow?  take the material off the sides?  I'm used to the good ol' wood bows, but thinking about trying a lam just once.

Congrats again my friend!

Joe
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Offline Dick in Seattle

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Re: Yippee! I have a bow!
« Reply #9 on: January 19, 2009, 01:11:00 AM »
Joe... you're asking a guy who's just chortling over getting a good start on his first solo bow?! :^)

Actually, you can take off of the sides of the limbs or you can, at least according to dvd's I've watched, sand the glass surface itself a little., though that seems to be more a matter of adjusting the weight rather than the tiller.

If you want to try this, do get the Bingham Projects dvd and check out some of the buildalongs on the various archery sites.  They truly help, as do all the guys on the sites.   Can't tell you how many questions they answered for me.  If you want to, you can follow my efforts from the first starts to the finish (yet to come) on my personal web site.  I'm webbing the whole thing not as a buildalong, but more as a record of my feelings and thoughts as I go.   here's a link.

 http://dickwightman.com/archery/bowyering/beginningbowyerlog/beginningbowyerlog.html
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Dick in Seattle

"It ain't how well the bow you shoot shoots, it's how well you shoot the bow you shoot."

Offline Greg Szalewski

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Re: Yippee! I have a bow!
« Reply #10 on: January 19, 2009, 06:19:00 AM »
No Dick, that wasn't me. My sander is as simple and cheap as they come.
GS
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Offline talkingcabbage

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Re: Yippee! I have a bow!
« Reply #11 on: January 19, 2009, 08:46:00 AM »
Thanks Dick.  I'll have to check out those dvd's.  Do keep the reports coming.  I enjoy your take on the whole thing and am anxious to see the finished product (as I'm sure you are too)!

Joe
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Joe

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One of two things will happen; it'll either work or it won't.

Offline TNstickn

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Re: Yippee! I have a bow!
« Reply #12 on: January 19, 2009, 04:17:00 PM »
I knew you would pull it off!! A little grit goes a long way in bow buildin!!! Happy for ya   :thumbsup:
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