First self bow... Need a few pointers..

[Buxndiverdux]

This is a 61" NTN red oak board bow in a pyramid design. Backed with 3 layers of fiberglass tape. Fades are 1 7/8" wide tapered down to 5/8" wide tips. Limb thickness is 3/4 at fades down to 1/2" at tips. Handle is 8". The upper limb is obviously stiffer. I currently dont have a flemish string to work with so i'm using the bow stringer cord that is long. I'm guessing I need to use a real string for tillering. This cord stretches a ton to barely bend the limbs. Any tips would be greatly appreciated. Thanks
 
 

[okie64]

Left limb looks stiffer. Take some scrapes off until tou get it evened out and bending just enough to brace it with a short string. I dont use a long string after i get it bent enough to brace it with a short string. What kinda poundage and draw length are you goin for? 61" and 8" of stiff handle with red oak is not going to hold up to a very long draw or high poundage. Not tryin to be negative, just speakin from experience.

[Buxndiverdux]

I'd like to have anything over 40lbs, but if I don't get that, my son can have it and he will be thrilled. So I can't loose here unless I break it in half.

[mwosborn]

Left does look a little stiff.  Agree with okie - get it to the short string as soon as you can.  Would recommend making a tillering gizmo - really helps in the tillering process.  Here is the info on building one.

 http://tradgang.com/noncgi/ultimatebb.php?ubb=get_topic;f=2;t=000075

[Pat B]

Why 3 layers of FG tape for a backing. You've added extra physical weight that will rob your bow of cast.

[Buxndiverdux]

Originally posted by Pat B:
Why 3 layers of FG tape for a backing. You've added extra physical weight that will rob your bow of cast.

I don't want it to break. Will one layer do the job? I watched a tutorial do 3 layers so that is what I did. I'm learning, and that is the fun part.

By cast you mean robbing the ability of the limbs to move forward to propel the arrow because of added weight? Right?

[Loren Holland]

Bux,
my first several bows were red oak boards. i made several in the 40 lb range then 45 then i finally got one to 50. it can be done, but only if you tiller slowly. I also was able to get 27" draw without backing one, ofcourse i got bloodied on a couple too. i would recommend hickory backing to do work, and add reflex in the glueup, but if you prefer a nonworking back then use brown paper, much more aesthetic than drywall or fiberglass tape, and lighter. two layers is plenty, plus all you need is some TB3, which is cheap.

[psychmonky]

A couple things I learned on my recently destroyed first board-bow:

Try to work the fades so that they gradually transition into the limb. See how yours just sort of run straight to the limb at a 45 degree angle? Abrupt angle changes aren't good.

61" is not impossible, but it IS really short for red oak (mine was 62 lol.) Don't give up though. If you got a good board, it may hold up. the 3 layers of tape will help. I also used 3 on mine for the same reason you stated...I didn't want it to break. The backing was solid, but the belly fretted badly.

You did a good job centering the string through the handle. Keep working at it. the experience on this one will make worlds of difference on the next. TRUST ME.

Scott

[George Tsoukalas]

Here's how I make bows. Jawge
  http://georgeandjoni.home.comcast.net/~georgeandjoni/

[Pat B]

I don't like the idea of FG packing tape for backings because the coverage is isolated to where the FG strands are. A backing of brown grocery bag paper saturated with TBIII glue will give you the protection you will need without the extra weight. The glue saturated brown paper is the same principle as FG as both components together are stronger than both conponents sperate. If you don't trust the paper backing use linen, silf or rawhide.
  If you haven't already, read George Tsoukalas' website. He has complied everything you need to know about building wood bows from his own experiences over many years, boards or staves.

[jtbluefeather871]

I just finished gluing up a red oak board bow with an old silk tie and TB3. Shooting for 35-40#. just to "see for myself" how it works.  Keep posting pics and let these guys help guide you. They are great!  Good work so far, and have fun!

[Buxndiverdux]

Originally posted by Pat B:
I don't like the idea of FG packing tape for backings because the coverage is isolated to where the FG strands are. A backing of brown grocery bag paper saturated with TBIII glue will give you the protection you will need without the extra weight. The glue saturated brown paper is the same principle as FG as both components together are stronger than both conponents sperate. If you don't trust the paper backing use linen, silf or rawhide.
  If you haven't already, read George Tsoukalas' website. He has complied everything you need to know about building wood bows from his own experiences over many years, boards or staves.

My backing is actually fiberglass mesh sheetrock joint tape.

[Buxndiverdux]

I got a short string and it braced at 5. I hung it on the tree and pulled it down to 17". I still have plenty of weight and that left limb was still stiff so I worked on it little by little until I got it to this point. I still have a boat load of draw weight. Now it looks like the right limb needs a little work near the fades possibly. I guess I'm at the point where I count the passes of removing material and make them equal and put it on the tree to see what I've got. As the limb material comes off the draw length should increase. I open to any and all opinions and suggestions. So far so good as far as I can tell. I've got a slight twist in one limb and am going to read up(TBB vol 1) on fixing that tomorrow. Here she is.
 

[okie64]

Looks like you need to get it moving up closer to the fades on both limbs, especially the right one. Hard to tell from the pics , but it looks like you might want to blend the handle into the fades a little bit like psychmonkey said. If you dont blend it in and you get it moving to close to the fades your handle might pop off. Also looks like you might have the start of a hinge forming about mid-limb on the right. If you see a hinge forming mark it and take wood off above and below it and it will work out.

Your tiller right now is kinda elliptical looking and that would be fine if it had parallel limbs out to mid-limb or so but a pyramid design is meant to have a more circular tiller to get the entire limb working. The thickness of the limbs should remain about the same for the entire limb of a pyramid design bow since you have a steady width taper. Hope that makes sense.

[Buxndiverdux]

My limbs are the thickest up near the handle and fades. Blending the handle means reducing the angle to a more gradual angle? I'm planing on shaping up the handle a little more anyway. What would be the thinnest I could go on the limbs near the knocks? I'm at 1/2" thick now and 1/2" wide. I have been taking material off within about 6" of the tips.

[Buxndiverdux]

I got the twist out, blended the handle with the fades. Took a little off the top limb, and got real close. Braced it at 6" and put it on the tree and noticed a crack in the top limb. Crap! What now? I was getting real close to my draw length and weight range.

Do I have any options? Or start over. Could I just wrap that whole section of limb and go for 20lbs so my son can shoot it safely?
 
 

I'm convinced that finding a good board is going to be harder than actually building a bow. This board had one sketchy place at it cracked there. I see myself cutting some hickory in August.  :(

[Buzz Killington]

I'm not experienced enough to give advice on whether it's possible to correct that kind of damage, but if you decide to start over, I'd suggest reading 4est's buildalong for this kind of bow about 10 times. It's in the "How To - Resources" section. I'm just starting out and it has all kinds of information on pyramid bows. By the way, what's your draw length? Everything i've read says that for a 28" draw length, 66-67" nock-to-nock is the minimum safe length for a red oak bow. The formula for calculating it has been stated in various places as 2x draw length + 20-40%.

I'm also finding that good bow boards are incredibly rare so I'm trying to make a bow out of a flat-sawn board. I'm going to back it with paper and pray it works  

[Buxndiverdux]

What part of NC you in Buzz? I'll check out the resource section. Thanks, I went with the shorter bow because that is what I wanted. I figured it was going to be touchy, but I like a challenge.

[Buzz Killington]

Next to the Virginia border, 'round about the middle.

[Buxndiverdux]

I'm east of you a few hours.