An Elm bow, finally...

[takefive]

I've been working on one variation or another of this hickory backed elm board bow since New Year's.  I cracked the tips heat bending the first one.  Used olive oil on the second one and managed to flip the tips and was doing the final tillering when the backer split at one of the nock grooves.  The bow didn't break, but it cracked all the way down into the bottom limb.  For my final try (good thing I found a wide board) I skipped the heat bending and just glued in 2" of reflex the length of the bow.  It's 65" NTN, 1 3/4" at the fades, and 45# @ 27".  This is my first try at stippling and I really like that type of grip.  I hope this bow holds up because it shoots nice and smooth.  Thanks for looking.

 

 

 

 

 

[LittleBen]

Reminds me of the picture of Dean Torges in the TBB series where he's holing one braced bow and one unbraced bow.

Design: textbook perfect
Tiller: textbook perfect

Really excellent job on what matters most ... a really solid plan and excellent tillering to make it come together.

Looks like it held most of the reflex ... a good sign your bow is wide enough and long enough.

[Crittergetter]

Really, really nice job!!! Every thing looks great! Tiller, profile, stippling, everything! Way to go!

[Roy from Pa]

Very nice Greg..

[takefive]

Thanks Ben, crittergetter, and Roy!  Ben, you're gonna make me blush    :D   I thought about getting into this year's Bow Swap right before elm bow #2 failed on me.  Figured I should give it some more time and hope that I can get my bows down to two tries or less  before next year's Swap.  I've been following the thread and really enjoy reading about everyone's progress on their bows and the different types being made.
A young guy I work with who target shoots and hunts with a wheelbow is interested in trying a recurve.  He can't find anything locally, so I gave him a couple trad catalogs and told him to check online.  He asks me about the wood bows I'm working on, and I'm always upfront about the frustrations and failures along the way as well as how rewarding it is when one turns out nice.  Really tough to try to explain that to someone who hasn't tried to make one.  The last time I talked to him he said he'd like me to make a longbow for him.  But it has to be fiberglass.    

[D]

That is super nice.  Tiller looks great.

[red hill]

I like everything about that bow, takefive! Nice profile and tiller looks great.

We'll done!  

[takefive]

Thanks D and red hill!  Sure have learned a lot since joining TG and The Bowyer's Bench.  Great group of people on here.    

[Trapper Rob]

[Echatham]

it does look textbook.  beautiful tiller.  i have been wanting to try some elm for a long time but its real hard to find around here except for 3-4" diameter and smaller.... and not any of even that is where i can cut it.

[takefive]

Thanks Rob and Eric!  I found a hardwood lumberyard that has red elm and hard maple boards about an hour's drive from me.  Their prices are great, but as usual I'm lucky to find one board out of their whole inventory that has grain straight enough for a bow.  I like everything about elm, especially the look of the grain and even the way it smells.

[Roy from Pa]

Oh God, so now your into sniffen your wood?    LMFAO

[Crittergetter]

LOL!!!!!!!!

[mmgrode]

[takefive]

Haha Roy.  Yep, if you want a real treat go sniff some sassafras.    

[Roy from Pa]

Nah, cedar arrows are the best..  

[takefive]

Can't argue with you there, Roy.  That's some good sniffen.

[David Flanrey]

Greg, you nailed it!!  That is a beauty.

[takefive]

Thanks David!  Good things happen if you sniff enough elm    

Roy, I hear that dogwood smells a lot like Coors Light...   :p

[Roy from Pa]

LOL I don't know about dogwood, but the mulch out behind the bow shop does.