finally started my newest selfbow

[Pat B]

Yeah, Mark. My hands hate it too.   

[Mad Max]

Still chasing that illusive back ring. As I go down a ring the one below is more concave making it a slow process. You might be able to see the concavity in this pic. I put the piece of wood across the limb to highlight it.

how long is that area Pat?

[Pat B]

Much of one limb, Mark.

[Walt Francis]

Pat,
My experience with a dip on the back (concave), is they are a pain to chase the growth ring, more difficult to tiller, shoot a little faster than bows with a convex or flat back, and tend to be a little less durable.  Like your bow in the picture, I try to keep the bottom of the dip running down the center of the limb.

[Pat B]

Thanks, Walt. Don't remember working whit a concave back. I agree, so far the concave back has been a pain, literally to work on and on my hands. I'm sure the tillering will be too.

[George Tsoukalas]

Looks good, Pat. Jawge

[Roy from Pa]

Pat do you have one of those curved scrapers?

[Pat B]

Thanks George.
 Yes Roy, the gooseneck scraper is about all I used yesterday. It's hard to get and keep it sharp though. With my flat scraper I clamp it in the vice and remove the bur with a flat bastard file then flatten the edge with the file and roll both edges of that with a burnisher. With the gooseneck I have to use my disc/belt sander. I lay it flat on the disc sander table and grind the edge flat. This makes the edges sharp but doesn't give it the hook. The sharp edges seem to dull fairly quickly.
 My next step is to get the other limb, the one with all the pins down to one ring. Unfortunately that will be below the other clean limb so I may have to go down another ring on it again. 

[Walt Francis]

If your handle is going to be nonbending you can change growth rings.  That might keep you from having to chase another ring on ine limb.  I have stepped down three rings in the handle.

[Pat B]

I thought about that, Walt and that might be the way I go. I'm anxious to move on to the next step.
 I think I'll back this bow with rawhide. With the thin rings and all the knots I think it would be a smart thing to do plus it gives me a good pallet for some decorations.

[Mad Max]

Get a different stave out of your stash

[Roy from Pa]

Pat go ahead and smack Maxi-Boy...

 

[Mad Max]

Sometimes I chase one and put it back for another day and work on a different one

[Pat B]

Too far across this stream to change horses now, Mark. 

[Mad Max]

 

[Pat B]

Well, I finally got the back chased. Another hour and a half got it done. Turns out that most of the back is concave so me and the gooseneck scraper are intimately involved.  I'll be heading back down to the shop after lunch to get the back profile laid out and cut out. then the fun begins. I'll have more pics later today. 

[Roy from Pa]

Hurry up and eat:)

[Mad Max]

 

Your too far across this stream to go eat

[Pat B]

I got the back cleaned but one back ring overlaps the other at the center of the handle. Shouldn't be a problem on a stiff handle(thanks for the info Walt)bow. Almost the entire back is concave. Between that and all the pin knots it took me about 6 hrs to get to where I quit today, mostly with the gooseneck scraper.


I marked the center line again on the 2" wide stave then marked the 4" handle and 4" fades then I draw a line across the limbs every 6" from the fade to the tips. This helps me lay out the bow. One side of the handle area had a bad tear out. I decided to make the bow 1 5/8" wide and this will eliminate the tearout. The line on the right is at 1 5/8" and the right side of the limb.


Once the width is reduced I mark the side of the stave with the handle, fades and 3/4" thick limbs.


and from there I begin the rough thinning of the limbs by sawing off facets on the belly from the 3/4" line towards the center of the belly.


then remove the peak along the center of the belly.


Besides the bandsaw these are the tools I've used so far


and these are the tools I'll use for shaping and tillering

[Roy from Pa]

Looking nice Pat.