My First Selfbow

[8up]

I went to the Tennessee Classic last weekend and decided I wanted to attempt building a selfbow.My time was limited as I got a late start on Friday and had to spend half of Saturday attending my daughters wedding. I ended up getting the last stave the had. It was Ironwood (hop hornbeam) and I worked it slowly for fear of ruining my first attempt. I left on Sunday with it unfinished but Pappy told me to come back and we would finish it. I want to Thank Everyone for their Time and Patience and for sharing their knowledge. ( Thanks Pappy, Greg, Tom and all the others I never got the name of)

   During the week I built a bench and mounted my vice. Friday I mounted leather in the jaws and started where I left off on the limbs. Not equipped with enough knowledge to know better I was trying to get one area down to the next growth ring on the belly of the bow not paying attention to limb thickness. I gave up for the night before removing all of the growth ring and I'm sure glad I did.

   Yesterday I went back out to Twins Oaks and found out I had taken to much from the mention area. With the help of Pappy and Steve (Thank you) we were able to save it. Steve taught me how to remove wood faster than I had been doing. I learned how to use a long string and tillering stick as well as how to determine where I needed to remove wood and more importantly were not to remove more wood from.  I was hoping for 45# @ 26" But was really pleased with a finished weight of 40# @ 26" Its 62 1/2" long. Today I cut out and glued on a small leather shelf. I then strung it and shot 5 shots at 5 yards then moved back to 10yds 4 of the first 5 were in the vitals and all 5 on the next round found their mark. I have some finish sanding to do then seal it and add a leather grip.  NOW where can I another stave?  ;D

 

[whitebuffalo]

Nice work bud,, nice lookin group too.

[W.Tim]

congrats on your 1st bow

[the Ferret]

Very cool! Glad you got a shooter out of it first try.

So what are you going to build one out of next?

[8up]

Thanks guys
Ferret, Anything I can find a stave of. Until I get a few under my belt I dont want to spend a whole lot just to make firewood.  

[Huntrdfk]

Cool Ron, pretty neat when you make one yourself and shoot it for the first time isn't it?


David

[8up]

Yes it was a great feeling to see the arrow hit its mark from a bow I made with my own hands. I am hooked. I can't wait to find my next victim oops I mean stave

[Ol'school]

You've gone and done it now, selfbow-itis sure is fun. Good one.

[BamBooBender]

Good on ya bud!  

[wakolbinger]

good stuff! keep your eyes peeled, I cut local white woods for bows a couple of times a year. There are tons out there that can make a decent bow, just scored on an awesome ironwood tree the other day...

dan

[poekoelan]

"Anything I can find a stave of. Until I get a few under my belt I dont want to spend a whole lot just to make firewood."

I like your attitude. Too many newcomers are too focused on a certain species of wood. They ask "what is the best wood for a beginner?" and they get pages and pages of biased opinions. They probably go away more confused than when they started.

Any fairly straight hardwood will serve you well. Even 1x2 boards if the grain is right. Err on the wide side. If you have the bow braced at a low height and it hasn't taken any noticable set, take the width down a bit and continue until it does. Some people may disagree, but a little set in self bow is a good thing. The fastest ones made have an inch or so. Two inches won't kill you. Enjoy.

[Randy Morin]

Congratulations Ron on getting a nice shooter your first time around.  Thats awesome!    Good luck on the next!

[xia_emperor]

that is great! my firend built me one, but I built the String for it.  

[Tree man]

Nice job!

[John Scifres]

Good job.  Keep at it.

I hope you don't mind a bit of constructive   criticism.  It looks like your tiller is off.  Tiller is everything on wooden bows.  If you look at your pic, the limb on the right is stronger than the other limb.  If you give it a few scrapes in the outer 2/3rds of the liomb, it will come round better.

[8up]

John Thanks for the compliment. I enjoy constructive criticism It a valuable learning tool. That is the bottom limb, I shoot 3 under and beleive I read shooting this way its good to leave the bottom a bit stiff ? Another reason we left it there is because it was already under weight.
 

[John Scifres]

Tiller is everything on wooden bows.  Green means go, red means stop.  Place your tillering setup hook or tree notch where your middle finger will go and tiller accordingly.