And I diverge .............

Talk with other Shiloh Sharps shooters.

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sandhillcowboy1
Posts: 166
Joined: Tue Apr 12, 2005 11:36 pm

Re: And I diverge .............

Post by sandhillcowboy1 »

mdeland wrote: Sat May 16, 2020 1:59 pm It's another Pyramid bow but fully 7 inches longer than the other one I made last year. I like this design as it's fast, smooth and easy to tiller out.
Bowyers Bibles 1,2, and 3 are great resources for bow building

Rick
SHCB1
mdeland
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Joined: Mon Nov 20, 2006 1:47 pm

Re: And I diverge .............

Post by mdeland »

Thank you, I need to order the set and study up on the various styles.
Glen Ring
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Joined: Fri Jan 18, 2019 3:45 pm

Re: And I diverge .............

Post by Glen Ring »

I have been building bows off and on for over 20 years.
Here in Oklahoma we have a lot of Osage Orange/Boisd'arc, horse apple .. It makes a wonderful self bow and if it has tight growth rings and is allowed to dry, those rings can be violated and still make a usable bow.

I have made many and given them away as gifts. The last favorite was a Pyramid shape, 60 inches backed by a thin layer of sinew and Rat snake skin over that. I had cow bone tips, a deer skin quiver and arrows made from dog wood.
That bow now hangs in my bud's office.

I just finished a 42 inch plains style self bow to get me back in the groove after 4 year absence..and now I'm getting my very well seasoned wood out to start on a self bow for my grandson. I cut the wood when he was born 12 years ago and have a couple of water buffalo horns and an American Bison horn to make tip reinforcements with.

Bow making started a primitive obsession with me and a bud a few years ago. We knapped flint knives and arrowheads, made self arrows....until Jeanne came home one day and walked into my room in the attic. I had burned turkey feathers to trim them, Ground some bone for arrow heads and when she asked what those strings were made of I told her just Gut. Now it's all done outdoors.

Please keep us informed on the Ipe Bow progress. I might stray away from Osage and give it a whirl.
There are those that talk, and those that act. Make a choice.
mdeland
Posts: 11708
Joined: Mon Nov 20, 2006 1:47 pm

Re: And I diverge .............

Post by mdeland »

Cool Glen , I'm new at it but have been wanting to make them most of my life just never got around to it. I want to learn as much as I can so lets see some pictures! Quite often gun guys and gals are also archery buffs but don't find very many making there own stuff.
I started Knapping points about five years ago and am reasonably proficient at it but have never made arrows yet. Turkey tails are my favorite style so far.
My son- in- law in Kansas just cut a nice straight barked, fairly limb free Bodark tree about 8 inches in diameter and set it up to dry with the ends painted up to keep it from cracking . He'll bring it North next spring so it should be ready to make some nice bows. I wanted to make my Daughter a bow of a stave from their area.
The all Hickory bow I made last spring took quite a set which I'm told is common with the wood. It is fantastic in tension but only so so in compression hence the need for a wood like Ipe for the belly.
I am also making my own Flemish twist strings of B-55 which I find quite interesting as well.
Trying to figure out with this new bow if I want an arrow rest or shoot off the top of my hand.
Glen Ring
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Joined: Fri Jan 18, 2019 3:45 pm

Re: And I diverge .............

Post by Glen Ring »

I have shot off my hand for a few years...but the feathers can cut if they are not fletched good . I started making a small , leather shelf and wrapping the handle with cane that's used for chair seats.

I read the boyers bibles...all four and learned a LOT.
There are those that talk, and those that act. Make a choice.
mdeland
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Joined: Mon Nov 20, 2006 1:47 pm

Re: And I diverge .............

Post by mdeland »

Well, it's starting to look like a bow. Got the tip inlays glued on and roughed out and started on the grip.I think I will go with a arrow rest as well. I like to get the arrow as close to center shot as I can.
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mdeland
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Re: And I diverge .............

Post by mdeland »

Here is the Pyramid profile on it. It is more subtle than most pyramid bows but I wanted to try it!
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mdeland
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Re: And I diverge .............

Post by mdeland »

The tip over lays are moose antler and the grip is Zebra wood. I bought the zebra wood for forearm tips but it's going pretty fast as bow handles. :lol:
mdeland
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Joined: Mon Nov 20, 2006 1:47 pm

Re: And I diverge .............

Post by mdeland »

Glen, have you tried blocking any of your bows? I think it is supposed to discourage self bows from taking a set but have not tried it yet!
mdeland
Posts: 11708
Joined: Mon Nov 20, 2006 1:47 pm

Re: And I diverge .............

Post by mdeland »

I need to quit farting around with this bow and get a bullet swage die made for friend of mine. His 30-30 barrel is .299 in the bore and he can't get his regular 30 cal mold to drop them small enough to chamber. I told him he probably had some lead between the blocks that was making them drop over size. He said cleaning the blocks did make the bullets be able to chambered but still wants the die made. I have no clue as to the need now.
Kurt
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Joined: Wed Oct 12, 2005 10:28 pm
Location: Not Far enough NW in Illinois

Re: And I diverge .............

Post by Kurt »

Mike I made a Lemon Wood long bow in the School shop class when I was a kid. When I got it finished I could barely draw it. It was a beautiful bow and after several weeks I could full draw it. I hunted rabbits and Squirrels with a blunt point for squirrels so the arrow would not stick in a limb :) worked great.
But be careful when the temp gets below zero. I was out one morning with the temp way below zero and made a fast draw on a rabbit and the top limb broke like glass.
The reason a dog has so many friends is because he wags his tail instead of his tongue.

"Socialism is a philosophy of failure, the creed of ignorance, and the gospel of envy, its inherent virtue is the equal sharing of misery"Winston Churchill
Glen Ring
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Joined: Fri Jan 18, 2019 3:45 pm

Re: And I diverge .............

Post by Glen Ring »

I made a vine maple snake bow and a Locust bow . I think the trick with white woods are to get them dry. I learned, on Osage, to tiller very slowly and never pull to full draw until after a few days of letting the wood settle. I have tiller ed bows with sandpaper and a sharp knife's edge to make shavings.

Over drawing early in the tillering process gave me string follow on any wood.

What glue did you use?
The only time I used a lumber type stave of Osage was when I backed a couple of bows with bamboo. They were beautiful.

The prettiest bow I think I made was a z spliced black Locust bow I intentionally built a back set into. A thin layer of sinew , Buffalo horn tips and two cotton mouth Moccasin skins and it was PRETTY !!

It only drew around 44 pounds at 28 inches and was 66 inches in the American Flat bow design. I won a medal in the Oklahoma State games with it one year. It would cast a 500 grain hunting arrow 200 yards.

I felt sorry for a fireman and GAVE that bow to him.
There are those that talk, and those that act. Make a choice.
mdeland
Posts: 11708
Joined: Mon Nov 20, 2006 1:47 pm

Re: And I diverge .............

Post by mdeland »

I have a lot to learn of tillering.I've read that mediocre wood with perfect tiller will make a good bow but lousy tiller with the best wood still produces a crappy bow.
How far do you take the floor tiller before the tree?
Kurt
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Joined: Wed Oct 12, 2005 10:28 pm
Location: Not Far enough NW in Illinois

Re: And I diverge .............

Post by Kurt »

I have a bunch of Ash trees that died two years ago but still standing. One I cut down for the nice straight trunk it has that I want to use for making a bow.
I don't want to take it to a saw mill to have them plank it out, I want to split it with wedges to follow the grain.
The reason a dog has so many friends is because he wags his tail instead of his tongue.

"Socialism is a philosophy of failure, the creed of ignorance, and the gospel of envy, its inherent virtue is the equal sharing of misery"Winston Churchill
mdeland
Posts: 11708
Joined: Mon Nov 20, 2006 1:47 pm

Re: And I diverge .............

Post by mdeland »

Should make a good one Kurt! I've not tried Ash yet but hear it makes good bows. I saw a really pretty muzzle loader stock made of curly ash recently but the grain run was wrong through the wrist. I recommended the owner bore down through the wrist from the barrel channel and Gorilla glue in a half inch Hickory dowel to reinforce it before he lean on it wrong and snaps it off.
Are you planning a American flat bow, Pyramid , Long or short horse bow?
I sure hope this one I've been working on doesn't blow up on me. The grain run is wrong on the Ipe but it was all I could get in a plank so we'll see how it does in compression with this layout.
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