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Main Boards => The Bowyer's Bench => Topic started by: stringstretcher on August 20, 2008, 08:44:00 PM
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Is it possible to make a holmegaard bow from a glue up? Lets say bamboo backed osage? Or even from just a flat board and the now working end glued on along with the handle?
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I don't know why you couldn't make one built up.(I'm new to building bows so I could be wrong)I don't know that the glued on non working limbs would work. I just built one from a redoak board. It's not the fastest bow I've shot but it shoots pretty good. David :D :D
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I remember, when researching for mine, there is a how to, on a different forum, where the guy doing the building was using a Hickory backed Osage Glue-up to build one and he showed his glue up of the boards before he started the bow. I wouldn't want to glue on the non-working ends separately, I don't think. I saw another guy glue on a piece for his Holmegaard handle, because his stave wasn't deep enough in that area. That bow didn't work out though but it wasn't because of the handle - it got a bad hinge, so he put it down. Hope this helps.
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Holmegaard, as it is commonly used, is really just a design concept where about 1/3 of the limb is stiff and narrow. You could make this style of bow in any number of ways. You can glue on the tips if you like. Use good glue and technique.
On asiatic composites, which use a simalar concept, the siyahs, or tips, are almost always glued on separately.
Now, if you are doing a Holmegaard replica, you probably want to make a selfbow.
Here's a pretty cool article about Tillering the Holmegaard Bow (http://www.fiarc.org/public/Forum/Data/jeval/2005102714414_Tillering%20the%20Holmegaard%20Bow-2.pdf)
Have fun. Post pics.
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That's true (about the asiatic siyahs). I'd forgotten about those, and John certainly knows more about bow building than I ever even hope to.
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Thanks for all the info. I have read the article on tillering the Holmegaard several times, and am watching that young Bernie with open eyes. I got some new cane that is just dying to be shot from a Holmeeeeeeeeeeeee.....wait...that could be me....up oh.......lol
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Originally posted by stringstretcher:
Is it possible to make a holmegaard bow from a glue up? Lets say bamboo backed osage? Or even from just a flat board and the now working end glued on along with the handle?
Yes.
Ray ;)
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Man of few words, huh, Ray? :D
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Originally posted by ber643:
Man of few words, huh, Ray? :D
LOL...sometimes :saywhat: :goldtooth:
Ray ;)
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Black Wolf? does your answer mean that you have made one? If so, I sure would like some info and pictures of it?
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Look at my thread again, ss, Ray posted a beauty on there.
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Originally posted by stringstretcher:
Black Wolf? does your answer mean that you have made one? If so, I sure would like some info and pictures of it?
I have not specifically made a Holmgaard by glueing up pieces of wood but I have with some other bows and don't see a problem with it trying it on a Holmgaard.
It is an assumption on my part that it can be done...but I don't see why it can't be based on my other experiences.
Asiatic bows have been made similarly for 1000's of years.
Sorry if I seem presumptuous.
Ray ;)
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I have made a few Holmegaard type bows over the years. I really like the design especially for Australian hardwoods. The bow in the photo is made out of Red Ironbark, it shoots a very fast arrow and with the light tips it is so smooth on release. I used water buffalo horn tip overays and only have a string groove on the back and no string grooves on the sides...Glenn...
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v475/Glenn51/BoarGreyIronBark.jpg)
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A friend of mine Alan Jones made these Holmegaard type bows from gery ironbark and red ironbark. These bows are a delight to shoot especially the one on the right...Glenn...
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v475/Glenn51/autofocus003.jpg)
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Gorgeous bows!
Ray ;)
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They are all beautiful bows. That settles it. I am going to make a Holmie. I think I will go and just get some boards and make a glue up and try one before messing with a good osage stave. Any suggestions and thoughts would be gratefull
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Your and your friend's bows are mighty pretty, Glenn and I also appreciate your inputs on my Holmi thread. I like those smooth transition ones awfully well. (Makes mine look sort of angular - shhhh, I don't want to hurt it's feelings at this stage of the game :D )
Good luck with yours, Charlie, which ever way you decide to go.
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Bernie I find those smooth transition bows are are a lot easier to get to bend when tillering rather than the abrupt ones. I have an Andaman Is. bow I found in a second hand shop here in town years ago. It is of a similar design but the edges of the limbs are paper thin. I have made some bows just like it and they shoot really well. I will take some photos and post them up tomorrow...Glenn...
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Great, Andamans are intyeresting too.
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I have done a lam Holmegaard, although they haven't been pretty. I lammed up a boofloo and black locust blank with a short power lam at the handle. I added long reverse-wedges through the outer limbs. I was trying to make it so the thickening of the limb happened just before the limbs narrow in side to side width, but the wedges were too thin and too gradually tapered. I had to add another set just like them under the backing, which was linen cloth.
I glued it up with just a tiny bit of reflex only in the skinny part of the limb. It shot very well and was really easy to tiller. The inner limbs were parallel in thickness and width, about 2", and the stiff ends were just a bit more than 1/3 the limb length.
Unfortunately I killed it trying to mess with it, as I often do, and i have been scheming an all wood, no linen version, as soon as I get to it.
In the meantime, I made an elm copy, but it came in low weight.
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I have not seen this thread before.
Wow! Those bows are really something.
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I was gonna tell Glenn that I also especially liked the bow on the far right in the picture. It looks almost like a Holemegaard/Sudbury hybrid, very eye-catching, and I bet it shoots very quiet in the hand. Congratulate your friend for me..
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Beautiful bows Glenn. That is an excellent shape and style for hunting. Pat
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i might be the guy bernie was talking about who made osage/hickory bows on that other site...i'm radius on primitive archer...i love the holmegaard that i made then, i just recently traded it for a great painting that my friend robert ives created...
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stringstretcher, ask yourself a few questions;
- what is a holmegaard design?
- why couldn't you make a laminated holmegaard?
let me answer these for you;
- we usually call a bow a holmegaard when it's got long, stiff, narrow tips. these can run fluently into the bending part(like the 4th bow in glenns picture), or pretty abrupt, with a so called 'shoulder' like the first and third.
- I don't see any reason why you can't add this feature to a bbo.
Nick
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All I can say is after seeing your fine bamboo and IPE bows in Baltimre, I can't wait until next year to see your laminated holmegaaard