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Main Boards => The Bowyer's Bench => Topic started by: 123lukie on July 30, 2015, 09:49:00 AM
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I am looking to make a simple bow, I have made a board bow in the past but am now looking to try my hand at a laminated Howard Hill style long bow. I have held the Martin stick bow and really enjoyed the simplicity and weight of the bow. I shoot around 26". The bow will be used for small game so 40-50lbs should be plenty. Now here is where I need help, I just picked up a nice piece of hickory I will be ripping down to several lams around .100" each. I want to try and make the bow as simple as possible, maybe even making the entire thing from hickory. If I can get away from having to taper each lamination but instead I am thinking of trapping the limbs.
So here is what I am thinking of doing.
2 -.050" clear glass for front and back
3 - .100" Hickory lams
1- 17" riser
For a total of .500 (non tapered).
If I remember correctly the width at the handle for the martin stick bow was a little over an inch.
I am trying to find the dimensions for the martin stick bow online but it looks like they discontinued it. If any one has a martin stick bow and wouldn't mind sending me the dimensions, I would greatly appreciate it. I will be taking photos and videos along the way. I also hope to have it ready pretty soon for the upcoming dove opener in september, just got on to a good spot where they fly in low and close with the help of a mojo.
So what are your guys thoughts?
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You really do need to have some tapered lams in that bow. With only ~1" width at the fades and ~1/2" at the nocks, that's not much taper width wise necessitating taper in thickness. Without any tapered lams, your bow will bend too much near the fades.
Here's a recipe that I have used for straight longbows and should get you to about 50#.
0.050 glass
0.110 butt thickness, 0.002 tapered lam
0.100 parallel lam
0.110 butt thickness, 0.001 tapered lam
16" riser
0.090 butt thickness, 0.002 tapered lam
0.050 glass
total stack thickness = 0.510
68" nock-to-nock length
1 1/8" wide at the fades, 1/2" wide at the nocks
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Thanks Jsweka I think I am going to try and get ahold of a thickness sander for doing the tapers. I will try your recipe:D by the way how long did you make your handle? and what radius of the fades?
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Handle area is 4"
Radius of fades - ummmm....I really have no idea. My fades aren't real steep, but I get good glue lines comeing out. I've seen steeper.
This pic might help. Top is my pattern and bottom is a myrtle riser cut out.
(http://i954.photobucket.com/albums/ae23/jsweka/BowBuild/SAM_0583.jpg)
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Thanks Jsweka I think I am going to try and get ahold of a thickness sander for doing the tapers. I will try your recipe:D by the way how long did you make your handle? and what radius of the fades?
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Jsweka just wondering the length from face of the bow to the belly? 2"?
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If you mean riser depth, my risers are 1 3/4" from back to belly. Then you'd also add the thickness of the lams and glass on the back of the riser, so given my recipe above, that would be 2.12".
But really, you can make the depth of the riser whatever you think is comfortable for your hand and it won't affect draw weight at all since the riser isn't bending near the handle area.
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Is tightbond III ok for riser, if it going in a bow oven? I will be using Smooth on for everything else. Haha I am still waiting for them to come in the mail but I can get started on the riser while I wait. Lams are almost done as well.