Post by: grouse11 on April 13, 2018, 04:44:58 PM
I began by picking out a atave and removing the bark. Chased a ring and got it close to dimensions. I made it 64" long and 1.5" wide. It was about 1.5" deep as well. I sealed the back and ends and then put it up, and waited, and waited, and waited. Now granted I didn't wait as long as some, but I measured the stave for 2 months twice a week. Surprisingly the last 2 weeks it lost no weight. It was then I decided to start working on it. The first thing I did was to take CA glue and fill all of the cracks. This bow had a lot of wind checks and even some dead wood? (The brown streaks) A lot of the cracks went the whole way through but I filled and clamped and filled some more. I wasn't aure if it would lead to a failure or not but I had come to far.
Anyway after all the standard layouts and rasping and scraping and sanding, I can finally say that I have successfully built a selfbow, from a tree that I cut down no less. If I made one mistake it was that I got it bending too much at floor tiller. Amazingly my goal was 50#@27" and I was within 10lbs after floor tiller. I only had to make two slight corrections once it was on the tree and a few scrapes later I was at my target weight with a good bend. Next rime I will get it just bending and get it on the tree. I sablnded to 400 and applied 6 coats of tru-oil. A cork rest and a deer leather grip glued with barge cement. It has taken less than 1" of set which I think is pretty good. Also as you can see each limb goes a little different direction but I didnt bother correcting because the string went through the middle of the handle.
Last look on the tiller tree before finish:
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Some finished pics:
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Post by: grouse11 on April 13, 2018, 04:47:42 PM
And finally, my 23 yard group. I stepped it off after the shots. She shoots really smooth and with the leather grip on, the little bit of hand shock is gone.
Post by: Nathan Shaw on April 13, 2018, 05:12:30 PM
Nathan
Post by: Forwardhandle on April 13, 2018, 05:32:34 PM
Post by: mwosborn on April 13, 2018, 05:37:47 PM
Post by: jsweka on April 13, 2018, 07:17:57 PM
Post by: Shredd on April 13, 2018, 09:52:28 PM
Post by: Pat B on April 13, 2018, 10:48:41 PM
Post by: BMorv on April 14, 2018, 02:19:10 PM
Post by: grouse11 on April 14, 2018, 05:21:07 PM
Post by: Bob W. on April 14, 2018, 10:57:02 PM