HH bug got me ... Part One!

[mikebiz]

Beautiful work, Charlie.  I really like how you placed the grain of the riser to follow the curves of the drawn limbs.  Perfect match.  

Do you plan to stain that myrtle dark or light?  I've never worked with myrtle so I'm curious as to how it accepts a dark stain.  

Looking forward to the seeing it finished.

[Charlie Lamb]

Thanks guys! I'm excited to see how she looks under finish and will start that today. No stain on this one. I'd have to stain every square inch of wood/grass to do that and don't really want dark stained limbs... the bamboo is caramelized, so it's dark enough for my tastes.

[JDBerry]

Very nice longbow Charlie, Love your bows. James

[Hermon]

Charlie- I've never been accused of being the brightest crayon in the box, but glueing it up in stages like that, do you change the temp that your heat strip is set on so not to affect the previous glue up?  I think that I would like doing it that way, but was wondering about this.  

[mikebiz]

I wouldn't touch the bamboo with stain.  Tempered bamboo looks great with that reddish tone.  

So if you wanted a dark stained riser is it necessary to stain it prior to glue up?  If so does that create any possible gluing issues?  

I would love to build a longbow someday.

[Charlie Lamb]

James... thanks so much. That really means a lot coming from someone whom I respect so much.

Hermon... I leave the temperature of the strip the same throughout the process. I've never had it hurt anything.

Mikebiz... I've never figured out how to stain a riser without doing the whole shebang. Since stain is basically superficial it would be cut away during shaping.

[Charlie Lamb]

The first coats of finish are curing as I type.

[Tinbow]

Looking good Mr. Lamb!

[SportHunter]

Great looking bow Charlie.

[ny state land]

Fantastic!  How did you get the last 5# off?

[Longbowwally]

Really enjoying the build along Charlie. Thanks for sharing with us.

[Charlie Lamb]

Dropped the last 5# by sanding the belly glass. It's a slow process when done by hand, but effective and I'm not in any big hurry.

I brought it to perfect tiller during this process as well.

[Tinbow]

After a lengthy phone call to James D Berry My Misty dawn is on order . Lol now I just gotta wait .

[Brianlocal3]

Charlie......thank you for all the information you have given on your build. It is very interesting to watch the birth of a longbow step by step and hear about your techniques.

Tin bow...... Congrats on the bow order. My Misty Dawn is a fantastic shooter and due to its relative lightweight it is my goto 3d and small game bow.

[Mudd]

Originally posted by Tinbow:
After a lengthy phone call to James D Berry My Misty dawn is on order . Lol now I just gotta wait .

Congratulations!!

You can only think you made a good decision until you get your bow "in hand".

But rest assured, once you put your hand to it you'll experience the snow capped peak only found near the top of the mountain in "Sherwood".(MMV)

God bless,Mudd

PS: I have never hear of a short conversation with Mr Berry...lol

[canopyboy]

Charlie, this has been great.  But the best part was looking at one of your pictures and being inspired to file some small grooves in my putty knife to spread the smooth-on with.  Worked crazy well.  I think I might try the drill method for the shelf.  Until now I've always filed my way in.  Thanks!

[GregD]

A couple more pics of a different Sunbear longbow, this one has an ebony riser with black limbs, I don't think there is any way to capture all the colors in this piece of ebony.    

[Rossco7002]

That's a sweet looking bow, finish is great!

[Charlie Lamb]

Almost forgot about that one Greg. Nobody knows the anguish I experience when I finish a bow and have to send it away... even the lefties!
  :D

[Linwood Hines]

Tho' all of the bows are gorgeous instruments, this one could be a master's instrument played in a world symphony, and with the aesthetics of the bow, only played by that master only whilst wearing formal attire, in respect to the instrument....i'm just saying this one is beautiful....wow!