Red Oak Board Bow Buildalong

[Coca Cola]

I have about a half inch on each side. So I think I am set. I am going to go glue up the other half I think the first half turned out well. I will post pics tommorow after I finish up some volunteer stuff.

[smj]

Cool! I look forward to seeing how it turned out for you.

[Coca Cola]

It turned out much better. Still very ugly but better. I am very sick right now. I have to go to bed. I am hoping on cutting nocks tommorow and I will post pics then.

[Coca Cola]

Pics as promised. I might cut the nocks today and maybe even start tillering



i95.photobucket.com/albums/l127/jjrb715/Picture033.jpg

What do ya think? I think its ugly, but functional this time.

[smj]

I have seen some creative things done with linen. Usually involving dye or stain or paint. Still, it seems to have a history of working well as a backing.

Once you start tillering watch out for hinges. If you thin the limb to much and get a hinge, you have to thin the rest of the limb to remove it and get the limb to flex right again. This means that your bow will only be as strong as the weakest hinge you allow. If the hinge is pronounced, take tension off of the limb as quickly as possible. The hinge will over compress the wood and start to learn to bend at that point. Once the wood over compresses, well, you can't take that back either. This is why you don't want to flex the limb more than you need to uncover the flaws (hinges or stiff sections) that you need to fix. Also, once the bow is tillered, you want to shoot 100 arrows through it and re-check the tiller to see if it changes at all. If it does, you need to touch up the tiller. Then worry about putting a finish on it! Also of note - don't let anyone shoot it with a longer draw length than yours, and don't over-draw it to try and get a little extra for a longer shot... You change the compression of the wood and may find you need to re-tiller again! With a glass bow, these things are not important. With an all wood bow, you don't even want to change the way you nock the arrow! (Split or three fingers under.) It has been suggested that once tillered, you should leave the bow strung for 6 hours or so to get past all the adjustments the wood goes through for compression on the belly and expansion along the back. I say just shoot 100 rounds and then check things out!

[BT]

I see alot of effort!

I wish I had your patience

I would have that thing in its fourth build by now

[Coca Cola]

wooh hoo no school to cold!

I cut the nocks and well in a nutshell I will call it a learning experience . They get the job done though. I am going to build a tillering tree now. Can I just put some nails in a 2X4 and call it good.

[smj]

You could use nails... However, it would be easy to snag your string on them and the result could be a nasty surprise like the parting of said string. If you use nails, make sure you really round the remaining shaft sticking out. Also, if you cut a seat for the bow mid-2x4, when you pull on the bow you will be pulling off angle. This is why you see the 2x4 cut out - so the string can be in the proper alignment while you have the bow drawn. If you use a nail or wooden peg, you should probably modify the seat for the bow. Mount - screw or glue or both - a 5 inch section of 2x4 to one end of the tillering tree. Use the seam between the two for the center of the bow seat. Now when you pull on the bow and use a nail to hold the string, the bow will not be pulled to one side. Hope that makes sense to you! The other thing you might do is make your tree so it can be mounted somewhere, and then use a pulley at the bottom of the tree to draw the bow. This way you can stand back a bit and watch the flex. (You’d still want to add the above 5 inch section to the tree so that the pull was straight down and not off to one side.)

[Coca Cola]

Sorry smj, I am now super confused.

[Coca Cola]

Ok I just built my tree and started to tiller.


Link- i95.photobucket.com/albums/l127/jjrb715/Picture036.jpg

Tillering pics. Ok Its on the ;long string I got it to like 14 inches and now I am asking for help. What should I do. Sorry I just realized pic is bad quality. I will try to get more later.


Link - i95.photobucket.com/albums/l127/jjrb715/Picture035.jpg