Bow attempt number.... ? lost count. Tired of breaking menards' boards. So I got a backed board glue-up kit from Pine Hollow.

Here it is glued. .. as a side-note, I need to find a better way of doing that. I've been clamping it down to the bench... should get some innertube or something.

I guess since it's hickory backed.. it isn't really a selfbow. It is Hickory backed Eastern Red Cedar.. I know I'm playing with something a little iffy for bow wood, but the backing is 1/4" so hopefully that helps. I cut it down to 64" because I'm short. Maybe that's a little greedy.. but I've no use for a 68 or 72 inch monster.

Going for something like this..

would really like 50ish @ 27"

Layed out. And the tools I'll be using.

I have a 14 volt jigsaw.. but it's kind of a weenie so I won't use it much. Spent an hour filing the drawknife so it's plenty sharp, It'll see most of the action.

So, when I layed it out.. I used the measurements from the above schematic... but I did so with only the ERC, so everything is a 1/4" thicker. That should leave me plenty to scrape away for tillering toward draw weight.... maybe too much.

Last photo for today. This is what I have after a day's work. Roughed out. Easy part over.

Be a couple of days before I post again, can only work on this when wifey's car isn't parked in the garage, and I gotta work tomorrow.

Wish me luck.

Good luck, I'm watching. JF

Looks good so far.

Hope it goes well. Rick

Sanding ok for that? I've got a little power sander I can do some work with. Get it down to 1/8" ish?

Yes, 1/4" is waaaay too thick for the hickory backing. 1/8" is a good starting point.

Good Luck to you. I'll be watching your progress. Thanks for bring us along.

I was thinking similarly. 1/8" would be the absolute max, imo.

Good luck, I think that hickory on cedar is a great combo and I bet it will smoke an arrow if all goes well!

Got it sanded. Backing is now down to 1/8". Thanks for the advise. Ready to tiller, I think.

I've been just using waste from the board for overlays (on the ones I've broken thus far) I used glass overlays on the two laminate bows I made a long time ago. This time I think I'll get some buffalo horn, I've never tried it...like the way it looks on other people's bows.

Can I file in temporary nocks to hold a tiller string? tips are approx. 1/2" by 3/8"(ish) Advise?

You can make a string with cups on the end to tiller. Like a bow stringer. >>>---> Ken

What Ken said.

2 tips though, I would have left it 72" long for 2 reasons. You may find you you really like a longer bow. They are not NEARLY as cumbersome (to me not at all) as folks would lead you to beleive.

And, it;s REALLY easy to end up under weight with ERC and the extra length would have allowed you to cut it down to increase draw weight.

I don't have a lot of experience with bow-making (obviously). Guess I didn't think about cutting one down. If it is under weight, I'll give it to my wife. Just hoping for a shooter... Assuming it doesn't explode. (Am a little nervous about my glue lines...)

Thanks for the help. String with cups, got it. I'll see if I can't rig something up.

As long as you take your time tillering it, never draw past the target weight. it should be fine.

You can make a good form fron an old bed rail. Use the inexpensive sptring clamps to clamp the backing down as it dries.

Put glass on it

the ERC can be overpowered by the hickory pretty easily. The 1/4" thick backing could be too thick for that reason. You can cut temporary nocks and use a extra long bowstring to tiller if you don't have a cupped bow stringer.

Give the edges of the backing a real nice round off, like pea size. Take the tillering aspect VERY slowly, ERC will compress in an instant under an over-load. By the time you notice something is "off" with ERC, its too late.

You will be fine you already nailed the Jawge look. Lol

stringer. just had some denim and paracord, so I used that. Don't know why I didn't think of that before, it's just like my bow stringer. Have to get some good string and leather and make a better one sometime.

FDP - bed frame, i bet i can find one laying around. thanks for the tip.

I should probably get a real tillering stick. My setup feels sturdy... but it looks kinda janky.

I'm using a file and sandpaper, because I'm scared of taking too much wood with a scraper or plane. Going to be slow going.

Tiller thus far.

seems limb on right is flat in the middle?

Also, middle-ish and out to tips on both..?

A Webster stringer is great for early tiller checks and a great string too...cups on the ends....

I made a tiller tree by clamping a 2x4 to my workbench and attaching a pulley

I dug around and found some scrap... made this little guy. should work until I get a chance to pick up a better 2x4.

Here is tiller on the long string at 23" After looking at that^^ and some others from here and the various interwebs.. I definately think midlimb and out toward tips needs work.

Sandhiller how about a pic from the back. I want to say narrow from mid limb out to tips. I don't know you are your skills so just a guess. Arvin

From the back? Like looking at back of bow down? Or turn the tree 180? I don't really know what my skills are either Arivn. :) I've built 2 laminate bows that shot. 1 longbow. 1 takedown recurve Did those in High School/College. Had an osage stave that I tried recurving... got it too hot, busted it.. turned it into a kids bow. Other than that, I've made a lot of firewood.

You guys here are a wealth of knowledge. I've been creeping around this site for a long time. Seen some impressive things. I appreciate any help I can get.

I'll get some more photos with a better background when I get back to working on it tomorrow.

Sandhiller, Arvin is talking about essentially holding the bow at arms length, with the back facing you, unstrung. He's looking to check on the profile. I'd let him take a look, he knows wood bows.

Ah. Got it. Will-do.

one limb

the other

lost my centerline when i sanded the back down. only re-drew it on the handle portion.

How wide is the limb at the tips Brandon?

2" at the widest. Down to 1/2"

How many pounds was it reading at 23" on the long string? I would read almost the same thing if it were braced.

54#. I probably should've checked that sooner.

Your fine, almost time to low bvrace it.

Sounds good to me. Have to twist up a string and file in some shallow temporary nocks.

Here's what I got done this morning.

Maybe middle 1/3 needs a little work? Limb on left looks ok?

middle 1/3rd of right limb that is.

Little spot just outside the right fade, might just be the camera angle. Looks like it bends too much.

4" brace height. 38/39# at 20"

Look ok?

maybe that was @ 19"

Left

right

a bit flat here maybe?

Or just make that the bottom limb?

Remove wood were your black line are, youre stiff there.

Decided not to wait on the horn tip overlays, used some of the scrap hickory pieces. Think I've got it as good as I'm going to get. Photos coming.

I prefer an arrow shelf of some sort, but was afraid to go in too far, so I only cut in about an 1/8". That isn't much, so I decided to bolster it with a chunk of dowel I had laying around. Looking back, I think I should've tried to cut and sand an antler tine or something cool.

After some vigorous rasping, the handle felt.. skinny. So i flattened the back as best I could and added a chunk of maple left over from a board I broke before starting this project.

Feels much better in my hand now., but it made the dowel chunk off-centered... I left it, can always sand it off later if it bothers me I guess.

Ignore the knots, I was just using this junker string for finish work.. got a good one coming. Lines up nicely.

strung profile (about an inch-ish below proper brace height).

Full Draw. 48/49# @ 27"

And it shoots! Put about a dozen shots through it with no explosion. Has about 1.5" of set/string follow/whatever.

I'm really happy it turned out. Thanks to everyone who offered me advise and coaching. I appreciate you sharing your knowledge. Be back with some more photos after I get it finished - going to use a bunch of coats of Danish Oil and top coat with poly for a little extra protection when the oil is cured. Should really bring out that red color.

Well done Arvin

That bow turned it very nice Brandon. it will be gorgeous with 6 or 8 coats of oil on it.

I never made a bow and don't know squat about home made backed bows, but the tiller and overall bow looks very good to me. Good job!

It came out great, nice job!

looking good

Thanks guys. Finished up. photos coming.

I'm not the best photographer. Think these arrows are a bit over-spined.. hard to tell when its blowing 35mph. Got some different ones coming.

I feel very accomplished. It's nice to go through the whole building process (tillering etc.) and come out with something other than firewood.

Might have to try an actual stave next time! Thanks again everyone.

Looks nice from my chair. Braced pic looks balanced and even tillered. Good job with a persnickety belly wood.

Nice looking bow!

Joe

Boy, that ERC color really pops with the finish on it, well done.

Very nice indeed.

Looks like all the hard work paid off. Very nice. Gil

Really nice, you have accomplished a lot. Looks Great. JF

The bow came out very nice

NICE JOB!

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