Welcome, Guest. Please Login
SLINGING.ORG
 
Home Help Search Login


Pages: 1 2 
Send Topic Print
How I made my  Bow (Read 8582 times)
english
Ex Member


Re: How I made my  Bow
Reply #15 - Jun 17th, 2005 at 1:45pm
 
Quote:
I did mine apache style.
As I recall, the Apache style is to soak the bow and bury it in a pit with hot rocks or embers, covering it with soil.  Then, you take it out after a day or so, add recurves and then sinew it, using hide glue to apply nice bundles.  Hemp would be best in a cable backing.  And hemp won't recurve a bow (I've backed a bow with hemp, in the Athapascan style, as they do with sinew, and it hasn't broken, but it definitely did not add recurves.  I also made a bow from bamboo with silk backing on the inside on the nodes, as you can see in TBB vol.1, which was great fun.  Made in five minutes.  Again, no recurve.)  Anyway, the advantage of hemp is simply to stop the bow from raising splinters on the back.  It won't add much or any cast, won't look pretty at all, but it will be safe - if you spent time getting the staves, or even, 'God'-forbid, money, then you might use hemp as insurance, but it won't be much else.
Back to top
 
 
IP Logged
 
Hellfire
Ex Member


Re: How I made my  Bow
Reply #16 - Jun 17th, 2005 at 4:27pm
 
If you and a friend or a camera decided to witness a cordage backed bow recurve then pull it to full draw and have a friend or one of those timing cameras observe it. It recurves.
It doesnt put a permanent recurve in it, but it acts like one (at full draw) putting more strain on the belly and less on the back. Maybe I should add again that it only works at full draw
Back to top
 
 
IP Logged
 
me
Senior Member
****
Offline


I sling therefore I am.

Posts: 373
Rowlett, TX, USA
Gender: male
Re: How I made my  Bow
Reply #17 - Jun 17th, 2005 at 5:17pm
 
Im so lost...why would it recurve at full draw when its not recurved at any other time. Full draw would place more strain on the wood and the more strain the more likely it would be to do the opposite, like with a working recurve.  ???
Back to top
 
 
IP Logged
 
henryblowery
Descens
***
Offline



Posts: 130
Raleigh NC
Gender: male
Re: How I made my  Bow
Reply #18 - Jun 17th, 2005 at 6:20pm
 
What ME said. How about YOU prove it buy posting a full draw picture?
Back to top
 

IMG]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v358/thaiche/Henrybloweryssig.jpg[/IMG]
WWW henryblowery  
IP Logged
 
This is Hellfire
Guest


Re: How I made my  Bow
Reply #19 - Jun 17th, 2005 at 6:47pm
 
hey
go to www.primitiveways.com and look up cordage backed bow. Read some of the technical stuff and the guy there explains that his black locust stave- when backed with nylon- recurves- about three inches or so. You need more cordage than I usually apply.
-too busy to login (or lazy)
I am Hellfire
Back to top
 
 
IP Logged
 
Matthias
Past Moderator
*
Offline



Posts: 1418
Gatineau/Ottawa QC, Canada
Gender: male
Re: How I made my  Bow
Reply #20 - Jun 17th, 2005 at 10:17pm
 
Ok, so the primitive ways article seems relatively well researched and follows the pattern of cordage backed bows - where the "cable" is quite drastically _pre_ tensioned. This is the key here - there is no way that a simple glued hemp backing is going to do anything to recurve the tips on its own, and it shouldn't add more than a tiny bit to the draw. Properly applied, it should help to lessen the chance of breaking along runout, but string isn't the best bet for this. This is what I meant when I asked about function. Me is talking about one use - a cordage backed bow doesn't get the same benefit, but gains some resistance because the outer fibres of the wood don't come under as much tension (and are held in compression most of the time).

You can't glue down a cable backing and expect it to work as intended. Even if you could glue it under tension (sinew does this by itself) most of the alternative fibres will creep, even with adhesive.

Sounds like an interesting experiment though. How does it shoot?

Matthias
Back to top
 
 
IP Logged
 
english
Ex Member


Re: How I made my  Bow
Reply #21 - Jun 18th, 2005 at 3:47am
 
I'm sorry Hellfire, but being able to recurve a bow with glued on cordage that isn't sinew is not possible.  At all.  And it would be messier and uglier than a normal cable backing.
Back to top
 
 
IP Logged
 
Lionheart
Descens
***
Offline


Sling when you're winning

Posts: 229
Near Manchester, England
Gender: male
Re: How I made my  Bow
Reply #22 - Jun 18th, 2005 at 7:17am
 
TRying to be blunt but not offensive, why are you tlaking rubbish Hellfire?!  How can a bow be recurved at full draw but not at rest/brace.  Do theends of the bow magically bend backwards, when being pulled the other way, contrary to every law of physics imaginable and commen sense?  And this is the only odd thing youve posted, like being able to know a bows drawweight from looking at it in green stave form or somehtign in another post.
Also English, I dont htink cable backings are messy and ugly
Rik
Back to top
 

I'm slinging in the rain, such a glorious feeling...
 
IP Logged
 
Matthias
Past Moderator
*
Offline



Posts: 1418
Gatineau/Ottawa QC, Canada
Gender: male
Re: How I made my  Bow
Reply #23 - Jun 18th, 2005 at 9:27am
 
A cable backed bow can pick up an "effective recurve" at draw if the cord is stiffer than the tips. If you think of a limber stick with a cord running along one side you can see this - pull on the cord and the tip curls. Actually just look at how your fingers work.

The cable needs to be free to move though (within the strain limits of the materials - this won't be much) and the way forces are distributed, the pre-tensioning is important. The tension needs to be cranked in there for it to work, and If you think of the backing as a second bowstring, you can quickly see why leaving a hemp backed bow "string" for more than a few hours isn't on.

On the other hand, as me pointed out (I think you chose that alias just so it looks like we have atrocious grammar Angry) A backing can be useful while not adding draw. Even if it not adding strength, protecting the outer face from dents and scratches will prolong the life of the bow.

As for the idea of a glued-backing recurve bow, of course it is possible - that is what a modern laminated bow is after all, but that is a different beast. Hemp is stiff enough (maybe too stiff) that it would make a reasonable reinforcing fibre, but the construction would be very different.

Matthias
Back to top
 
 
IP Logged
 
english
Ex Member


Re: How I made my  Bow
Reply #24 - Jun 18th, 2005 at 10:43am
 
I didn't say cable backings look ugly - in fact, I quite like them sometimes - but that glued on string backs would look ugly and messy.
Quote:
On the other hand, as me pointed out (I think you chose that alias just so it looks like we have atrocious grammar ) A backing can be useful while not adding draw. Even if it not adding strength, protecting the outer face from dents and scratches will prolong the life of the bow.
Sounds like reggae grammar there... well, me think that ya can see a cable backing is a Jah-given sendin' for dem makers of stick bows, man.  Hemp is a good backing - but jah gotta cable it.  Don't be using no glues or nuttin.
Back to top
 
 
IP Logged
 
This is Hellfire
Guest


Re: How I made my  Bow
Reply #25 - Jun 18th, 2005 at 9:07pm
 
Youre right.
Glued backing doesnt work too well. Mine just exploded.
Back to top
 
 
IP Logged
 
This is Hellfire
Guest


Re: How I made my  Bow
Reply #26 - Jun 18th, 2005 at 9:15pm
 
Quote:
Ok, so the primitive ways article seems relatively well researched and follows the pattern of cordage backed bows - where the "cable" is quite drastically _pre_ tensioned. This is the key here - there is no way that a simple glued hemp backing is going to do anything to recurve the tips on its own, and it shouldn't add more than a tiny bit to the draw. Properly applied, it should help to lessen the chance of breaking along runout, but string isn't the best bet for this. This is what I meant when I asked about function. Me is talking about one use - a cordage backed bow doesn't get the same benefit, but gains some resistance because the outer fibres of the wood don't come under as much tension (and are held in compression most of the time).

You can't glue down a cable backing and expect it to work as intended. Even if you could glue it under tension (sinew does this by itself) most of the alternative fibres will creep, even with adhesive.

Sounds like an interesting experiment though. How does it shoot?

Matthias


It shot wonderful and fast, with maybe about 4 extra pounds weight. But as most will refer to later- my backing just exploded Angry
Anyone ever got whiplash- not the kind where you slam on the breaks going 80, but when its like a real whip- lashing you? As my backing just exploded, it did that. Broke free from the hide glue like it was nothing, and exploded like an angry firecracker.
Mine was pre tensioned- even glued on. I made a toggle-thingy from white oak and twisted it once and lashed it on.
It exploded in about three different spots at the same time. Isnt that crazy-go-nuts?!
Back to top
 
 
IP Logged
 
me
Senior Member
****
Offline


I sling therefore I am.

Posts: 373
Rowlett, TX, USA
Gender: male
Re: How I made my  Bow
Reply #27 - Jun 18th, 2005 at 11:22pm
 
Hellfire your lucky you still have both your eyes.  Grin Dont let glue anywhere near your cable backing that will only weaken it. When I say cable backed I mean the twisted pre-tensioned backing, not glued anywhere  but attached near the tips on special nocks and pre-tensioned as Matthias mentioned. What you said earlier was that you sinew-backed your bow with hemp, and of course that involves gluing the backing down, which is probably why we were confused. Adding glue, be it to the cable backing or the bowstring causes the fibers to become stiff and very brittle, and weakens them, this is at least true in my expirence when doing it.  When glued on the back of a bow, all is well as the fibers are stationary, and dont twist or fray, but in a string or cable its a formula for failure.

Sorry to hear your bow broke, but in a way thats a good thing. Whenever I break a bow I am pleased with what I learned from it and appreciate it as much as a good shooter. My failures these days are usually limited to taking a well made bow and expirmenting on it till it explodes.  Take what you learned and make a real rocket launcher next time. Or at least try to. Smiley When you do get your next one done, try and get some pics up we all would like to see it. Good luck to you!  Wink
Back to top
 
 
IP Logged
 
Hellfire
Ex Member


Re: How I made my  Bow
Reply #28 - Jun 20th, 2005 at 6:12pm
 
I didnt say the bow broke. Just the backing.
If it did hit my eyes, it wouldve had to have gone through my sunglasses first. They are actually safety glasses, but they are cool and tinted.
The backing- like i said, exploded in about three spots at exactly the same time.
Back to top
 
 
IP Logged
 
SimpleSlinger
Guest


Re: How I made my  Bow
Reply #29 - Jun 23rd, 2005 at 4:09pm
 
Wer good longbows ever made from ash?
Back to top
 
 
IP Logged
 
Pages: 1 2 
Send Topic Print
(Moderators: Mauro Fiorentini, Bill Skinner, David Morningstar, Curious Aardvark, Masiakasaurus, Chris, Rat Man)