hey all i am looking for GOOD refrences in regard to construction and demensions for the longest form of the japanese yumi, using the traditional draw i would draw about 38"
Jaap Koppedrayer has a video out on yumi bow construction. His web site wasn't working last time I checked. I will look up a contact number for him.
Here he is building a yumi bow at the Hill shoot this year.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v181/ekrewson/tournament%20pics/jappyumibuild.jpg)
What in the world is he doing with that bow?
Using wedges and cordage as his clamp. By putting the wedges in at certain places on the bow he creates reflex or deflex.
Dan Raney
James Parker(Huntworthy Productions) did a demo with the wedge and cord clamping at the Tenn Classic in early May. Pretty neet how simple it is and how well it works.
That's pretty cool. I will have to try that some time.
ahh i see now how the claping works, yea i looked up jaap but hes site was down, i understod the principal for the wedge method but if i use that then i will want to make fish glue and grow boo for shafts etc so i may go with a caul (for the first few anyway)
Jaap's e-mail kkoppedr@cyg.net and here is the phone number (912)586-2763 He lives near Odum, Georgia
I have Jaap's video, or at least did until I loaned it out... I'll have to check to see if it made it back or not.
For constructing the traditional long yumi I don't think I'd want to try it any other way than with the wedge method. He says he's made glass bows like that as well.
If I remember right, the core of these bows is traditionally very complex, consisting of 3-5 vertically laminated bamboo slats with hardwood edging (mulberry I think). The core was then tapered and faced and backed with raw boo slats. Pretty cool stuff. There are lots of Kyudo sites on the web with more info.