Trad Gang

Main Boards => The Bowyer's Bench => Topic started by: GREG IN MALAD on September 25, 2011, 07:54:00 PM

Title: First attempt at a snake. New and improved with finished photos
Post by: GREG IN MALAD on September 25, 2011, 07:54:00 PM
This is my first attempt at building a snakey bow. It's a piece of mulberry that was given to me by a fellow board member, thank you Jamey. Because it was a gift I cant mess it up. So I'm taking my time and asking for all the help I can get.
I'm going to back it with skins so I backed it with linen to make sure it doesn't break. Here it is at brace height. It feels like its around 60 lbs right now, I'm after 45#@28" so there should be plenty to work with.
 (http://i818.photobucket.com/albums/zz110/greginmalad/100_1264.jpg)

It has some propeller twist so it looks different from each side. The top limb is on the left.
 (http://i818.photobucket.com/albums/zz110/greginmalad/100_1265.jpg)

And here the top limb is on the right.
 (http://i818.photobucket.com/albums/zz110/greginmalad/100_1263.jpg)
Title: Re: First attempt at a snake. New and improved with finished photos
Post by: SEMO_HUNTER on September 25, 2011, 08:32:00 PM
After seeing enough of your work Greg, I'm sure it will be a looker when you get done with it.

Looks real good so far. I've never worked with mullberry so I can't really offer any advice on that part but as far as selfbows go your looking good.
Title: Re: First attempt at a snake. New and improved with finished photos
Post by: broketooth on September 25, 2011, 08:36:00 PM
lookin good so far. rv
Title: Re: First attempt at a snake. New and improved with finished photos
Post by: okie64 on September 25, 2011, 09:25:00 PM
Lookin good Greg. Its goin to be a sweet lookin bow. Pretty sure you wont mess it up, like semo said we've all seen your work.  :)
Title: Re: First attempt at a snake. New and improved with finished photos
Post by: DVSHUNTER on September 25, 2011, 10:00:00 PM
good looking mulberry greg. I don't see any snake though.    :thumbsup:

can't wait to see it finished.
Title: Re: First attempt at a snake. New and improved with finished photos
Post by: GREG IN MALAD on September 26, 2011, 12:50:00 AM
I took a little off at midlimb. Here it is 40#@20" The propeller twist is making the right side look flat. I think I need to remove a bit more at midlimb, on both sides.


(http://i818.photobucket.com/albums/zz110/greginmalad/100_1266.jpg)


The upper limb is on the right
(http://i818.photobucket.com/albums/zz110/greginmalad/100_1267.jpg)

The upper limb is on the left
(http://i818.photobucket.com/albums/zz110/greginmalad/100_1268.jpg)
Title: Re: First attempt at a snake. New and improved with finished photos
Post by: Osagetree on September 26, 2011, 03:52:00 AM
Looking good!
Title: Re: First attempt at a snake. New and improved with finished photos
Post by: Stiks-n-Strings on September 26, 2011, 11:06:00 AM
That is gonna make a fine bow for sure. That's the kind of staves I love
Title: Re: First attempt at a snake. New and improved with finished photos
Post by: Asafan on September 26, 2011, 11:22:00 AM
Success! Tiller such stick - the present adventure, I know it by the experience  :) .
Title: Re: First attempt at a snake. New and improved with finished photos
Post by: Mark Smeltzer on September 26, 2011, 04:34:00 PM
Hey Greg,
I think that it's looking really good. I would just keep going just like you are. Taking pictures while you are  tillering and looking closely at them helps a ton.  
Just out of curiosity, what is the length?

Mark
Title: Re: First attempt at a snake. New and improved with finished photos
Post by: okie64 on September 26, 2011, 06:42:00 PM
Yep, I would take some strokes from midlimb out Greg.
Title: Re: First attempt at a snake. New and improved with finished photos
Post by: GREG IN MALAD on September 26, 2011, 07:16:00 PM
Mark, I think it's 67".
I took some off at midlimb this morning before work, it looks better. While I was at it I narrowed it from midlimb to the tips, the bow lost 2 ounces of mass weight and only dropped 1# of draw weight.
Title: Re: First attempt at a snake. New and improved with finished photos
Post by: Mark Smeltzer on September 26, 2011, 08:02:00 PM
Yea, good move I looked at it after okie said mid limb and out and it is a little stiff.
I bet it looks great, are you using the mass calculator that I think badger came up with?

Mark
Title: Re: First attempt at a snake. New and improved with finished photos
Post by: GREG IN MALAD on September 26, 2011, 11:35:00 PM
I am the mass principle chart, I used it on "Lumpy" and it came out really nice.
Title: Re: First attempt at a snake. New and improved with finished photos
Post by: K30bowfisher on September 27, 2011, 06:13:00 PM
Looks like Lumpy might be my second favorite bow of yours now. That looks really good. I can't wait to see it for myself.
Title: Re: First attempt at a snake. New and improved with finished photos
Post by: GREG IN MALAD on September 29, 2011, 04:59:00 AM
Hey Lane, I have some elm and vine maple stored in the basement if you want to build one too.
Title: Re: First attempt at a snake. New and improved with finished photos
Post by: K30bowfisher on September 29, 2011, 09:49:00 AM
That sounds like a great winter project. Thanks Greg.
Title: Re: First attempt at a snake. New and improved with finished photos
Post by: GREG IN MALAD on October 03, 2011, 01:32:00 AM
Another weekend gone and it's almost finished. I was able to shoot it today and I think it's a keeper. It draws 47#@28" and weighs 19 ounces. Since I started using Steve Gardner's mass formula my bows are shooting much better. Here it is braced at 6". I still have a couple pounds draw weight to play with so if anything looks bad let me know.

(http://i818.photobucket.com/albums/zz110/greginmalad/tradgang%20bow/100_1269.jpg)

Here it is drawn to 28" with the top limb on the right.
(http://i818.photobucket.com/albums/zz110/greginmalad/tradgang%20bow/100_1270.jpg)

And with the top limb on the left. The propeller twist is giving me fits, it makes one limb always look flatter.
(http://i818.photobucket.com/albums/zz110/greginmalad/tradgang%20bow/100_1271.jpg)

This was the side profile when I started.
(http://i818.photobucket.com/albums/zz110/greginmalad/100_1229.jpg)

And here are the wiggles.
(http://i818.photobucket.com/albums/zz110/greginmalad/tradgang%20bow/100_1274.jpg)
Title: Re: First attempt at a snake. New and improved with finished photos
Post by: okie64 on October 03, 2011, 07:58:00 AM
Looks Great to me Greg. Those wiggles are really nice. How does she shoot?
Title: Re: First attempt at a snake. New and improved with finished photos
Post by: coaster500 on October 03, 2011, 01:36:00 PM
It's making a great looking bow.....

Can't wait to see it finished  :)
Title: Re: First attempt at a snake. New and improved with finished photos
Post by: GREG IN MALAD on October 03, 2011, 07:10:00 PM
Jamey, it shoots really nice. I was impressed with the way mulberry works, and I like the color better than osage. It has 1 1/2" of set when unstrung and quickly returns to an inch or less. I have some bighorn sheep I might use for the tip overlays, then after a couple weeks of shooting it will be ready for skins.
Title: Re: First attempt at a snake. New and improved with finished photos
Post by: GREG IN MALAD on November 12, 2011, 06:36:00 PM
I finished it off today after work. It is wearing diamondback watersnake skins and tru-oil with bighorn sheep overlays. I need to thank Okie64 for the stave and Snakewood3 for the skins, come to think of it a friend gave me the sheep horn also.

 (http://i818.photobucket.com/albums/zz110/greginmalad/100_1388.jpg)

 (http://i818.photobucket.com/albums/zz110/greginmalad/100_1389.jpg)

The skins really stand out in sunlight.

 (http://i818.photobucket.com/albums/zz110/greginmalad/100_1381.jpg)


 (http://i818.photobucket.com/albums/zz110/greginmalad/100_1379.jpg)

 (http://i818.photobucket.com/albums/zz110/greginmalad/100_1385.jpg)

I have been experimenting with different ways to apply tru-oil and finally found a method I like.  
 (http://i818.photobucket.com/albums/zz110/greginmalad/100_1370.jpg)

 (http://i818.photobucket.com/albums/zz110/greginmalad/100_1373.jpg)
Title: Re: First attempt at a snake. New and improved with finished photos
Post by: okie64 on November 12, 2011, 09:57:00 PM
That turned out really nice Greg. That finish job is amazing! You turned out another awesome looking bow, as usual.   :)
Title: Re: First attempt at a snake. New and improved with finished photos
Post by: Osagetree on November 13, 2011, 07:50:00 AM
It is cool looking!

Tell us your tru-oil method. It looks really glossy and deep.

Great job!
Title: Re: First attempt at a snake. New and improved with finished photos
Post by: GREG IN MALAD on November 13, 2011, 09:33:00 AM
Joe, the problems I was having with Tru-oil was it dries too slow and it doesn't level itself. I solved both of the issues by thinning the Tru-oil 15%-20% with mineral spirits and baking the finish in my bow oven at 90-100 degrees. Also, I use DuPont Sontara lint free towels to filter and apply the finish. You can get the towels from aviation supply stores, they're not cheap but they sure work good. I filter the oil through a towel into a clean plastic cup before each coat, whatever I dont use gets poured back into the bottle.
To start I apply enough filler coats to fill the grain, with light steel wool buffing between coats. Before the final coat I wet sand with 600 grit.
And that's all there is to it. Using the oven lowers the humidity so the finish dries faster. Thinning the finish allows it to level out, and filtering the oil removes the dirt and chunks before they end up on the bow.
Title: Re: First attempt at a snake. New and improved with finished photos
Post by: Mark Smeltzer on November 13, 2011, 12:32:00 PM
Come on over and lets shoot it!
Title: Re: First attempt at a snake. New and improved with finished photos
Post by: beetlebailey1977 on November 13, 2011, 07:14:00 PM
Man that thing looks nice...Love the skins and the tips!!
Title: Re: First attempt at a snake. New and improved with finished photos
Post by: Stiks-n-Strings on November 13, 2011, 08:00:00 PM
:clapper: