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Main Boards => The Bowyer's Bench => Topic started by: Nim-rod on January 10, 2012, 09:41:00 PM

Title: Hickory flatbow
Post by: Nim-rod on January 10, 2012, 09:41:00 PM
This was a x-mas present to my wife. Hickory Eastern woodland style flatbow with some sexy curves added. 38# @ 25" Hemp wrap handle, Tung oil finish. This thing really shoots nice too! I want one in a man size someday! Simple yet elegant.
 http://i1113.photobucket.com/albums/k501/sdahms1/DSC_0144.jpg
 http://i1113.photobucket.com/albums/k501/sdahms1/DSC_0145.jpg
 http://i1113.photobucket.com/albums/k501/sdahms1/DSC_0143.jpg
 http://i1113.photobucket.com/albums/k501/sdahms1/DSC_0159.jpg

Beautiful bow but pics are too big, sorry it's my job
Title: Re: Hickory flatbow
Post by: caleb0100 on January 10, 2012, 10:12:00 PM
Nice job! I like that style a lot. Any trouble with limb twist? And how wide are you at the fades & tips?
Title: Re: Hickory flatbow
Post by: red hill on January 10, 2012, 10:21:00 PM
That right there is sharp, Nim Rod! I like that hickory.  What about the other specs?  Tips, limb thickness and width?  Very interesting design and profile.
Title: Re: Hickory flatbow
Post by: Nim-rod on January 10, 2012, 10:24:00 PM
There was a slight twist that I took out before I got real serious about tillering but it's about perfect now. It is 1 5/8 at the fades tapering down to 3/4" tips. I could have gone thinner on the tips but I wanted to stay true to the style of the bow. A buddy of mine loves this bow and is going to start a copy of it tomorrow. It shoots faster then I thought it would. Belly has been heat treated slightly. I've over drawn it a few times to about 45# with no ill effects whatsoever.
Title: Re: Hickory flatbow
Post by: burnt on January 10, 2012, 10:26:00 PM
nice job I love simple woodland style bows.
Title: Re: Hickory flatbow
Post by: SportHunter on January 10, 2012, 10:33:00 PM
Very nice bow, great finish.
Title: Re: Hickory flatbow
Post by: Cuban Missile on January 10, 2012, 10:36:00 PM
Wow, that is so beautiful.  I need some more info on this bow.... if you don't mind of course.  Its so sleek and simple.  Is it a strait taper?
Title: Re: Hickory flatbow
Post by: Roy from Pa on January 10, 2012, 10:52:00 PM
Very nice....
Title: Re: Hickory flatbow
Post by: Nim-rod on January 10, 2012, 10:55:00 PM
More info: 54" nock to nock. Taper is pretty even and gradual. Limbs a bit less than 1/4" thick out of the fades. I scraped the back of the bow a bit but left most of the wavyness and stained it to bring out the vallys some. I wanted it to look fairly natural but also wanted it to have a wow factor to it and I think I got what I wanted. This bow took less time than most of my bows and it is one of my favorites and I can't stop grining when I shoot it in the basement. I usually try to limit my drawing of it to the 25" since it is so short. It can handle it but I don't want to induce set to it. At rest th bow sits at about zero. I heat bent the handle and the tips and the limbs show a curve that is actually some set but I'm very happy with the profile when un strung. Orange and yellow flemish twist string which has become my favorite combo lately. That's all the added details I can think to come up with.

Oh...Thank you all for the complements!
Title: Re: Hickory flatbow
Post by: rmorris on January 10, 2012, 11:03:00 PM
That is a great looking bow! Hope you and the wife can spend some quality time flinging arrows together.
Title: Re: Hickory flatbow
Post by: Roy from Pa on January 10, 2012, 11:18:00 PM
Steve, what type of tongue oil do you use? I use the type you wipe on, wait 6 or 7 mins and wipe off. I'll do 4 or 5 coats and it get's a satin finish. If I don't wipe it off, it gets the high gloss your bow has.
Title: Re: Hickory flatbow
Post by: Nim-rod on January 10, 2012, 11:25:00 PM
Roy that is just MinWax Tung Oil and I apply in thin coats with a light buffing of 000 steel wool in between. I usually put around 10 coats on. I have some semi gloss Spar Urethane I'm going to use on my next bow. I tried on this one but it was too thick and didn't have any thinner at the time. Now I have some Mineral Spirits and did some tests and I like it alot now that I can wipe it on like the Tung Oil.
Title: Re: Hickory flatbow
Post by: Roy from Pa on January 10, 2012, 11:34:00 PM
OK, I use minwax tongue oil also. There are two types, the one like I use, you wipe on then wait a bit and buff off with a rag. Then let it dry 24 hours and do another coat. The other you brush on like varnish and let it go, and it's the type that get's the high gloss. But if I don't wipe off the tongue oil like I use, it get's a high gloss also.

What I like about buffing it off, is there are no run's and zero dust in the finish. Your finish looks real sweet.
Title: Re: Hickory flatbow
Post by: Black Mockingbird on January 11, 2012, 07:21:00 AM
Sweet... I like it
Title: Re: Hickory flatbow
Post by: briarjumper12 on January 11, 2012, 08:01:00 AM
I like it too.  That flat grip section is cool.  It looks just thick enough to not bend.  I wonder how that would feel?  May have to build my next like that.  All my bows so far have had handles that are about 1 1/2 inches thick.  And I always thought they had to be pretty thick like that to keep them from working.  So much to learn!
Title: Re: Hickory flatbow
Post by: Nim-rod on January 11, 2012, 08:10:00 AM
It is flat at full draw but if you look at the un strung profile it is not flat there so it does actually work slightly. I have two layers of foam from shoe soles under the wrap for a bit of cushion.
Title: Re: Hickory flatbow
Post by: Jorgy on January 11, 2012, 11:23:00 AM
Really like the profile,and the colors.
Title: Re: Hickory flatbow
Post by: twitchstick on January 11, 2012, 04:59:00 PM
Very nice
Title: Re: Hickory flatbow
Post by: Ninjineer on January 11, 2012, 05:06:00 PM
Thats a sharp looking bow, well done!
Title: Re: Hickory flatbow
Post by: Nim-rod on January 11, 2012, 09:13:00 PM
Thanks guys. The arrow in the pic is self made as well. I made it out of bamboo tomato stakes from HD. Followed a tutorial in the arrow forum. I love the way they shoot. Cheap too.
Title: Re: Hickory flatbow
Post by: k-hat on January 12, 2012, 02:44:00 PM
Beautiful and inspirational! makes me wanna go get some hick staves and tung oil!  Nice work Nim   :thumbsup:
Title: Re: Hickory flatbow
Post by: macbow on January 13, 2012, 12:20:00 PM
I like it a lot. I have some hickory staves just waiting to look like that.
Ron
Title: Re: Hickory flatbow
Post by: Elktracker1 on January 13, 2012, 08:33:00 PM
That really looks nice! Sexy is a good word for it! Tiller looks great!