A while back I started working on a self bow made from a stave of black palm that a friend brought home for me from Ecuador. Right after that, I got busy with other things to the point where I had to postpone a few projects. Well, I picked it up again the other day and I have it cut and sanded to shape and starting to bend a bit on the floor.
The dimensions are as follow: 72" tip to tip, 1 1/2" wide at the fades, tapering to 1/2" tips. It is about 5/8" thick through the handle area and 5/16" at the tips. I have not yet narrowed the handle area. I'm not really sure how I should go from here. I was thinking of gluing on a piece of wood to build up the handle thickness before shaping the grip. I was also thinking of cutting a small shelf into the grip, or maybe building one up with wood or leather.
What do you all think? I'm open to suggestions.
Dave.
The black palm bows I've seen were all 'elb kind of' styles. It would be cool to make a bow like the jungle natives made from it.
1 inch wide is plenty as palm is so dense.
I would make an elb from it - 1 inch wide through the handle and 4 inches either side. Then taper to 3/4 wide 12 from the nocks, then into 3/8th at the nocks.
I was going to make it like the native bows I have seen, but they are braced really low ( like 1" ) and are designed to shoot huge spear-like arrows. I want something that I can shoot and maybe hunt with regularly, rather than a curiosity.
I think I'll take your advice and go ELB. I still have to build up the grip area. It's only 5/8" thick and not comfortable to hold.
Dave.