Got an email one day from a fellow in the service (he's a fellow trad ganger that lurks alot but doesn't post much). Said he'd be in Cinti for some special training the week of May 14 and wondered if he could stop by. Seems about 2 years ago he bought this Dryad bow blank and was afraid of messing it up and wondered if we could work on it.
Sure..I ain't afraid to mess up someone else's bow blank...come on out :bigsmyl:
So about 5:00 last night this nice young man that goes by AFshawn here on Tradgang shows up carrying this long brown tube
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v247/theferret111/2007_05150023.jpg)
Inside was one of Dryads bamboo backed bullet wood bow blanks with cocbolo in the handle and tip overlays
I introduced Shawn to a ferriers rasp and gave him some instruction and set him loose on his blank
Here is cutting in his initial facets on the belly
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v247/theferret111/2007_05150016.jpg)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v247/theferret111/2007_05150017.jpg)
At this point we took a break for some Cincinnati chili that Dianne had made for us.
Back to bowyerin....
Shawn has a good eye and a good feel for the tools and progressed nicely, cutting in his facets and then removing belly wood with the rasp, then recutting the facet until he had it bending well but stiffly at floor tiller
Then we changed tools and he went to work on the tip overlays (notice cardboard taped to limbs to protect bamboo backing)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v247/theferret111/2007_05150018.jpg)
Once he got his tip overlays shaped I showed him how I shape the string grooves on one side and he did the other. Did real well too.
I grabbed a 68" string for the 65" ntn bow and we headed to the tiller tree.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v247/theferret111/2007_05150020.jpg)
We got both limbs bending smoothly and flexing about 10" then went to the short string which revealed one limb was WAY stronger than the other.
Shawn learned to use the walky-talky stick for looking at the gap to find the stiff spots and he also learned the patience that comes with scraping little..excercising a lot and looking carefully.
By 10:00 PM we had both limbs back bending equally, had the bow tillered to 23" and were still overweight by a bit. At this point we gave up for the night and will finish it up tonight hopefully. I think this pic was at about 19" of draw while excercising.You can see the left limb is still not bending as well as the right limb at this point.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v247/theferret111/2007_05150022.jpg)
Mike from Dryad recommends an 8" long non bending tip. That seems a little excessive to me, but Mike swears by it so that's what were leaving it with.
Tonight we'll get her finish tillered to 50#@ 25" (before final sanding)and hopefully Shawn will get to fling some arrows from his new bow.
to be continued.................
BTW be careful when rasping/sanding the cocobolo. It is very irritating and has a wierd smell that is kinda acrid. Makes you sniffle and your eyes burn.
Kudos Mickey, what a wonderful thing to do..... :thumbsup: :thumbsup: Shawn has gone to the right place to learn the craft for sure......
David
Also have to say Mike does a heck of a job with these bow blanks. Out of the tube the initial limb shape is cut, handle shape was cut, the initial tip shape was cut and the lines were drawn on it for the facets. Good glue lines, and the bamboo was clean. Kinda like paint by numbers for novice bowyers.
The hardest part for novices is fear..the fear to lay the rasp to the wood and work it back and forth. Get the video Mike sells with the bow and it explains the process pretty well. Doesn't take much work to get a nice bow for your efforts and the satisfaction of doing it one's self.
I am looking forward to reading the next chapter in this book. Thanks for posting.
Shawn
Thanks David..I think he's a natural.
Hey a different Shawn shows up :D they're everywhere! :biglaugh:
Good on you Mickey!!
Shawn, thanks for your service for our freedom. As said before, you went to the right place for help.
Well done. Look forward to the rest of the tale.
Forgot to mention while Shawn was working on his bow, the phone rang. I had told Wingnut that Shawn was coming by to work on his bow and Mike called to see how he was doing and to encourage him. Mike was on a pig hunt in south Texas with the Tony McCalls and called before heading out for his evenings hunt. How's that for customer service? LOL
It doesn't get any better. Mike is top notch.
Looking good Mickey; can't wait to see some more. Yes, Mike is top notch.
Poor Shawn is in training and doesn't know I posted this. Guess he'll find out tonight hee hee
He should be here in a couple of hours to finish up this project.
Question for those of you who have built these kit bows. Any finish problems on the cocobolo?
Oh and guess what Shawn gets to eat for dinner tonight? HDFH :readit: :eek: :jumper:
Micky,
I like to put a few coats of THIN CA glue wiped on the COCO before the finish of your choice. I actually put 3 coats of CA on the entire last Bamboo backed bow I built and really liked how it turned out. I then followed that with 3 coats of Spray Poly.
Nice pics and good job teaching. With a blank from Mike and lessons from you, he might be a master bowyer by nights end. LOL!!!!
CC..dribble it on and wipe it with a rag? I'm not doing the whole bow though, just the coco parts. Dang it would take an entire bottle of glue to do the whole thing wouldn't it? LOL
Doesn't take much glue at all!
Tear some paper towels in tiny strips and roll them up inot little squares.
Pour some glue onto a plastic sandwich bag.
Take one of the squares of papertowl and dip it in the glue.
Wipe in one motion over the wood.
You can wipe a time or two if the glue is still wet on the towel, but don't wipe over the same area twice.
After you coat all the Coco with one coat of glue, do it again.
You can put as many coats as you like and I also steel wool between coats or every couple of coats.
The glue goes a LONG way. Be sure to use the THIN. It dries REALLY fast.
BTW be careful where you put the used towels, they can cause a bit of heat as the glue dries on the paper. I don't know if they could cause a fire, but put them on your workbench until you are sure they are not "hot".
The CA does a good job of filling the pores in wood as well.
QuoteOriginally posted by Carbon Caster:
Tear some paper towels in tiny strips and roll them up into little squares.
ROLL them up into squares? LOL (mental picture doing flip flops)
Cool, thanks.
FOLD them into little squares!!! LOL!!!
Remember, I am from West Virginia! That should explain a lot.
A lot of cusom knife builders us this method to finish their handle scales with GREAT success. Try it on a bow, and I bet you will like it.
Great thread Mickey........ :D Terry
Well Shaun went back to work on his bow..lots of scraping
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v247/theferret111/2007_05160004.jpg)
and excercising
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v247/theferret111/2007_05160003.jpg)
The weight came off slowly...very slowly. between a pound and three pounds at a time, but eventually he got it down to just over 50# at his draw length. After final sanding and finishing it should be a dandy. Finally we had a bow
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v247/theferret111/2007_05160002.jpg)
We took a break for some HDFH, baked beans and coke.
Then there was only one thing left to do
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v247/theferret111/2007_05160008.jpg)
The bow shot hard. His groups were a little high left, but we were using an old tillering string and it wouldn't hold a brace height for squat
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v247/theferret111/2007_05160010.jpg)
In the end I think Shawn was pleased with his new Dryad bow that he made mostly by himself, and the knowledge that he could do it again. Congrats Shawn, it was a pleasure meeting you. You're welcome here anytime you're in Cinti.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v247/theferret111/2007_05160011.jpg)
:thumbsup: :clapper: Thanks for the story and pics, Congrats Shawn.
This is another one of those great stories on TG . THIS IS WHY THIS SITE ROCKS!!!!! thanks loved it! Mark#78 :clapper: :clapper: :clapper: :clapper: :clapper:
Great read! You guys make it look easy...
:wavey: :clapper:
F-Manny
Good job guys,hope to get a blank from Mike over the summer.
What is that contraption to the right of the shop vac? LOL
Very cool thread. Thanks for sharing it.
>>We took a break for some HDFH, baked beans and coke. Then there was only one thing left to do<<
Whew! I was scared to see that next photo! :D
Good stuff Mickey. What goes around comes around. Looking forward to HDFH at MOJam in July.
LOL Bob that's funny....
I think Shawn liked the HDFH..he ate a couple of them. He might not like them so much in the morning hee hee
Nolz a Walkie Talkie is simply a straight edge about 5" long that you run along the belly side of the limb while it is on the tiller tree. The gap between the edge and the belly widens as the limbs bends and narrows where the limb is flat indicating where wood needs to be removed.
Hunter John..I used to shoot those contraptions all the time. When I quit I hung them from the ceiling by their strings. One night there was an awful crash downstairs and we went down to find that red contraption laying on the floor with a broken string. Since then I just prop it in different places ha ha. Good eye.
Nice gesture, nice story, Mickey. Never expect anything less from ya........
Very Nice!! Thanks so much for sharing this story!!
Good deal.Glad you guys had a good time. :thumbsup:
good read......
Sweet.
great stuff.
Geez, Shawns got a big ol dip in his mouth. I just quit. Its giving me the woolies.
Where's the valium.
Wapitidung
great job shawn!!!!
Shawn I know exactuly what you were feeling, i have a osage selfbow I started 9yrs ago and got her ready to tiller but now I'm SCARED to break it. My oldest boy was 2 and now hes 11.
thanks for the post mick!!
Dang Brian it's just wood. Heck in 9 years you could have made 100 bows. You know the old saying..." even a turtle wouldn't get anywhere if he didn't stick his head out." Drag that thing out of the barn and make a bow. If ya ruin it I'll see ya get another piece.
Great story Mickey. Gotta love those Dryad blanks! Bad thing is, they're kinda addictive. Ya can't have just one :bigsmyl: ..Terry
really enjoyed this thread........Thanks
Glad to see another bow build-a-long Mickey!
Brian,
Nine years, Wow!! It just ain't right to leave a stave roughed out for that long. :knothead: Make the TBM shoot at Moose Creek in July and we can get that stave turned into a bow and shooting by Sunday, if not Saturday. I will bring a tillering tree, all the necessary tools, and Bob Morgan should be in attendance for some really, really, really good supervision. Besides, if we break it, my house is only a couple of miles from the shoot and we will get you a replacement stave, free.
Walt Francis
Dang you guys did good!!
Mickey,
Thanks for the assist on the blanks completion. It was funny when I talked with you the other day and could here myself in the background on the DVD.
Shawn,
Good Job on the bow. Next time don't hang on to it so long before you get'r'done. Heck that blank has to be two years old. LOL
Have fun getting it sanded and finished. You'll have a bow that you can be proud of for years to come.
Mike
Mike, it was fun. I was really amazed how close it was to a bow when it came out of the tube. Good job on the layout. Must say there is plenty of wood there for about whatever weight bow a guy is wanting to build, or enough wood that a guy can make a mistake or two in tillering and still have enough wood to recover and make weight if he's waanting a bow anwhere in the 40's or 50# range.
Cocobolo was kind of irritating though.
I don't know what you sell those blanks for but I see it as a real alternative for someone without a lot of money that wants a custom wood bow.
Wow, that was awsome, great job on the bow Shawn! Keep at it man! :clapper: :clapper:
Sean
Hi guys,
Sorry it took so long to post but I had a week of catching up to do. First let me say a huge thank you to Mickey and Dianne. allowing me into your home, feeding me and just putting up with a guy who basically just showed up at your door is way above and beyond. I had a great time. The bow that appeared at some point in the process is really evidence of Mickey's skill as a bowyer and teacher. I was kinda afraid to screw up because there were a couple of staves in the corner that I am sure would have left a mark!!! I was caught way off guard when the phone rang and Mickey handed it to me. I think Mickey and Wingnut both got a chuckle out of that ambush.
I really have to say that it was easier than I thought it would be. We just kept tinkering around and all of a sudden I noticed that we had what looked a lot like a bow in front of us!! The walkie talkie made it easy to see where we needed to scrape and I felt a lot more comfortable under Mickey's supervision.
I think the comment about these things being addictive is spot on. I am already trying to figure out a way to come up with a two piece!!
Thanks again Mickey and all of you who have commented on the thread.
By the way, after a little more shooting and a couple more twists in the string I have got to say this bow shoots very nicely and hits a ton!! Wingnut puts out a great product and I will definitely have another one soon.
Nice Work you Guys, I enjoyed this thread. Way to go! Thats gonna be a special bow right there! :thumbsup:
Thanks Shawn!
Looking forward to the call for another and I think you will be pleased with the changes we've made in the bow since you bought that one.
Mickey,
The Osage blanks go for $150 complete with either a coco or bocote handle and tips.
Mike
That was great!! Thanks to you Shawn for your service and Mickey and Dianne for being such generous and special people. :notworthy: :notworthy:
Hey Shawn glad to see you survived your trip to Cinti. Like all the construction on our roads? :mad:
Was a pleasure having you here. You ate everything we served you without complaining (thought for sure you might have an issue the next morning after eating 2 HDFH). Although he did mention that chili on top of spaghetti just didn't sound right :thumbsup:
OK you got me. I did have a slight interruption of class the next morning!! Good thing I was completed with my portion of the work!!! And I DID drag wood chips through the house. The new Gizmo sounds great. I'll have to try that. I figured I ought to shoot the bow a little before finishing and I think I have found the right grip on the handle to give me consistent results. Seth, our 3 year old, took one look and said "Daddy I wike your new bow!" Just doesn't get any better than that. We have been shooting each day this weekend. What a blast. Again Thanks Mickey and all the rest of you following along.
Mike, I will be in touch as soon as I scrape up the cash.
Nice job ferret
AFshawn, My youngest girl(2yrs), always tells me the same. "Daddy, thats a pretty bow." Music to my ears!