bend through handle design

[walkabout]

i have a red oak board that has good grain aside from a large knot about a foot from the end, and was going to cut just past it and make a short bend through handle bow out of it, probably short draw. i was wondering if i could narrow the handle area to allow better grip, or if i should narrow the whole thing down .it will be 61 overall after the knot is removed, im hoping to get it to draw roughly 25-26 inches. any suggestions?

[yewsage]

with ideal wood, you double the draw and add 8 to get the length for a stiff handled bow.  Since you want to bend through the handle, you don't need to add the 8.  so, theoretically 56" will get you 28" draw.  But we know that's not going to happen.  Red oak makes bows, but it's not the top choice.  I do think you can succeed:  you could even recurve it!  But the draw weight will be low-ish, and the handle should NOT be cut into for an arrow rest.   If you narrow the handle (keeping limbs wide to handle the bend), then you must also thicken the handle.  It wont bend as much.  Maybe just flex under the hand.

[walkabout]

im lookin for maybe 40-45# @25-26", figured the bend through handle would allow the limbs to distribute more stress and make it more stable. it would be backed of course, probably with some burlap i have left over from the last bow i built. i was wondering about the handle so i could use heavier spine arrows without worrying about excess archers paradox

[yewsage]

if you narrow the handle too much, it will break at the handle.  If you do back it with burlap, maybe take it around the entire grip, as insurance?

[walkabout]

i was thinking if i did narrow the handle it would only be by maybe 1/4 inch or so just to round it a little, i dont know if i could narrow the whole bow to accommodate a better grip or not

[yewsage]

you know what?  i'm more used to building yew longbows and round-bellied recurves.  generally when i make a wide-limbed board bow, though, i make the handle non-bending.  Maybe just limit your draw length.  Do the math in reverse.  61-8=53.  53/2=26.  then lighten the bow to make up for the fact that it's not a first choice wood.

[George Tsoukalas]

I usually don't narrow the handles. I leave the handle full width and the stave full width to just past mid limb and narrow to 1/2 inch nocks. Generally 1.5 in width gets me 50-55#. 1 3/8 in gets me 45-50#.  Jawge

[George Tsoukalas]

More on my site. Jawge

[walkabout]

thanks george, i was just reading the board bow section on your site as you posted. im gonna try to coax this piece into a bow, it may just take some time,lol. i have some low spine arrows in the making too which will help with the thicker handle. thanks for the input guys  

[walkabout]

im used to building with the 1 1/2 inch red oak boards, havent yet tried a pyramid design from a 1x4, though if this short bow works out i might build one.

[Pat B]

If the wood is right you should be able to get a 45#@26" bendy handle red oak bow that is 61" long. Leave the handle area a little thicker and you should be able to reduce the width a bit too.

[walkabout]

yea, im shooting for a 4 inch stiffer section of handle, wood is pretty good thick ring red oak, really heavy and dense, which is why i snagged it even with the knot. the local lowes doesnt get very many good pieces in so i grab em when i can.lol. the knot i removed was pretty substantial, and was on both sides of the board. the grain actually ran in between the knots on the oppisite sides then came back toward the opposite side. might make a nice accent piece or riser for another bow in the future.

[George Tsoukalas]

walkabout, what matters is the how straight the grain is. Jawge

[walkabout]

yep, this one is straight grain aside from right around where that knot was only has 2 runoffs total. ive been using the thick ringed stuff because all the wood with more thin rings the grain ends up twisting from one end to another.

[jbat73]

shooting for a bend in the handle thinner limbed red oak board bow, cool. i faced the "wanting to shoot heavier arrows thing" myself out of bend in the handle designs, make the bow as you normally would, arrows spined correctly, left longer for extra weight, and try soaking the raw shafts in watco danish oil before completing them. the soaking can really add some weight to lighter weight/spined shafts. good luck

[walkabout]

ill have to try that to see if it helps. i can get my arrows' spine down pretty good now, but with my longbow i gotta tune arrows for the thick handle, as i will for this one. currently my"prototypes" are wood 35-40# shafts footed with some 2216 aluminum via epoxy. seems to add some weight up front, and so far they shoot well out of my thick handle longbow.

[walkabout]

just an update, i got this bow started the other day, its been on the tillering tree, going by slowly as im contending with school and work, but lookin good so far. shes pulling right around my target weight at 8 inches long string, no ticks or splinters so far so i think itll be a shooter. thanks for all the input guys.

[George Tsoukalas]

I don't use knotted boards as stave. Sorry I missed that. Jawge

[walkabout]

yea the reason it was only 61" is because i cut the knot off, it was about a foot down the length but the board was the only other good one they had so i snagged it to give me another project. next im gonna have to try a pyramid bow, although i have to say i like the challenge of tillering the thinner limbed board bows. its good practice for better staves.

[George Tsoukalas]

That's good, walkabout. Have fun. Jawge