Red Oak 1x2 Bow

[KochNE]

Here's my first bow that I've seen through to completion.  First one was red oak, but it developed a compression fracture on the belly.  Second was a maple that came in underweight due to careless roughing out shape w/ hand plane.  Third was bamboo-backed and, of course, the boo overpowered the oak.  

So, here I am.  Red oak, with maple & mahogany laminated handle.  68" long, pulls 51 @ 28", measured on bathroom scale.  Took about 2" string follow on top, and 1.75" on bottom limb, not including the reflex.  Has 1/4" positive tiller.  Backed w/ grocery bag.  Stained w/ dark brown wood stain, "wine" Rit dye, and black india ink.  String is homemade 12-strand FastFlight flemish, serving is .020 braided, put on w/ homemade serving jig.  Have a bunch of leather from tooling chopper seats & various cowboy things, so I made my own shooting tab, & need to get a quiver put together.

Want to thank 4est Trekker for his build-along.  Got the idea to glue on reflexed tips from him.  Love the look & I'm sure it improves performance some.

Shooting CX Terminator Hunter Select arrows that I bought used on here from Barney (thanks!) at about 9gpp.  Right now I'm shooting an embarrassing 2' grouping at 15 yards...my fault, not the bow or arrows.

[KochNE]

Only pic I have during construction.  Tiller @ 20"

   

Strung & hanging on (firearm) whitetail rack.

 

Handle/ shelf area...

 

Serving that I put on w/ my homemade serving jig!

 

[KochNE]

I'll get better/ more/ full-draw pictures posted later.  Right now have to go watch the Holiday Bowl.  Huskers vs. Washington for the 2nd time this season...

[KellyG]

Nice dark look I like it.

[George Tsoukalas]

Looks great! Congratulations! Jawge

[okie64]

Good lookin bow. I like the reflexed tips.

[4est trekker]

Hey, Koch.  Looking forward to some more pictures.  Say, what part of NE are you in?

[John Lipinski]

Good job! I look forward to the full draw pictures

[scrub-buster]

Looks great.  I like the dark color.  Are you going to try one out of a stave?

[KochNE]

4est, I'm in Lincoln.  Where are you at?

Going to get some osage to make some from staves eventually.  Only source I could find said to call him back in a couple months when it's dry.  May harvest a couple trees next time I'm at my Grandparents' farm.

Here's a close-up of the handle:
 

Full draw:
 

Other side:
 

Had pictures of unstrung side & back profiles, but couldn't upload to net for some reason.  Still working on that.

[fish n chicks]

Damn dude! That looks awesome. I really like your cut-to-center shelf. Have you started another one yet? lol. I bet you have.

[KochNE]

Thank you!  Working on 2 more currently, out of 1x3's.  Want more of a wide, flat/ paddle bow style.  Something like the "Birch Flatbows" video by Raynor35 on youtube.  Also found some 3'-4' ipe relatively cheap on the "auction site".  Can't find any locally, and I've got a whole buncha bamboo that I can't wait to back something with!  Going to have to splice it in the handle, but that won't hardly show once the bamboo & handle are glued on.

P.S.
Don't mind the vanes... that's a clearance carbon I picked up at WalMonster for $2.50.  Just the closest thing I had to use for taking the pics.  Going to re-fletch before shooting it, with wild turkey feathers once my fletching jig is completed.

[fish n chicks]

Here's a bow that is kinda like what you're talking about. I'm not too big a fan of birch cause it's really soft. I'm betting that's why he used it as a paddle style. You will need the strength of a wider bow when working with birch. But I don't see why that design can't work for just about any other wood too.

Anyway, this is the bow I made for my buddy Boswell in our annual Trad Bow Trade, pretty wide at the riser and 1/2" tips. Reminds me of a paddle bow, but not so paddly. If that's a word!

If you haven't gotten into the trade, you should.

 http://tradgang.com/noncgi/ultimatebb.php?ubb=get_topic;f=125;t=003582;p=1


Please disregard my hideous draw. I've since then really worked on my form and shooting, as this is my first year (it will be a full year this sunday when I go on my rabbit hunt) in the trad world.

[bvarcher]

Nice bow!  Love the way the tips came out, I might have to try that on my next bow.

[Jeff Smith]

You did a good job on that one!
Jeff

[red hill]

Nice bow, koch.
Stan

[1oldbowguy]

Sure looks good to me, very sweet!