First 2 Bow Builds

[typical2]

I started to build a take-down recurve a few years ago but I made enough mistakes that I never completed it.

This past summer I bought my first longbow and liked it so much that I hung up the wheels and might not go back.  I am a teacher with three little girls under 3 so I don't have much time to do much.

However, this semester I have a student teacher.  He is doing well so my job is to be out of the room to allow him to do all the teaching.(students are much different when I am there giving them the teacher look)  So...what do I do with a few extra hours a day when we have a shop class that has all the equipment to make bows?  Of course that is a no brainer.  I have access to a straight limbed form with forebode and a hot box.  All the tools I could need.  

I expected these first two bows to be more of a learning process than making nice good shooting bows.  The first bow is like the Hill Sirocco that someone else has copied on a build here.  (Feel a bit bad ripping off a design that somebody else ripped off                 ).  It's flattery right?

   

The stack back to belly:

.050 black uls glass
.100 parallel actionboo
.110 aboo w/ .002 taper
.150 curly maple. 002 taper
.050 clear uls glass
Total of. 460"
Zebra riser

I was looking for around #50 @ 28".

I have a 30" draw and in talking with Steve Turray of Northern Mist Longbows I needed to go with the. 004"per inch of taperand to maintain a little less than 90°great string limb angle at full draw to prevent stacking.

The other bow uses some yew lams from idahocurt.  Beautiful!

The yew bow stack:

.050 clear uls glass
.030? Yew lam
.100 parallel aboo
.110. 002 tapered aboo
.110 .002 tapered aboo
.030 yew lam
.050 clear uls glass


Total ..470 ish


After glueup and using way too much smooth on this is what I had.

   

[typical2]

I like the contrast with the wenge riser seen on the belly next to the yew

[Trux Turning]

Looks like you have a good start-I think you will find longbows are easier to build than recurves. It doesn't hurt to have a shop full of tools either-lol

[typical2]

After some work I liked what I had.

 

[typical2]

I wanted to make these as long as possible.  I shoot 70"bow Hills so I wanted it close to that.  I ended up making these 69.25" which is a bit ridiculous.

I liked how the tip overlays came out.  Top two step mine.  Bottom is my Wesley Special.

 

I ended up coming up light on both now so I decided to cut them down to 68".  It wasn't ideal and left the tips stubby looking .  I just need to be a little more careful stringing it.

 

[rmorris]

Nice! now those are not looking like bows you are not going to finish. Good Job!

[typical2]

So here try are.

Curly

   

   

   

   


Yewhoo

   

   

 

   

[typical2]

"Curly is going to an "Athletic Boosters Auction" tonight.  It is a great fund raiser for our schools athletic department and I'm glad to help.  It had better get a couple hundred bucks or I'll bid on it myself.  Hahaha.

I plan to build some more bows.  I might build one for next years auction.  The "Pine River Bow Company" is just getting started.  I've been looking at power tools to start looking for so I can set up my own shop in the next few years.  With three daughters and a wife I'll be spending a lot of time in the garage!

[typical2]

And yes Riley (left) is rubbing her head because Raegan (left) wacked her in the head.  Primitive tool kind of girl  

[jsweka]

Well done!      

I wish my first longbow came out that nice.  They are easier to build than a recurve (I've built one recurve and that is all I am ever planning to build.)

I am a little surprised at your weight given your stack thickness.  If I go with 0.44 total stack for a 68" bow I end up with a bow at about 60# @ 28".  I only use one 0.002 tapered laminaiton, but I wouldn't have thought it would make a 15# difference.

[typical2]

The weight is lower due to the skinny limbs.  I was planning on making limbs between 1.25 and 1.125.  They came in on the narrow side. I like the skinny limbs though.  
The next bow will start out in the. 590 range with. 006 taper and tip wedges.  That is the recipe of my 58@31 70"  Wesley Special.  

I don't mind having a lighter bow around though.  I'll get some arrows for it so my training wheel friends can enjoy shooting a longbow.  (I like shooting it too)

[jsweka]

Ahhhh.....Skinny limbs.  That makes sense to me now.

I build mine 1.25 at the fades.

[typical2]

Well..."Curly" was auctioned tonight for $270.  Good price for a great cause.

[Glunt]

Nice looking bows!

[jtbluefeather871]

Nice job! Can't wait to see more from Pine River!   :D        

[DVSHUNTER]

Nice

[red hill]

Nice bows. Those tips are interesting, too.
And beautiful models! Can they shoot?  

[typical2]

I am amazed at how well they shoot.  They are smooth, quiet, and more accurate than me.

I will definitely have some longer sleeker tips on my next bow.  

[wookiewebster]

Hey, those look great. It was cool of you to auction one, too.