red oak pyramid bow

[polarbearforge]

Greetings all!  I've been lurking for a while and decided to finally register, so this is also a bit of an introductory post.  

I made a few bows a long time ago, chasing down growth rings on ash.  I originally started to learn to make bows since the stores never had any decent left handed bows.  "Bows and Arrows of the Native Americans" by Jim Hamm was my first reference.

I drifted away from it to concentrate on my knives and when I went to college.  I haven't made any knives for a few years, but I still have all my tools (I have some pictures on my website.)

About a year ago I started making board bows and have been making a decent number.  I hope to add glass bows here shortly(I got the kit from Bingham.)

  Examples of a couple bows
Here are a couple that I played with.  The middle was an earlier one, I was testing how wide plays out.  It is red oak with linen backing, the tips are glued up to create a slight recurve.  It shoots ambidextrous and is #35 at 28", 68"ntn.  I have shot at least a thousand arrows from it and I like it.

The one on the left is hickory.    It's rounghly 68" ntn and 40# at 28".  It has shelves on both sides.  It also shoots nicely.

I just finished the one on the left.  It's 72" ntn and 45# at 28".  No shelves on this one.  It's also red oak.

  Full draw
Here's the red oak at full draw. I haven't shot this one yet, it's been a bit cold and snowy here.  (It was -15 when I got up this morning.)

I'll have some questions later on, but wanted to say hi first.

Jamie

[razorback]

Jamie, Welcome to the gang. Your bows look good. Get involved on the bench and share what you have.

[KellyG]

Jamie welcome aboard. Get you some more of that ash and just nock the bark off no need to chase rings on it.

[bubby]

being that is a pyramid it look's a little stiff mid out, should be more of a circular tiller, still a nice bow, bub

[Mike Most]

Welcome from Sunny south Texas, glad to have you...

[polarbearforge]

Thanks all!  I have more that I've been working on, I'll share as I finish some of them.

KellyG, I'd work some more ash if I had it.  This was a tree I cut down around '92.  (That's when I first started playing with this.)  South Dakota is not the best place to find a lot of wood.

bubby, I probably will work a little on the tips.  I intentionally left them stiff.  I haven't shot it yet, and I want to see and feel the difference when I do.

Jamie

[bubby]

that fine Jamie, I leave about the last 4"-5" a little stiff too, if it gets any set it will tell ya whats happening, bub

[takefive]

Welcome to the forum!

[George Tsoukalas]

Tiller looks good, Jamie. Welcome to TG. Jawge

[mwosborn]

Welcome Jamie - bows look good!  I like the tiller on the full draw pic.  Depending where you are at in SD you may be interested in some bow building activities we have down here in NE.  Check out the Nebraska Traditional Archers website and click "upcoming events".  We have a glass building workshop in June put on by 2 very good bowyers.  In July we do a "bojam" weekend making self bows.

Mitch

[polarbearforge]

I'm near Sioux Falls, it looks like the class is only about 3 hours away from me.

I might have to see what my June looks like.

Jamie

[Drewster]

Welcome indeed polarbearforge.  Lots of very knowledgeable bowyers here and they share their knowledge freely.