Longbow building

[HOTHOUSEDOG]

Originally Posted by N.Vodden

i note that hickory is used frequently as a backing. Can it be used to make a decent selfbow?

Yes Hickory will make a lovely self bow. I've read it can be pretty tough to work with though . Its supposed to be one of the strongest bow woods ( ref bowyers bible 1/2) and can put up with grain run offs that other woods would fail with.
My local timber merchants hold a very small stock of woods and hickory isn't one of them! But they will let me rummage through the stacks to find just the thing i want. You will save a whole load of woork and frustration by choosing a good board.

[LobbyMuncher]

Originally Posted by N.Vodden

i note that hickory is used frequently as a backing. Can it be used to make a decent selfbow?

Hi V

Richard Head had one recently on his website, which is worth a look for bow nocks etc.

Cheers

ChrisM

[N.Vodden]

Originally Posted by LobbyMuncher

Hi V

Richard Head had one recently on his website, which is worth a look for bow nocks etc.

Cheers

ChrisM

funny enough, im on that website as we speak looking at his stock

[RichardH]

If I may join in this thread?

I've been avidly reading Alan's guide, as I recently acquired one of Chris Boyton's ash staves, which is a chunky old lump of timber - it looks a bit like this:



Though this is hickory, and my stave has the bark removed.

Do you think it's an idea to get the stave slimmed down by a friendly sawmill first, so I have less wood removal to do? Or should I be able to work it down myself OK - and if so, any recommended approaches?

[djthompson]

I'd imagine you'll need to chase the wood down to a single growth ring along the back - though if it's really tight grained this may be tricky. sometimes if the wood's still green you can peel off the bark and the first grain is ready to go as the back (well maybe with a light light sand).

draw knives will easily take off the bulk - or power tools. even a hatchet.

Cheers, D

[RichardH]

Well, the wood is well seasoned, and from the look of it the first ring may well do OK as the back - the bark has been cleanly removed. Some pics:

[alanesq]

That looks like it has much tighter rings than the ash I have used so I would imagine chasing a ring by any method will be tricky
but as you say, by the looks of it the exposed back on this stave is ready to go and so you can draw a line down the centre and start marking out :-)

may be worth asking Chris Boyton's advice first though on how best to use it as he will have experience with this wood, will also be able to advise on what dimensions will give the draw weight you want etc. ?

it would be great if you kept us informed of how you are going with it

[RichardH]

Thanks Alan - yes, when I examined the rings, I was quite pleased to see the tight outside structure.

I didn't buy from Chris direct, but from one of his stockists, so I don't want to start pestering him directly.

Darn it - I'll go for it.

Be interesting tyo see how it works with the slight reflex curve to it - hope I get a "legal" bow out of it!

[Et tu brute]

The reflex it has in the moment will probably disappear after you have tillered the bow. It's still a good thing to have reflex though, as for example: you have a stave that is dead straight, after tillering it has 1.5" of set. Then for example, all things being the same, you have a stave with 1" of reflex, after tillering you may have 0.5" of set. Hope that makes sense

[RichardH]

Yes indeed, it does - the same thought was at the back of my mind too.

I'm intending to go for around a 45# bow, with the expectation that it may drop a bit. This will give me a lighter bow than my "main" one, which I sometimes feel is a touch heavy for me.