Another replica horsebow

D

Deleted member 7654

Guest
Looking good.
I screwed up the laminating of my core by reversing one of my tapered laminations whilst spreading the adhesive...I'll make a hand built core as I've got some glass lams which are hanging around to use up. I got some nice bits of Ash with curved grain for the ears.
Hope mine ends up looking as nice as yours.
Del
 

barney

Member
I always make my own cores, usually around and eighth of an inch thick, by an inch or so wide (you may need to go a bit wider with Ash). I'ts a good idea to leave the last few inches of the core a bit thicker as the torsional stability of these glass replicas can be a bit borderline.

Good Luck.
 
D

Deleted member 7654

Guest
Ta for the advice...
Do you have a pic of it unbraced?
Del
 

barney

Member
Unbraced:




As you can see the bottom bow is more radical in design. I would be wary of attempting such a curvy creature in glass (unless it's low poundage) as it's just not strong enough. I'm about to start a proper horn/sinew composite in the next couple of weeks which should be better suited to taking the high stresses.

regards.
 

Schoonertom

New member
Barney, that is a beautiful bow , when I've done making my flat bow, with stuff I've had hidden away for 20 years I'd like to make a horn composite ,more inclined now that I've read your comments on the relative weakness of glass lams. But I'd be very happy to make a bow like yours even if of a low draw weight. I think there is a bit of confusion about very heavy draw weights for horsebows and the equivalent fighting bows, the excessive draw weights, I think, were for distance, i.e. flight-shooting which was a very different exercise Once again ,lovely bow, and best wishes Tom
 

barney

Member
Thanks for the comments, Tom.

The main problem with the glass in these bows is the torsional stability - They're prone to limb twist (I've even heard this is a problem with commercial glass replicas too).

In addition to making a horn/sinew composite, I'm also thinking of a hybrid horn/glass composite: Horn on the belly (for stability) , glass on the back.

Should give me something to work on while my sinew's curing.

regards,

Barney
 

Schoonertom

New member
very interesting, I have had my Black Douglas twist whilst stringing and hope I have sorted out the twist with heat and a couple of days in a sort of string jig. Haven't shot it since as I am now in Denmark for a spell. I think your idea for a mixed material bow is a good one, I have a feeling that old bows maybe used glues we aren't sure about , that is there are many sorts of hidebone glues and some are not that strong I once helped a friend who made glues for the book-binding trade and he made two or three all different but the demands of book-binding and bow-making very different.
Where did you learn your craft? I am coming back into bow-making and my literature is old though still published so it must be OK but deals very simply with the subject , any advice happily received.

Best wishes Tom
 
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