Pony Bow

Getting ready to sinew the little thang.

It is made of osage, 45" from tip to tip. Put a small reflex in the limb tips about 3" down.

It has a good tiller, the string lays right down about 1/4" from the left side of the bow. I make all my bows like this so they can shoot a variety of arrows.

It is pulling about 16" right now. Since it is only 45", a good rule is the bow should pull 1/2 it's length, so if I went ahead and tillered it out correctly, it would pull back 22.5". But, I'm leaving it as it is and will be backing it with 2 layers of elk back sinew, then I will add an add'l 4 layers of deer leg sinew.

Then I will tiller it slowly out to 22.5", knowing that with that much sinew I will probably be able to push it (or pull it) an add'l 2 inches. That will give me a total draw of 24.5" or just plain 25" as I will push the envelope.

I'll make up some arrows and I will be off. Hoping to be able to hunt with it this next bow season.

Your projects are always outstanding. Please post pics of your work in progress.

I'll get a pic up soon.

Pulled and applied 4 layers of sinew, that is...well...alot of sinew. Then I made a boot mistake. I put the bow in a hot box to dry. I usually let the bow dry naturally, guess I was impatient.

All four layers of sinew bonded very well, to each other but not the bow. Even with roughing up the back, acetone wiping, something went wrong. Probably, the outer layers dried way too fast and did not allow the inner sinew and hide glue to dry properly.

So, I pulled all the sinew off, filed down the back a bit deeper, acetone wiped, and sized the backing and let dry. Then applied a single layer of sinew and air dried. Will be applying the second layer later this evening.

I'm not sure what all you just said, but looking forward to the pictures when you get done.

Crash.....

Let's just say "I messed up." LOL.

Oh cool. I've got plenty of experience with that.

Here ya go.

Bow in vice, one layer of sinew (second time)
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...MVC-035S-2.jpg

Limb tip and slight recurve showing total length of bow.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...MVC-036S-1.jpg

Handle area showing one layer of sinew.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...MVC-037S-1.jpg

Not going to sinew tonight, too late.

Cool. Thanks for the pics.

I'd post a pic of the second layer of sinew, but funny it looks just like the first layer.

I will let the bow air dry for a week then evaluate if I need another layer. If not then I will round the sides of the bow, sand the belly, and finish the limp tips. The bow was tillered prior to sinewing and if I have done it correctly, then it will only need minor adjustment if any.

Frank, you paid way to much for that vice. :tongue_smilie:

Kidding a side, you do some awesome work!

What does the sinew add to the wood?

Sinew is natures fiberglass.

I have a bow that is 45" long. The rules of the road say that I should only be able to pull the bow back 22.5". Adding sinew will allow me to draw the bow back further. It also on short bows keeps it all together under the pressure.

Sinew also adds weight. If done properly you can add poundage to your bow.

Sinew is just awsome, I don't even cover mine up with skins. Seal and just show it like it is.

Here is a pic of two I made awhile back. I have one that I've been shooting for over 6 years and it's just super fast.


http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...nkV/horse4.jpg


I put my final layer of sinew on this evening. First two layers are whitetail leg sinew. I prefer elk leg but I have a mess of whitetail. The third layer applied is whitetail back sinew.

The bow will sit for the next two weeks to cure. Not using a heat box this time, all natural drying. After that I will string her up and check the tiller and poundage, slowly working it back to my desired drawlength.

I'm already thinking of the next bow. That one will be the takedown.

Nice work Frank.

Frank you do great work. If you ever decide to start making and selling, let me know.

Chiye,

Been there done that..........I don't make and sell bows anymore for others. I make bows for "me" and if ya like the bows I make, I will keep ya in mind when I get overloaded.

Ya see, I gots the bug...........while the pony bow is drying (two weeks) I was looking around and WHAM!!!!!! just roughed out and tillered an osage 58" flatbow. Then I saw this little pony bow stave just sitting there, needing a little attenting and WHAM!!!!! started working it.

Walked out in the garage and hanging on the wall is this beautiful hickory stave saying "build me into a pyramid bow" and right below that are two elm staves, a white oak stave, and all alone in the corner is an osage board that needs a backing, maybe a little bamboo backed osage is in order.

Hmmmmmm..........guess I have a little work to do.

Well, you do good work. I'm not a bowman but I do love to work with wood so I can certainly appreciate the imagination, work and artistry that goes into a bow. If you listen, the wood tells you what it is....or will be.

Those show off some nice work.

While the pony is drying, I have been making another flatbow.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...V/MVC-040S.jpg
I will be adding sinew on the back soon.

Here is a pic of the new bow with two of my older bows to show you how I like the character bows.http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...V/MVC-041S.jpg

Here are those two bows strung. The dark colored one is about 11 years old and is a tough ol bow, pulling 65lbs. The not so dark bow covered with sinew is 7 years old and has been through he ll. I've left it strung all day in pouring down rain just to test it out. I have it sealed pretty good.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...V/MVC-038S.jpg


You can see the twists in them. I don't take the twists out as I rather like my shooting sticks. I believe that the tree grew crooked and it grew strong crooked, so leave the wood crooked. Some do not see things my way, that's okay. As I've said, I build bows for me, how I like them.

As always, great work!

Here is a bow Allan built me.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...V/MVC-075S.jpg

He wanted me to make him one of mine, so I suggested a bow trade. We called the task the 3 year bows. It took us 5, lol. We would make them for others and then just get to each others now and then.

I don't have a pic of the bow I made him, but picture the sinew covered bow in the previous pic, a little shorter, not so choppy, and pulling 55lbs. With 5 layers of sinew, it is one of the fastest bows I've made.

You can see the diff. styles. Many bowyers make all kinds of bows then settle on a design that they are comfy with. That's what I've done. The drawn out eng. designed bows, although I like them, they are just not me. I'm the twisted stick backed with sinew that you would have no problem throwing over a fence, or tying a knife to the end of it and throwing it like a spear.

Thanks Crash.

I'm just getting back into the bow thang and remembering why I built them. It's just awsome. I've even pulled out some rock, I feel a Caveman Kabar #5 coming soon.

Speaking of rock - was working on a blade that I finally got reasonably thin this weekend. I had it about seven inches long and taking a nice shape. One strike too many. Guess it wasn't supposed to be a knife.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by crashdive123

Speaking of rock - was working on a blade that I finally got reasonably thin this weekend. I had it about seven inches long and taking a nice shape. One strike too many. Guess it wasn't supposed to be a knife.

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Yeah, My knife project is on hold for fear of the same thing looks like thinning the blade is risky business.

Maybe it's suppose to be a short blade knife.

I've done that alot. Post some pics....

It's so diff. looking at your work in your work area, then looking at it on the net.

Post #17. The flatbow that I am currently working on.

Anyone see problems with the bow? I do. Jawge, you stay out of this because I know you see it.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...V/MVC-040S.jpg

I've since fixed the problem's, dropped the bow weight a bit, but it'll be ready for sinew soon.

Since I know absolutely nothing about bows, I'm qualified to find errors....or not.

Does one end curve more than the other? The left side looks like a hard bend at the handle while the right looks to be more gradual.

Curious, did you fix that by steaming it? I do like the color.

The only problem I can see is that when I checked my closet, it wasn't there. Seriously though, the only thing that I can see (don't know if it's a problem) is what Rick said - where in the pic, the left side seems to bend a bit more under the strain.

Yes, that is called a hinge. Both limbs ended up having one. Hey, matching hinges. I've since re tillered, took it down to 55lbs without the hinges and am preparing to sinew.

Good call, good eyes.

Frank

Update.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...V/MVC-044S.jpg

Pony Bow - pulling 65lbs at 23". Had to do a little re-tillering. 1st shot was in the bull at 20 yards.

It's still a bit twisty, just the way I like them.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...V/MVC-045S.jpg

The bow will be drying for another few weeks, expected poundage will be up in the 70s. Bow still needs to be sinew wrapped from limb tip to about an inch from the handle, both limbs.

Another Update.

Here is the bow that had the hinges. I re-tillered and shot the bow about 20 times, checked tiller and set it to the side.

This evening, had a little spare time so I steamed the limb tips.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...V/MVC-043S.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...MVC-042S-1.jpg


This bow is long from being done. After it dries for a few weeks (while I pull sinew), it will get 2 or 3 layers of sinew, full length.

Fantastic work Frank.

Nice work but I know what my wife would say, "Get that thing off my table!"

Put on 4 coats of clear spraypaint, made up a string and shot the little guy this moring. Def. a deer or hog bow. 20yd shots all in the lung area, a few a little high but that is expected as I need to finalize the nocking point.

Had to make a little mod. to the arrow rest, all in all it's a great shooting bow and I don't even have to draw it back all that far.

It's pulling about 65lbs at 22.5" and my anchor is my right thumb knuckle at the corner of my mouth.

It even shoots these little aluminum thingys I have.

I will post pics later today.

FVR how long have you been doing this and where did you start out learning the techniques?

I started building bows back in 95 after I got married. I wanted to buy a longbow, but when I saw the prices that were being charged, I lamented to my wife.

She then said "hun....it's only wood, build one."

Back then the net was just getting started, so I flipped through Trad. Bowhunter mag., and went down to Atl. hardwood and picked up a few hickory boards.

I then found the book American Indian Archery by Reginald Laubin and just started building an breaking wood.


As far as technique......LOL.....I have to chuckle. I have no technique. My bows, I considered shooting sticks. Now my buddy Allan, he makes bows. He lays out the design on paper, then finds the perfect piece of wood, draws it out on the wood, takes measurements adjusts wood thickness, laminates limb tips just to mention a few steps.

He uses table saws, band saws, drill press'. Me.......I have a flea market drawknife, a bunch of cabinet scrapers that I traded for, and my trusty wood rasp.

I get a piece of wood, split it, split it again, and then find a ring for the back of the bow. I then rough out a 60 plus inch stave.

I let the bow sit for awhile, sometimes hours, sometimes day or years.

I pick the stave up, look at it, feel the wood, rotate it and just get the feel of the future bow. I get the idea and then start working on it.

On this bow, I started to make it on another stave. While at a knapp-in, I found two so called kids staves that were exactly what I was looking for, so instead of cutting the one I was working on, I just put that project on hold and picked up on the so called kids stave.

The bow that I started on is now a 58" recurve. Still needs to be sinewed, as that's my style. Sinew backed bows.

Nice to see another north Ga person! Great Bows... They sure are pretty!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by FVR

Put on 4 coats of clear spraypaint, made up a string and shot the little guy this moring. Def. a deer or hog bow. 20yd shots all in the lung area, a few a little high but that is expected as I need to finalize the nocking point.

Had to make a little mod. to the arrow rest, all in all it's a great shooting bow and I don't even have to draw it back all that far.

It's pulling about 65lbs at 22.5" and my anchor is my right thumb knuckle at the corner of my mouth.

It even shoots these little aluminum thingys I have.

I will post pics later today.

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Jeff,

Thanks.

You're right down the road.

The Power of the net.

You hunt deer or hogs with a bow?

No sir, never done much hunting at all actually. Just small game with a rifle. rabbits, quail, squirell, but even thats been years ago.

I have an OLD compound bow that I practice with on occasion. Always thinking that if I had to, it would do in a pinch. Ive never shot a bow like the ones you make. Looks VERY cool!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by FVR

Jeff,

Thanks.

You're right down the road.

The Power of the net.

You hunt deer or hogs with a bow?

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Here is a pic of the bow at full draw. Well, the bows full draw not mine.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...V/MVC-046S.jpg

VERY cool... Man, you look a lot like a guy I used to work with!

Nice work Frank. Very nice work.

Jeff - you used to work with a guy that shot arrows at you?:lol: