Ozbow

Hi Edward,

Are you referring to a self bow or an all wood laminated bow?
What are the specifications?

Daryl.

Hi, Perry has requested that I post the document as some people have had problems opening the file. Perrys computer has spat the dummy. Daryl. TRADITIONAL / PRIMITIVE DIVISION. The purpose of this division is to promote and preserve the cultural and historically significant bows of the pre fibreglas...

Hi Chris, I must apologize for not taking into account Bandits situation or others that may have a physical disability. Most sane people would understand that when formulating rules it is virtually impossible to cover all contingencies. Situations will arise where COMMON SENSE WILL PREVAIL . In the ...

Hi Rod,
As longbow steve pointed out double serve the string loops.
Alternatively lay extra strands in the area where the loops will be formed. I have been using a fast flite flemish twist string, with extra strands laid into the loops on my 50# selfbow without any problems.

Daryl.

Hi Tom,

I think they? call it a 'female thing'.

Daryl.

Hi Mick, Getting older is certainly a pain in the rear end. Some 25 years ago I was relegated to wearing half moon glasses for reading. As time progressed the vision deteriorated and I found that when I was shooting targets at 20 to 30meters I saw two targets. I had the option of shooting between th...

Hi Ben,
About the only time you may damage the strung bow is if you leave it in a locked car that is in the sun.

Daryl.

Hi Mick, All of the tools mentioned are useful in making selfbows. The timber will basically tell you what tool to use and at what stage. Sharp edged tools are useful on clean straight grained timber but can still rip out pieces of timber if there is a change in the grain. A hand plane maybe ok when...

Hi Steven, I have been using 50mm clear packaging tape, two strips laid edge to edge along the form so it folds over the sides and another down the center of the form. Usually any dried glue can be flicked off with a stanley knife. The only time I have changed the tape is when I have made a modifica...

Hi Darcy,
If time permits radial cut (like a pizza) at about three inch spacings.
You can then remove excess heart wood so that the stave is about three inches thick. Seal all surfaces.
This may allow you to transport more of the useable timber.

Daryl.

Hi Tom,
You have done very well for your first attempt.
Once the frustrations of making you first bow become a distant memory you will be champing at the bit to make more.

Daryl.

PS Did it take much coaching to get Grahame to shoot groups like that?

Hi Graeme, You have done an excellent job so far and if the timber stands up to its reputation you should have a first class bow. It is good to see people using home grown timber for selfbows as I believe we have an untapped source of some excellent bow materials. I have a feeling that Australian wo...

Hi, I have just finished watching an early version of the story of Robin Hood. The date of its production was unclear but starred Errol Flynn, Olivia de Havilland, Basil Rathbone and Alan Hale. In the credits Howard Hill was named as the Captain of Archers. Although being mildly entertaining and may...

Hi Dennis,

Thank you for your reply.
On re reading my reply I realised that the word 'damage' may have been misleading.
Possibly 'change' may have been a better choice of words.

Thanks again,

Daryl.

Very nice bows. Hope you can take some top game.

How do you stop the lounge chair sliding down the vertical floor?

Daryl.

Hi Dennis, Although you were able to reduce string follow to varying degrees was there any noticable increase in the bows performance after they went through the process? I realise that the testing was done on 'backed' bows as opposed to self bows but my present train of thought is that if the cellu...

Your workmanship is to be commended.
Was it difficult to keep your sanity whilst bringing the project to fruition?

Daryl.

Hi Kevin, A longer string may make the bow easier to draw to 28” but I believe that performance would suffer because at the lower draw weight the properties of the wood in the limbs is not being used to its full potential for storing energy. Basically you have a lower poundage bow with less tr...

Hi Tom,
If the bow is sound and in tiller it is a painless operation to drop some poundage.
All you need is a tiller board, various grades of sand paper and a bit of spare time. If I can be of assistance please phone.

Daryl.

A major store in the local shopping centre had a display unit with an array of Australia Day paraphernalia ranging from flags, pens, pencils, caps, carry bags etc. The display of Red, White and Blue looked great. On a closer inspection of all the items in the display the tags had the wording 'Made i...

For what type of bow?

Hi Steve, Mick and Simon covered some valid points. Unfortunately the down side is that there would have to be three or four separate national rankings to cover the equipment classifications as dictated by the various governing bodies. Some disciplines allow alloy or carbon arrows with plastic vanes...

It is a little difficult to answer your posting without knowing some of the detail regarding your attempts and experience at making selfbows. Maybe a war bow was a little too ambitious? It may be more useful to start on a bow around the 30# mark and learn the art of tillering. You did not mention if...

If the historians have got the story right the success of the English at the battle of Agincourt is a good example of having the right fire power at the right time and held in a geographic environment that was advantageous to the English. From all accounts the archers used ranged shots not aimed sho...

Hi Tom and Graeme,
Found another link (Qld Govt. Forestry and Fisheries) which has detailed information on a lot of local timbers.

http://www2.dpi.qld.gov.au/hardwoodsqld/7680.html

Daryl.

Hi Graeme and Tom, The logs were harvested by a 'grey nomad gentleman' who I have known for several years. He will be attending our traditional shoot at Easter so I will endeavour to find out the locations where he cuts the timber. The following link may be helpful in researching forest timbers. htt...

Hi Coach,
I purchase the belts from Australian Industrial Abrasives Pty. Ltd.
The following link may be of assistance.

http://www.australianabrasives.com/

Cheers,
Daryl.

Hi Dave,
I have been using Zirconia belts manufactured from a 3M product.The photo shows the code designation.
They are not all that more expensive than a standard belt and last a lot longer.

Daryl.

Tom, I have seen a couple of bows made from Harpullia pendual and I was quite impressed with their performance. The bows had the pale late growth and the darker early growth. The following is an extract from the Brisbane Rainforest Action & Information Network Rainforest Plants of the Brisbane A...

Graeme,
You certainly scored well with those billets, nice grain and colour vairations.
They should produce some top class risers/handle sections.

Daryl.