Maple

How to make a Bow, a String or a Set of Arrows. Making equipment & tools for use in Traditional Archery and Bowhunting.

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Teraniabow
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Joined: Thu Mar 09, 2023 10:26 am

Maple

#1 Post by Teraniabow » Mon Mar 13, 2023 10:05 am

Hi. Has anyone used Japanese maple for a bow?
Cheers.

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greybeard
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Re: Maple

#2 Post by greybeard » Wed Mar 15, 2023 2:12 pm

Do you know which variety of maple you have and also what are the dimensions of the timber?
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Varieties Of Japanese Maple.jpg
Varieties Of Japanese Maple.jpg (41.97 KiB) Viewed 2514 times
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Make a bow to see what happens.

Daryl.
"And you must not stick for a groat or twelvepence more than another man would give, if it be a good bow.
For a good bow twice paid for, is better than an ill bow once broken.
[Ascham]

“If a cluttered desk is a sign of a cluttered mind, of what, then, is an empty desk a sign?” [Einstein]

I am old enough to make my own decisions....Just not young enough to remember what I decided!....

NIGHTSTALKER762
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Joined: Sun Mar 19, 2023 3:33 pm

Re: Maple

#3 Post by NIGHTSTALKER762 » Sun Mar 19, 2023 7:21 pm

Ive been thinking about using a laminate of Australian buloke and and a much softer wood on the belly has anyone tried this or similar?

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greybeard
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Re: Maple

#4 Post by greybeard » Fri Mar 24, 2023 9:04 am

The following refers to milled boards and not split bush billits.

You will probably find that the buloke will crush the softer belly timber. Properties of buloke are shown in the following link.

https://www.wood-database.com/australian-buloke/

I would suggest a bend through the handle design as you can get longer working limbs. Watch the following link.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WRm08UI9iYk

A wider thinner limb is probably the better option. Dimensions in the diagram below are a starting point and width can be modified.
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Basic Flatbow Plan.jpg
Basic Flatbow Plan.jpg (23.73 KiB) Viewed 2357 times
Transition Of Handle Into Limb.jpg
Transition Of Handle Into Limb.jpg (48.58 KiB) Viewed 2357 times
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The buloke could be prone to raising splinters on the back of the bow so a backing could be beneficial. One option is shown in the following video.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iVCMsbF_OD0

Rounding the edges of the limbs should help to minimise the chance of splinters lifting on the edges.

Daryl.
"And you must not stick for a groat or twelvepence more than another man would give, if it be a good bow.
For a good bow twice paid for, is better than an ill bow once broken.
[Ascham]

“If a cluttered desk is a sign of a cluttered mind, of what, then, is an empty desk a sign?” [Einstein]

I am old enough to make my own decisions....Just not young enough to remember what I decided!....

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