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Del Cat
United Kingdom
เข้าร่วมเมื่อ 21 ต.ค. 2011
I'm an amateur bowyer in the UK just North of London. I'm retired, so I have time for this stuff.
Check out my "Bowyers Diary" blog . I mostly use native UK woods and it's mostly self bows or a few backed bows.
150# English Yew Warbow is the heaviest I've built.
I make a point of showing the failures as well as the successes. I try to avoid unsubstantiated theory and stick to the empirical and practical.
Check out my "Bowyers Diary" blog . I mostly use native UK woods and it's mostly self bows or a few backed bows.
150# English Yew Warbow is the heaviest I've built.
I make a point of showing the failures as well as the successes. I try to avoid unsubstantiated theory and stick to the empirical and practical.
วีดีโอ
Tiller appraisal of Hickory bow
มุมมอง 16814 วันที่ผ่านมา
I've made a string for it and tested it through the chrony using a flight arrow:- 26 3/8" long 268gn first tentative shot 160.3 fps, then... 172.3fps 172.6 fps pretty good for 35#
Playing with Hickory pt3
มุมมอง 47421 วันที่ผ่านมา
35# Hickory ELB flight bow nearing completion. One of the accepted criteria for an English Longbow (ELB) is that the width must not be more than 8/5 of the thickness at any point (8/5 is 1.6). I've checked and its 1.55. (Note it's sometimes referred to as the 5/8ths rule. E.g thickness must not be less than 5/8ths of the thickness. The two things are the same, I just find it more intuitive to d...
Playing with Hickory pt2
มุมมอง 21721 วันที่ผ่านมา
Hickory board bow, on the tiller and heat treating. Looking for 25# @ 27" Please like, subscribe and comment... it's good to give feedback, make it feel worthwhile... Or you could throw coins LOL!
Playing with Hickory
มุมมอง 29428 วันที่ผ่านมา
Splicing some Hickory with a view to a 35#@27" flight bow, but maybe 40#woodworking Trying a more whip tillered (long stiffish grip) design. It will doubtless get heat treated.
Log Sawing Jig for Bandsaw
มุมมอง 797หลายเดือนก่อน
DIY sawmill jig for my BAS 315 Bandsaw. For sawing logs of up to about 8" diameter
Ash longbow improved
มุมมอง 237หลายเดือนก่อน
34" draw @longbowHorn35-40#). It's now 78.5" long nock to nock. Nocks added and tiller improved. I may improve it a little more as the bow is finished as I still have a few pounds of draw weight to spare!
Ash Longbow
มุมมอง 389หลายเดือนก่อน
Low draw weight long draw length Ash longbow. 80" nock to nock 35-40# @ 34" !
mkii Flight Bow Release Aid
มุมมอง 234หลายเดือนก่อน
Archery release aid for a 'shoot through' flight bow
Arrow Speed Testing
มุมมอง 2942 หลายเดือนก่อน
Testing the arrow speed of refurbished 35# stick bow and the 'shoot through' flight bow. A few more inches of draw available on the flight bow, hopefully.
Yew Stick Bow Refurb
มุมมอง 9592 หลายเดือนก่อน
Tidying and tuning an old Yew stick bow to be a 35#, field shooting bow. Tested it through the 'Chrony' 149.8 fps which is very respectable for a 35# bow Plus a tentative test shot of the shoot through flight bow.
Sorting bows and strings
มุมมอง 3522 หลายเดือนก่อน
Continuing sorting through my bows and chatting about some of the more interesting ones. I mean chronograph, not chronometer... The "chrony" is for measuring arrow speed. I tried it with the LED lighting but it didn't work, so I reinstated my old setup (with incandescent bulbs), and tested it, which worked fine.
Testing Some Reworked Bows
มุมมอง 2752 หลายเดือนก่อน
Half finished projects, experiments and repairs get tested.
Very nice build, congratulations! Could you please tell me the brand of your scale? I have been looking for one like that for a long time and can’t find one with the memory feature. Thanks in advance! Regards from Portugal!
Hi, it's just a common scale off the internet the brand is FLADEN. I made the peak hold myself:- bowyersdiary.blogspot.com/2019/09/bow-scale-peak-hold.html
@@delcat8168 thanks a lot
Beautiful tiller. Is this already full draw? Why not circular? Wouldnt it be more agressive and efficient for a flight bow?
Not quite full draw. Theoretically elliptical is best for even strain on the wood (and no one wants chrysals). But for everyone who says whip tillered is best, someone else says stiff outer (like a Mollegabet) is best! So I'm just trying something different, hence the longer handle section and elliptical tiller. Arrow speed test and distance shooting will hopefully show.
I‘m wondering aren‘t you worried about the lower limb in the third near the handle?just asking,i enjoy your videos very much,great work,very honest ,teaching and entertainig!👍👍
I think there are three factors making it appear weak:- 1. The outer 1/3 is slightly stiff 2. The darkening of the limb on the belly due to the extra heat treating ( to correct lateral bend) gives a bit of an optical illusion, making it look a tighter curve 3. There is a little bit of set there from before I narrowed the tips. So, in answer, I'm not worried. I have a hint more poundage to loose and that will probably come off that left tip. I've grabbed a full draw still from the video and drawn two ellipses (using MS 'paint') to have a better look at the tiller. It's not bad considering I was after elliptical tiller rather than 'arc of a circle'. The horizontal centre of each ellipse is lined up with the fade of that limb. th-cam.com/video/a7F5FG0HaMs/w-d-xo.html
Grain orientation makes zero difference in a board bow. One day the tree bends to an east wind the next a west.....the only thing that matters is how straight the fibers run. Titebond likes a flawless fit - not a gap filler. Better to use a good epoxy for hadle splices. To get perfect splices get the fit as good as you can then simply steam the splices for around 20 mins. Fit together then clamp up. Hickory isn't a great wood for selfbows in this country. It shines in very dry areas. The bow will be sluggish once it hits e.m.c.
Cheers Mike 🙂
Guess for a wooden flight bow, and very light arrows, it's only a matter of time, eh? Rest up that poorly elbow. 😊
My horse bow did the same today Shakaboom it went
At least it is good you didn't hurt yourself ! Regards.
It is a magnificently intricate system though 😅
Hello Del, last time I tried to saw a stave up (4” oak fallen) with a bandsaw was in fact the last time. My uncles bandsaw never recovered
Ash is next for me Tiller can be so tricky or a piece of cake
Hey Del, do you recommend using branch wood from landscaping yew? We've got plenty of them in eastern pennsylvaia and some branches can be knot free for some 80 inches
Yes, it's still much better than most other woods
I like working ash . The last one I was making was meant to weight out at ab 90lbs but I hit a problem spot while working it down and by the time I got through it I ended up with a 30lb 😂
Hello Del - funny old bow wood is ash
Hi, yeah, not my fave', but I just happened to have some. I got hold of some nice Hickory the other day from an old friend of mine. I need some winter storms to bring down some more Yew, as I've got almost none left!
Good idea, could put a D loop on your string so it’s easier to rotate the release for comfort
One of the best bow building channels on TH-cam!
cheers
Looking good!
beautiful piece
The string sounded lovely
Those arrows were flying true 👍👍
Hi Derek, this is completely unrelated to the video here, but I don't know how else to reach you but to comment on your most recent posting. I have a yew bow thats quite beautifully made, the maker shall remain anonymous for now (at least publicly), but it has taken lots of set and propeller twist. I would like to try my hand at "saving" the bow, but lack the experience with steaming/heat treating. The hope would be to get it at least straight, reflex would be a dream. Anyway I can contact you, send some pictures maybe, pick your brain? Thanks.
hi, Facebook would be the best way to make contact (I don't want to put my E-mail address up here). My FB account is Derek Hutchison. Note friend requests, from blank profiles with no information on them get declined as bots or scams
The chronograph tells all. Was that 200fps consistent? Cus that feels like a good benchmark. Quick
First test shot from a shorter draw was 199.8fps! Not sure how far I dare draw it. Also there was a nasty recoil that jarred my left elbow and thumb (old tennis elbow weakness from golf and badminton). I may pad the grip out a bit, or look at making a release aid that sits closer to the fingers.
That hand shock is what my chunky handles are about. I soaked up alot of theories after struggling through my first bow and that was one of them on the accuracy front. The amount of time that the string spends behind the arrow was another. That short bow I'm doing now only showed 135 fps with only a slightly heavier arrow. It was drawing under 28" at that point though and I hadn't reflexed the tips as much as they are now. I'll get back to Wales Archery Specialists tomorrow and give it a retest. The lad there said his bamboo/carbon traditional set up gave him 185 200 is hauling ass
How long do you wait to tiller after you steam? What is your steam machine? Thank you
I usually leave it overnight. I use a wallpaper steamer. Search on my channel, there are plenty of steaming videos, but here's a link to one that shows the process. th-cam.com/video/JNYRQthJybw/w-d-xo.html
@@delcat8168 thank you Derek!
This is gorgeous Del. Such a characterful piece. I'm glad to see you going back to the unfinished projects pile. I find these videos fascinating.
Just got my first bow back from my brother. Hadn't realised I'd made a stick bow. Not as wavy as this bad boy though
Great video and with many tips!
Cool video, really enjoy the why’s of what’s going on and also maybe a screenshot of full draw on the tillering rack and explaining what you’re seeing? Do you like to use calipers to keep on track for character bows? Thanks again for sharing
I've done loads of videos showing the tillering process, and yes I sometimes use calipers as a gauge to check that the thickness is decreasing along the limb and looking for thick spots (rather than actual measurement). I use my eyes and fingers most tho'. (You can pause the video at full draw on the tiller...) This playlist shows the entire build for a similar Yew stick bow:- th-cam.com/video/dIW6-ngRHd4/w-d-xo.html
@@delcat8168 thank you so much, great videos and always trying to learn, I have a bunch of Osage billets to glue up and character Osage staves to work on. My last yew bow exploded in 4 spots at once, a lot of pin knots, could I send pictures sometime for your advice?
Thank you for the very interesting and funny show of your bows. They are wonderfull exceptionel peaces!
I've only been to the Gibberd Garden once and it was shut! I now have an excuse to revisit (preferably when open) in order to see Mr Deer.
He's tucked behind a curved hedge in a little clearing, so he's a surprise when you see him. I got a lovely candid pic of a young boy and girl (with Mum's permission) the girl was stood slightly back staring at his face in awe (as he's as tall as her).. the boy was feeling how sharp his antlers were! (typical boy 🙂)
Del i got given one of those lemonwood bows, first long bow I ever shot, 30 years ago probably- it is a special little bow now, many many reworks, how can I post you photos
I'm on facebook. Derek Hutchison .you could message me.
Where’s the robust yew primitive? Still working on that?
It went to one of the guys at the club, was smooth, but not particularly fast, it should be a nice field shooting bow. (Assuming it doesn't explode!) I posted video of him shooting it on my Facebook page (Derek Hutchison)
A nice video to watch. Have to say, I was almost on the edge of my seat once or twice waiting for an explosion.
Sir i have a question i hope you might help me out with, where i live i dont have bow good string material like 'Dacron' or similar, and shipping it in costs a lot, what i have in hand right now is nylon sewing thread and 'Loctite 55 pipe sealing cord' what would you advice me to use, also paracord weights a lot and stretches quite much thats why i dont like it aswell. Thank you
There are some natural materials like linen or hemp or silk thread. You can test the breaking strain and stretch of any thread that you can find. You want something low stretch and use enough strands to achieve about 50x the draw weight of the bow.
@@delcat8168 thank you sir!
So that is what happened to the timber from the ship of Theseus!
LOL 🙂
Very interesting my Father who was a carpenter made me a long Yew Bow when I was young told me this was a long now used by Archers years ago I agree with you a bow was a bow in them days but it was the wood it was made from in Wales the Bows were usually made from Elm because there were more Elm trees about than Yew so I sapose it depends where you lived and what strong Wood you could get hold of which suited your needs.
Yes, beginners often ask "what's the best wood to make a bow?" and I answer rather tongue in cheek "The bit you have!"
Amazing flat yew bow!
Del the bow looks beautiful! Its going to be functional art! Thank you for explaining the kink and the stiff areas. Im lucky that the bow im building has exact the same features! :-)
If there is a hinge going over the full width of the limb, would you make the thickness in the hinge a bit bigger compared to the rest of the limb? So that the limb dont bends to much there? And would you make a "reflex wave" a bit thinner?
There would presumably be a reason for the hinge, some sort of weakness relative to the rest of the limb. Once the hinge becomes apparent, it's too late to make it wider or thicker, other than by making the rest of the limb narrower or thinner. I'd want a reflex area to flex as much as the rest of the limb, but it's hard to judge... some of the limbs natural shape should still be visible at full draw e.g a reflex area should look a little stiff and a deflex area would look weak. That's why I try and look at a blow as it is flexing back and forth. Sometimes looking along the limb will help you see how it is flexing. Hope that makes sense.
Thanks Del, it does make sense. When i said hinge i ment a natural grown one. I made a bow with a natural hinge and the limb looks a bit like its folding there.
That looks like a tricky stave with those waves in it. Looking good so far!! Cant wait to see it all cleaned up
First!🤪
Hi Del ! Are you thinking of thinning the sapwood ?
Hi. The sapwood is thinned on one limb, where it was thicker, and it may get thinned on the other and possibly de-crowned to get the poundage down. I'll take the heartwood down to a feather edge along the edges first tho'
Coming along nicely! Yew is such a pretty wood.
How did the wire wool soak turn out blue that’s odd..
Dunno, just glad I tried it on an offcut first!
This piece has beautiful waves in it. Im excited how its going to bend and look!
Ill be watching this build. I just made my first yew flat bow with slight flip tips and water buffalo horn tips. It turned out to be the nicest bow i have made in my short bow making career!!!
Good luck for your project. Can you please do a dimensions comparison between the "normal" primitiv bows you make and this one?
will do 🙂 The irony is that, as this stave is cleaner, I could probably get away with making it short. The more knotty stave should have been a longer bow, but you can only use the wood you have in front of you!
Will a yew stave with thicker growth rings make a war bow? Seen some people convinced thick ringed yew was horrible quality and should only be used to make low weight bows. Figured I would ask you, you actually have experience.
I've made a warbow with 3 rings per inch. th-cam.com/video/fplODZVTwgA/w-d-xo.html Also see this:- bowyersdiary.blogspot.com/2016/07/old-wives-tales-and-yew.html
@@delcat8168 thanks for the reply. With Osage if there is a terrible amount of early wood compared to late wood sometimes the bow will take more set and the stave should be treated more like a white wood bow in design…do you see anything like this with yew that would make it lesser quality to look out for? I seem to remember a stave blew up on you in past video that had brittle hard wood…or sap wood? Anyway, just picking your experienced brain. Have some nice yew billets I will eventually work up the courage to use.
Large deflex with large reflex looks good but it needs much higher brace height to reach the initial tension of a simple straight bow and eventually that eats up the power stroke unless draw length is increased. Lots of these features and styles are getting crossed over from different construction types and often they don't mix well. I'm a believer in sweet spot and appropriateness considering the properties of the material.
Yeah, that's pretty much what I said.
Magnífico trabajo como siempre maestro, he visto que le has aplicado mucho calor con la pistola de aire caliente y has obtenido un buen resultado,es posible calcular la cantidad de calor que se puede aplicar a la madera o es más bien cuestión de intuición?.Como siempre agradezco mucho que compartas tus conocimientos y magnificos trabajos,un abrazo y buenas flechas 💪🏹🤗🙏
The hot air needs to be at at least 200C . This video shows more detail:- th-cam.com/video/kM1_A2A0_TI/w-d-xo.html
I honestly encountered this thing recently. I usually made bows 50+ and the one I'm working on ( a little 26 lbs ash bow ) ...I am terrified of removing the rasp marks with a scraper. I have the feeling that if I do that it's gonna end up at 20 lbs lol. Feels like heavy bows are almost done by the time you brace them and light bows are done after you sneeze on them.
❤❤❤thank you sir