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Bow core for a Yuan bow

18 posts2008live thread
yokhua
Dear all
I started a Yuan dynasty bow, the bow core is made from 7 pieces of woods.
I have no machines, no jigs,..... everything done by my hands and hand tools. The old school!! Of course no bows I built will like each other every one is unique. And I believe bows build this way looks best. Rely on machines, modern tools and methods will make a bow looks like a piece of furniture, that's what I believe.
yokhua
The splice must be perfect, should hold them together without glue,
yokhua
The alignment must be perfect. this is the most difficult part
yokhua
Check out my dog here!
yokhua
Glue them together and trimed
yokhua
another view
yokhua
the splice
yokhua
another view of splice

Keep your eyes on it, I'll post the following process of horn binding and sinewing.
TZH
Very interesting. Wouldn't be a problem that little hole in the splice betwwen handle and arm?
yokhua
You do have good eyes, I saw the splice a bit further, that makes it clamps easyer, that is also how Korean bowyers do.
Redhorse
Yes you are absolute correct on the splice, if they don't fit and hold without pressure and put on pressure with glue on they will glide apart.
This is hard to get by hand, slowly is the only way.
I am making a bow and everything was in line till I put on the horn strips, they did twist everything :( even if the strips look perfect straight they were not. So I have to take care of that when gluing the strips.
Alex S.
Hello

Hmm I have been waiting for such bow, very nice so far!
When you say 7 pieces of wood, do you use all same type or are they different? From picture I can see you use maybe maple wood and birch. Not sure though.

Can you show side view of this bow? specifically handle and siyah area. or maybe you show this in horn gluing process?

I will follow with interest :)

Alex

btw, love the dog :D
yokhua
hello Alex;
I use maple and guava... Guava wood for the siyan, and maple for the others. Guave wood is very strong and light weight.... Maybe I'm the first one try the Guava wood...
All because of "following the grain", that's why 7 pieces of wood splice needed. Very complicated, but it is worthy.....
M Hardman
Very nice Yokhua! I'm certainly impressed, my bow is no where near as straight, and I use rulers! I look forward to seeing the following stages.

But, no jigs? If you could make the jig with hand tools does it then become alright?
Jos?Dom
That's a photogenic dog!

Nice bow. How a Yuan dynasty would look? I'm not sure I've seen a finished type of bow finished.
Orda Khan
Beautiful craftsmanship (and one cool dog too!)
Can I ask about the two small pieces spliced into limb/siyah? It just seems easier to splice the siyah directly to the limb. What is the reason for the extra pieces?
yokhua
Well!! because I can't find two pieces of wood which bend naturally and same angle.
Both antique Chinese and Indo-Persian bows are built this way. The joint is very important, I really don't want to run the risk not following the wood grain.
Rapsod
And with what tool did you trim :)
How much cost one middle quality dozuki saw in taipei?