Horn longbow!
Hi all, i'm currently making a horn bellied mollegabet style bow. I've got the core glued up and am currently sizing the horn and core ready for the glue up.
It is 53 inches ntn. Set back at the handle splices and mild reflex in the stiff tips.
The horn width is limited to 28mm width due to the horn shape. The horn was 5mm thick before grooving.
So i'm thinking about reducing the width and thickness of the core/horn once glued and am not sure of the thickness. The width is limited by the horn strips to a max of about 28mm and the width of the tip splice is 23mm. I'm planning on leaving the horn full width for about half of the working limb then straight line tapers to the tip splice width. This limb width profile calls for a thickness taper but i'm not sure what thickness to reduce to pre-sinewing.
I'm hoping for the finished bow to be around 60lbs.
If anybody has any ideas then they would be helpful.
Many thanks.
It is 53 inches ntn. Set back at the handle splices and mild reflex in the stiff tips.
The horn width is limited to 28mm width due to the horn shape. The horn was 5mm thick before grooving.
So i'm thinking about reducing the width and thickness of the core/horn once glued and am not sure of the thickness. The width is limited by the horn strips to a max of about 28mm and the width of the tip splice is 23mm. I'm planning on leaving the horn full width for about half of the working limb then straight line tapers to the tip splice width. This limb width profile calls for a thickness taper but i'm not sure what thickness to reduce to pre-sinewing.
I'm hoping for the finished bow to be around 60lbs.
If anybody has any ideas then they would be helpful.
Many thanks.
If you think you need extra stability you could leave the core wider than the horn. I've made a few similar wooden bows, and they can become somewhat unstable if there is some reflex with narrow tips and low brace height.
With my 370 meter flightbow I made the "inner" wide limbs quite broad to provide a stable platform for the narrow outer limbs. Well, broad in ipe and bamboo is maybe 2,2cm at the transition to the outer limbs.
I'm afraid I can't be of much help with regards to the thickness though. A very rough guestimate would be 15 mm core and horn in midlimb.
With my 370 meter flightbow I made the "inner" wide limbs quite broad to provide a stable platform for the narrow outer limbs. Well, broad in ipe and bamboo is maybe 2,2cm at the transition to the outer limbs.
I'm afraid I can't be of much help with regards to the thickness though. A very rough guestimate would be 15 mm core and horn in midlimb.
Mike, it depends on the reflex and the lengths of the tips/bending arms, but 15mm sounds OK for the total thickness (some horm may need to be scraped away during tiller). The mollegabet will actually end up looking similar to the Mongol bows with less reflex in the ears.
Adam
Adam
Thank you for the thoughts. I realise there are quite a few variables....!
I have just glued on one horn strip and will do the other tomorrow. Once the horn is clamped and drying I will post a picture to give a better idea of what i'm (attempting) making.
I'm hoping the ability to really lightenen the outer limbs might allow this bow to shine. I've used black locust for the outer limbs due to it's stiffness/weight ratio.
I would have liked my horn strips to have been wider for the reasons Kviljo stated above.
I have just glued on one horn strip and will do the other tomorrow. Once the horn is clamped and drying I will post a picture to give a better idea of what i'm (attempting) making.
I'm hoping the ability to really lightenen the outer limbs might allow this bow to shine. I've used black locust for the outer limbs due to it's stiffness/weight ratio.
I would have liked my horn strips to have been wider for the reasons Kviljo stated above.