Technical Drawings of My Ottoman Bow

...below.

I think the model looks fine.

It is much better to soak the maple in water for a few days before steaming or boiling. There is a large difference.

Regarding the cornelian cherry, I have no experience, but I would suggest that you at least cut down the piece of wood to near-final dimensions and let it dry for a month, before you reduce it further to final dimensions. That way you will avoid some warping, if the grain is not perfect in it.

It is normal that the "tips" of the grip-wood is part of the sal, so if glued properly you should not experience any problems there.

Hi Nokyay, great to see your project progress!

I think your grip could use a "neck" (kabza bogazi) of around 20mm width. Such a neck will reduce the archer's paradox when shooting because it puts the arrow closer to the middle of the bow. Right now, your grip retains the same width of around 24/25mm throughout its length.

Also, the bulbous part of the grip looks rather big in relation to the rest of the bow. Once it is finished, it will be easy to wrap the handle so it fits your hand. If it is too big for your hand, it will not be possible to reduce it without damaging the sinew layer.

All the best!
Arry

Cornel wood was used as an added lamination on top of maple base for the grip sections. It means it was not flexed together with the rest of the (maple) core. Your plan may work, but I would make sure the grain of the wood is straight and parallel to the sal.

Adam

I must have confused the wood in these then. From the x-ray, it seems like the density of the grip piece is rather high. - and there is only one piece of wood for the grip. I imagined that the wood in the cut bow could also be cornel?

Does the description of the use of the cornel come from Kani?

Thank you very much for all your comments. They are very valuable for my studies.

Kviljo:

After your comment, I decide to keep the sticks in water about 6-7 days before steaming. And, I will not boil the sticks.
For cornelian cherry usage for grip, I will cut down the wood to near-final dimensions and observe its shape distorsion and elasticity. And then decide what to do.
And I will keep the grip-sal intersection as it is. (12 cm)

Arry:

After glued horn to wood, I will grind the bow to final shape. (I am rookie also for CAD drawing. I didn't draw the bow in detail :) ) I will use the good bow pictures from Adam's book as models.
I owe you for my project progress. :)

Adam:

After your and Kviljo's comments, I decided to examine to usage of cornelian cherry for grip. If I could find proper size mapple for grip, I would use it. But probably I can't find air dried mapple and have to use cornel.
Thank you master.

As far as I remember, cornelian cherry is used as entire grip at some bows. I will check the telhis (kani), T?rk ok?uluğu (?nsal Y?cel) and the other documents and reply.

Yes, it is interesting if the grip wood in the sections is the same as the sal or not. It hardly matters in practice. I often use ironwood (hophornbeam) for the grips and maple for the sals. As long as the grip wood qualifies as "bow wood" and has decent grain, it should be OK.

Adam

Nokyay,
Cornelian cherry or cornus mas is very hard wood. Do not use it fresh cut cherry. I know cherry is not stable after many years. Cornus is not flexible but as Adam say if you use it top of the grip it makes the grip very stable . I generally use laminated grip , 5-7mm maple at bottom. I believe solid cornus mas is not good idea for grip because cornus do not except glue well and different glue exception between maple and cornus could be a problem after many years.
Do not boil the core directly but if it is fresh cut it is OK.

Good luck
Cem

I have checked the Telhis (Kani) and found something about the Cornelian cherry usage for grip:
"...cornelian cherry is using at Puta and Tirkeş Bows as mass grip. Because, it is very strong wood and these kind of bows are mostly stands braced. Also, cornelian cherry is using lamination (as Adam said) of grip. This kind of grip called 'musanna grip'. It is looks beautiful but, it is not obvious the technical advantage..."

It seems, It would be big jeopardy to use cornelian cherry for grip as a rookie bow maker. I will beware of it. But, Kani mentions advantage of using it. Maybe, experienced bow makers will use it and share their experiences.
Also, I will make some experiments on it (gluing, testing its elasticity, stability etc.)

Cem, thank you for your comments...

Hi Friends,
I would like to update my project progress:

* I have bend the wood sticks to my metal forms as seen the pictures. (I have put the sticks in water for 20 days and boil for one hour before bending.)
* I have roughly shape the cornellian cherry for grip and put it near to wood sticks for a little more drying. (I have decided to try cornellian cherry for grip)
* I have started to shape the horns.

And the questions:

* Shaping the horn is a little bit difficult in its original shape. Can I boil and flat the horns 4-5 mounths before the gluing to core? Or should I flat them and shape to final dimensions just a few days (or weeks) before gluing?

* Unfortunately, horns are not from the same animal and one is quite old. Can I tune their strenght (and elasticity) by file their thickness? Or how can I achieve limb symetry?

Thanks for all of your comment advance..

more pictures..

Cool, the bending seems to have gone really well! Congratulations!

Thank you very much Arry :)

Fyi, the handwriting on the photo Kviljo posted up there states that the reddish wood is Hartriegel (this definitely refers to the species Cornus) and the white one Ahorn (maple)

can you share your form drawing to me?
My email is [email protected]
Thank you!

Bjorn, Thank you for reminding..

Leehongyi : I've attached the technical drawing of the form. (I have use U shape iron profile. Thickness of the form is different from drawing)


...and 2d isometric view of the bow...

nokyay,
try to avoid the core of the cornel tree. also the insidious small knots

Thank you PAZUZU, but I don't have a better choice.

If you have experience of cornelian cherry, could you please share?

• nokyay
  I like cornel. hardly worse than maple for kabza. I never use the core, sometimes only part of it remains on top of the handle. I understand you. I also find it hard good cornel wood(diameter not less than 8 cm). does not compromise. because kabza is just as important, as all other parts.

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Thank you PAZUZU for your contribution..

Is there any one to answer :

" Shaping the horn is a little bit difficult in its original shape. Can I boil and flat the horns 4-5 mounths before the gluing to core? Or should I flat them and shape to final dimensions just a few days (or weeks) before gluing? "

I d imagine that the fresh surface is a better substrate for the glue.
In principle its easier to first glue things together and afterwards put the whole to desired shape. in case of horns this possibility is limited

Shape them in their original form. Eg. make the strips then flatten them when it comes to grooving.

Thank you Uli, Mikekeswick..

I have overestimating the core drying time as 4-5 mounths. Now, I have decrease it into 2 mounths.

So my last action plan is;

*Keeping core drying for 2 mounths and then make the sal-grip-sal construction.
*Boil-flat and shape the horns to final dimensions . Within 1 week, glue the horn and core construction surfaces several times and then connect to each other.

When you say several times...just make sure that the parts are very well sized with glossy surfaces before actual glue-up.

PS: which software do you use for the drawings ?

Software is NX 7.0