Odds & Ends

The repaired Hazel bow has now had a total of over 300 arrows shot through it and is finally declared finished, it's drawing about 43# at 28" and sweet as a nut.
Thinking of Hazel turned my mind to the bow I made in a day at the club back in May http://bowyersdiary.blogspot.co.uk/2012/05/woodland-workshop.html
It had already had a few minor improvements but was still a bit of a pig to shoot, the grip being as wide as the Mississippi and as uncomfortable as a 3 hour flight with a budget airline.
I had some Hazel off cuts from the same tree so I glued a piece onto the belly side of the grip with the curve of the grain rings matching up. I sculpted the grip to be centre shot and as skinny as I dared.
It now shoots clean and true even with my 100gn arrows which used to be too stiff for it. I checked it on the tiller and its a tad over 30# at 28".

I slimmed the tips down considerably to remove excess weight which helps keep the speed up.

I might take it to the village fete near the club on Sunday where we are doing a have-a-go.

Meanwhile the Maple bow has been worked down so it's just beginning to flex on the tiller, I should have some pics over the weekend. I've been taking rough thickness measurements from the Hazel bow to get me to the current state, obviously adding a mm or two to stay on the safe side. That's the great thing about having experience and a dozen bows lying around, you always have some sort of reference. I'll make it as long as that one, with tips like that one, and a grip like t'other.