Review of 2023

 Been a funny year, it feels like I've not done much in the way of making bows, but I've still been busy.
The year started with a 120# Yew warbow from a fairly challenging stave, I did a 100# one too. I also tried for another 120, but the Austrian Yew was full of shakes and it split in two! I managed to repair it and turn it into a respectable 60# roving bow.

The mkii H Bow flight bow (pic left) performed fairly well, with some nice additions like the counterbalance/stabiliser weight, before exploding!
My mate Rob had given me some Rowan last year and I made a primitive with that, always nice to use a new timber. It preformed like most 'white woods' and felt like a cross between Ash and Hazel.

The scoop back Yew primitive was something a bit different and a delight to shoot.
The big project of the year was the mkii Archer Automaton which was hard work, educational, frustrating and great fun in equal measure.
I'm currently reworking a shoot through Hickory Flight bow, which like all my stuff is now mostly on my youtube channel.(Del Cat@delcat8168)
This blog has reverted to its original purpose which is as an aide memoire for me, this post providing a useful summary of the year.
My last little project of the year was making some little box wood clamps (with M6 threaded rod for the screws) to assist the glue up of the Hickory flight bow levers. (2shown, but I made 3)

Of course it's also an opportunity to wish one and all a happy new year. May all your projects bear fruition, or at least provide some enjoyment and may all your arrows find their mark.

Del

Old Flight Bow Progress

 

Seasons greetings to one and all. I've been doing some post Christmas tinkering in the garage/workshop.
I've taken off about 4mm of chrysalled belly wood and glued on slats of heat treated Yew heart wood. I've used a slat of Yew (~5mm thick) to construct the levers, making them a T section.

It's been up on the tiller for a quick shufti and I can see the levers are flexing.(mostly at the inner end) They are bound to flex a bit but I was expecting them to be stiffer. I can experiment by gluing on an additional strip to make them I section, which should help.
I used hide glue which can be released with gentle heat, so if necessary I can rebuild the levers a tad thicker and deeper maybe even V section.

Reworking a Flight Bow

 I've got an old Hickory shoot-through flight bow with a chrysalled belly. It was a bit lethal, as I was trying to shoot it, finger loosing it, this set the arrows flexing and they tended to smash. Since then I've made a release aid, and that is probably the key to getting the shoot-through to work.
I'm going to rasp/machine off the belly (the chrysals go about 4mm deep) and add a new belly of heat treated Yew heart wood.
I'm aiming for 50# at 24" draw with a very light arrow.
Most of my stuff is on my Youtube channel now, but this post is really a log of what I'm aiming for with this bow.The bow is a Mollegabet style and I think the levers are a bit long and heavy, so they may get reduced during test/development.One dilemma is how do I terminate the new belly at each end where the thickness of the original bow increases at the grip and the levers? I'm favouring a simple butt joint, which, being in compression should hold. I'm concerned that if I try and fade it out at each end it may lift or splinter.

Mkii Archer Automaton

   

I've got it working pretty reliably now. Still lots of cosmetic stuff to do.
The basic movement is done by 2 control rods, one on a crank and the other (bow arm) on a cam. I've gone through about 9 iterations of the cam, and I've just made a new one, to try and get the two arms coming up together. It works very well and is a big improvement.

In the video you can see the bow arm comes up a bit too early ( or a medieval style draw).
There has been an immense amount of fiddling and fettling, but it all slowly improves the reliability and repeatability.
It's motorised now so that pressing a button starts it, and then it stops after the arrow is loosed, as the microswitch is actuated (see bottom pic)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eDJvVBdDx54

Work on the mkii Archer Automaton

 This has been a long term ongoing project that entails endless thought, lots of trial and error and a huge amount of patience.
I makes me realize that a bit like making a bow, it's not all about the end result. The pleasure is in the art and craft, the problem solving and actually doing something with ones hands. Enjoying the process makes the required patience a joy rather than a chore.

Almost every part of the automaton has been made multiple times, and there are unexpected interactions between the moving parts. The linkages, pivot points, and movements all interact, and the timing between the various motions need to be precise.
I've built it up slowly, getting one aspect to work and then progressing to the next. Of course once the next action works nicely, the first one may no longer function! But by then the understanding of the motion has been enhanced.
Originally the motor/gearbox mas mounted between the feet, but I've built a plinth such that the motor/gearbox will now be below 'ground level'.
The biggest challenge has been to get him to collect the arrow on the string. The next big challenge is the loosing mechanism.

Over the development I've had to try 3 different motor/gearboxes, unfortunately the best one stripped an internal tooth. I found some great ones on E-bay, with the requisite very low gearing and hopefully enough output torque to draw the bow. (I'm waiting for it to be delivered).
Originally the 2 main movements were on cranks, one of these has been changed to a cam as it can be adjusted to give an asymmetric motion. I'll probably retain the right arm motion as a simple crank otherwise I'll end up with too many variables to adjust.

The Lever Bow Lives

 I'd been showing some people my bows and realised that I hadn't really used the Lever Bow
for fear of it turning itself inside out and exploding if the string missed the string catchers. Ah, but since then I'd made a mechanical release aid for the H bow. Maybe the release aid would suit the lever bow?
So, when I went roving this morning I took the lever bow to test the theory.

Of course, nothing goes to plan and the arrows were loose on the string and were falling off, we tired some wax which almost worked, then someone suggested wrapping a leaf over the string! Brilliant, that's my top-tip it worked a treat. It was hard work drawing the bow, but as the string lifted off the levers, it became more manageable. It was a slightly short draw, but the arrow went off cleanly and must have gone a good 220 yards. maybe I'll try it with a flight arrow some time.Video of the test shot:-
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oLkPpS_XQV0

There were only 4 of us roving, but it was lovely weather and there were a good few butterflies in the hedgerow which was nice to see, as I haven't seen many this year.

Ridgeback ii?

 The Yew primitive I'm working on has a strange feature where the heartwood seems to swell up through the sapwood in a ridge. Pictures in books tend to show perfectly symmetrical logs with the heart sap boundary concentric with the growth rings... but real life isn't like that. I've met it before on an English Longbow, I just ignored it on that one, see this post:- 
https://bowyersdiary.blogspot.com/2012/04/weird-heartsap-boundary-emails.htmlBut with this primitive, the ridge is making the limb too stiff. I could scoop out the belly side, but I've decided to scoop out the back instead. This approach seems to be working so far!

Camera Weirdness

 The slo-mo that I took the other day was fine, but I'd taken another video that seemed to have disappeared. (hmmm).
I've just now taken some video of progress on the mkii Archer Automaton... It's not there! I take some test videos...no...not recording, but they can be seen on the camera! Arggh it's doing by head in.
I reformat the memory card... still doesn't work. Working through menu 2 there are 4 file formats... I try a lower resolution one (MP4), it works! I try AVCHD  it doesn't. I try XAVC S HD, it does... at which point I quit while I'm ahead. 

The blogger doesn't seem to let me download videos , so here's a link:-
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yz7GcCOfyXI

100# English Yew Longbow / Warbow Nearly Finished

 Target draw length is 30", it's at 28, so it's just some scraping and easing off the tips.
then my test pilot JT can put some arrows through it on Sunday.

The stave isn't dead straight, having some reflex in the outer third of the right (upper) limb which makes it look a tad stiff.
The left has some weird undulations.
The yellow ellipse helps to show the tiller.

Rowan Primitive

 I got the bow virtually finished but having only pulled it to about 26".
I took it roving and you'll see from the pic, the tiller isn't what it should be, the left limb being a bit weak now. I'll adjust the tiller , by easing off the right, and maybe heat treat the belly.
It actually shot quite nicely, made about 170 yards with a regular arrow ~400gn and managed 215 yards with a flight arrow.

Started on the Rowan Primitive

 I've made a start and posted some videos on my Youtube Chanel (Del Cat)

Corporate Nonsense!

 I received the following E-mail from Google about this blog (from a no-reply account of course).
That would be because it's not designed to be viewed on a mobile phone!
I don't have a smart phone, I don't want a smart phone...
And if it is hard to read on a mobile, then its the fault of the phone or blog software for not allowing the image to be manipulated. Nuffin' to do wiv' me mate!
Mobile Usability issues detected in bowyersdiary.blogspot.com

To the owner of bowyersdiary.blogspot.com:

Search Console has identified that your site is affected by 3 Mobile Usability issue(s). The following issues were found on your site. We recommend that you fix these issues when possible to enable the best experience and coverage in Google Search.

Top issues

• Clickable elements too close together
• Viewport not set
• Text too small to read
  
  

Mkii Automaton

 I've started on the mk ii automaton. Its based on the mki and on the copper sculpture I made some time back (it's approx' twice its size). The waist pivots and I've mad two shoulder blades which are split to house the shoulder bearings/joints. It's relatively easy to build up the framework, the animation will be the tricky bit. I'll probably power it with an electric motor this time, or at least with a gearbox from a motor/gearbox assembly salvaged from my last employment.
The real challenge is to see if I can make it load the arrow, but that is probably too tricky... we'll see :-)

H Bow smashed and a new camera

 I bought a new camera off E-Bay, a Sony RX100 iv, it has much better performance and 1000fps slo-mo ( but only for 4 seconds).. the HFR (high frame rate) slo-mo has an interesting feature. You can trigger it before the event you want to film, or after (post trigger)! (It must run a continuous 4 second buffer)
I was setting up to try some more slo mo of the H-bow when it exploded, unfortunately I didn't even capture it on video! That's because when it went bang, I didn't have the presence of mind to post trigger the camera as I was too busy swearing.
I did some test filming with a bow on the tiller and the quality is vastly better, mind I'm not sure how it will look on youtube as their processing sometimes reduces the quality.

Automaton Musings

 I've been toying with the idea of a bigger improved archer automaton.
Maybe steam powered , 8' tall self propelling, sentient and able to take over the world (cackles wildly). Sorry, getting carried away in steam punk fantasy for a moment. But seriously, something more modest, but made of steel with a greater range of movement and maybe 2' tall.
My gasless mig welder has proved to be very handy and capable of doing fairly fine work, and the mechanical release aid for the H bow, could well be the basis for the archers hand and loosing mechanism.
I have a few other projects to get on with first, but it's good to have ideas bubbling away in the background.
I've just bought a new camera off E-bay that should have a much better slo-mo capability (well slightly faster frame rate, but at full screen and decent resolution). I'm also looking at improved lighting, which is needed for high speed photography.
The next actual bow I'll be making will be a Rowan primitive.
Meanwhile I'm doing a bit of practice shooting into the garage as I've booked into a field shhot at the end of the month... I only do one or two these days and Cloth of Gold is always a good shoot and a chance to meet up with some mates.

High Tech addition to the H Bow

 Low tech-high tech!

I've made this flight bow ~50# @ 19" draw.

The bow itself is made from a single piece of Yew (38" long), slotted down the middle, steamed and then spread apart to allow the arrow to shoot through the centre. 

The extended grip allows the short draw to be shot from my usual anchor point. 

A brass weight adds stability, helping to avoid the bow tipping forward until the arrow has left the bow.

Elevation is shown by a plywood pendulum with a brass weight. When the bow is at 45 degrees 2  pointers line up just above the flat 'deck'.

The high tech addition is the doppler radar (OEM unit bought online) which measures arrow speed and has some limited tracking capability. Data is transmitted to a phone app that gives velocity, approx' range and position of the arrow which has a thin strip of aluminium foil stuck along the shaft to act as a radar reflector. 

To give a clean loose I've made a mechanical release aid. The pic' shows the finger position when in use. I've had test shots with a leather 'flipper' release but haven't tried the mechanical version with this bow yet. Current best 286 yards...

Further H Bow Update

 I've made a few tweaks to the bow The grip has been moved closer to the bow by a few inches to get a more comfortable draw (it could maybe come another inch or so closer), I've added an including an inclinometer to show when I'm at 45 degrees, a decent string and some longer flight arrows... unfortunately I hadn't added a nocking point.
Still got a much better distance... 285 yards. Hopefully more to come.
Tiller looks very good, looks like there is more draw available too. I'm also getting more confident with the flipper release.

Bow weight reduction

 I made a lovely Yew primitive back in 2018. The owner has had some shoulder trouble and asked it I could take it down from 40# to 30#.
I like to keep a bow shooting if possible so he's sent it back for me to work on.
Seeing a bow after 5 years is great as it's like seeing it for the first time... a very handsome bow.
I strung it and had a test shot, it felt very brisk. It's a bit too cold in the garage to work at the mo' but should warm up in a day or too. I'll be sure to take some 'before' and 'after' pics'.
We've had block paving done out the front of the house, they did a good job and luckilly finished before the bad weather kicked in. We had it done the same as next door (who had theirs done a week or so back), it makes it all look bigger and 'of a piece'. I'll have to repaing the garage door now, as the arrow holes spoil the look of it!
It took a lot of work clean out the garage as it was full of concrete dust where they had to cut across the slab across the garage door. I've finally got the dust all out, and it was a good excuse for a bit of a sort out and tidy.

H Bow Update

 I've done plenty of fiddling and fettling to get the H bow shooting but there is still plenty of tuning to do.

I went up the club and the first test shot was dissapointing, I hadn't seen the arrow go, so assumed it had gone a prodigious distance! I was searching around at over 300 yards, until one of the guys spotted it it at 165! To be fair it was into a strong head wind and just a short draw. Two further shots went 170 and 190, but bear in mind that was only 15 1/5" draw where the theoretical max is 19".
The string also needs improving and some decent light flight arrows made. I think I should get 250 comfortably and hopefully further.
The pic (at full draw) shows how the bow isn't bending very hard yet.
The videos on my Youtube chanel (Del Cat) document the development.
Enough chat, here are some pics.

Video of shot :-
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lt2j8uqNKCA

Back to the H Bow?

 I've had a couple of weeks off, been replacing the kitchen worktops and tarting up the paintwork, grouting and replacing the cooker hood, while my better half cleaned tided and sorted the drawers, cupboards etc. I'd been putting it off for about 7years, so I can't complain. 

I'd also been distracted by water pouring down the ouside of the big double patio doors... my home made solar hot water panels had sprung a leak due to frost bursting one of the plastic fittings (at least it wasn't the copper pipes). It was all due for a flush out and re-furb. The header tank had a nice thick growth of slime on the surface, so that's all been removed, emptied cleaned and fresh antifreeze/inhibitor added. Just needs a nice sunny day and it should kick in.I've finally got the garage back to some sort of state of tidiness so I can get back to work on the H Bow and trying to make a roving bow from a very scruffy stave (which will need a long piece added to the belly) for one of the guys from the club.

I noticed a few people had been looking at a post of a miniature Yew ELB I did in 2012, so I had a look at it, interestingly, it is only about 1-2" shorter than the H bow:-
https://bowyersdiary.blogspot.com/2012/03/finished-miniature.html

120# Warbow

I started the bow shortly after Christmas... it was an odd stave of Pacific Yew.
I'd made a bow for one of my mates and he said he was buying a stave from a well known purveyor of such things and if I chose one from their website, he'd buy it for me as payment. Now that may seem a convoluted arrangement... but then I'd never pay that sort of money for a stave myself. Anyhow the stave wasn't as clean as I'd have expected... but then you all know I like a challenge. It had a big knot near the middle and a couple of inches of deflex (.eg with tips on the floor, the belly is 2" off the floor) and some twist over its length. It had been roughed out by degrees over the previous year or two and now my mate JT wanted a 120# bow I decided that now was a good time to have a go.

I'd had the stave for 2 or 3 years and it had shifted a bit over that time.
With some careful roughing out and tentatively working in the area of the knot I finally got it to exactly the target draw weight and length (120# @ 32"). It was satisfying to manage it without recourse to heat or steam.

There's a playlist on my Youtube chanel:-
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dJvkD1ib4YI&list=PLBz2tD9476KTaf_X7Em-n2t7jv4i1kCqm