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!
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