# Some of my woodworking projects!



## Apex Predator (Jun 25, 2008)

I build custom longbows in my spare time, and just thought I would share a little of my wood working with you folks.

I started with all wood bows in 1998, and now build mostly wood and fiberglass laminated longbows.

Here is a riser made of cocobolo and bocote.










Cocobolo overlay.










Black phenolic and cocobolo tip overlay over a red elm limb.










Bubinga, osage orange, and wenge riser with osage orage limb.



















Wenge and osage riser and tip overlays on a bubinga limb.


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## Apex Predator (Jun 25, 2008)

This one has a bubinga/osage/bubinga riser and osage belly.



















This one is wenge/bubinga/wenge.





































Water buffalo horn riser and tip overlays.


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## Apex Predator (Jun 25, 2008)

An osage/walnut/osage riser with curly hickory limb faces.










Anther tip overlays.










Bone tip overlays.










Some pretty limbs!

Stained bamboo.










Bubinga










Figured cherry.










Eastern red cedar.


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## nblumert (Oct 15, 2008)

The bows look great.


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## SeeDBee (Oct 27, 2008)

*Excellent Craftsmanship*

You have created many works of art. I see you use various woods, so I am curious how you selected those that work best both in color, density, and strength for your projects.

Chuck


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## Apex Predator (Jun 25, 2008)

Thanks guys! 

Most any wood will build a limb when sandwiching it between layers of fiberglass. Some of the better ones have properties that lend themselves to better performance. Light and stiff is what you want for the best performance. My limbs have four laminations and two pieces of glass. I usually use vertically laminated bamboo in the core, which makes up about 2/3 of the wood stack. The outer lams are thinner and can be pretty much anything that's pretty. 

The riser has to be built from much stronger wood. Normally specific gravity of around .55 or denser. Of course all heavy wood is not created equally. The really pretty stuff often has swirling grain that won't stand the stress of heavy bows. This is why they are often laminated with other woods, or accents of phenolic. I prefer osage, granadillo, cocobolo, bocote, bubinga, and the like.

I'm a big bowhunter, and absolutely love hunting with my hand made bows.


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## b00kemdano (Feb 10, 2009)

Those are incredible! It reminds me of making bows in the woods on camping trips as a kid. Obviously, ours were considerably less stunning than your bows. 

I was surprised to see wenge in there. It's a beautiful wood, but I've found it to be brittle when it gets thin. I guess your laminations and fiberglass keep it safe.

Do you make your own arrows, too?


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## phinds (Mar 25, 2009)

beautiful work.


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## ash123 (Mar 14, 2010)

Looks nice! Thanks for posting the pictures.


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## roughnrustic (Mar 19, 2010)

Very nice! have you ever used yew wood in any of your applications? i've heard it has good qualities for bows. there are some limited areas around where i live that it grows. (Just curious)


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## Apex Predator (Jun 25, 2008)

I do make some of my own arrows, but prefer the consistency of carbon. Believe it or not, they have carbon arrows with a wood grain finish!

I've not used Yew yet, but will I'm sure. It's really pretty and one of the better limb woods.


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## Stanly58 (Mar 22, 2010)

Very nice work!


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## Streamwinner (Nov 25, 2008)

Absolutely beautiful. I've done a lot of archery in the past and have thought about going back to the long bow. Fantastic work and beautiful use of wood.


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