Author Topic: A short Broom (Cytisus scoparius) Bow  (Read 4488 times)

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Offline keef

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A short Broom (Cytisus scoparius) Bow
« on: February 10, 2011, 01:05:55 pm »
 Hi Folks
Really made this as an experiment over the last couple of evenings, form a small broom sapling, and although its nowhere near perfect, It would seem that this shrub is a good bow wood , and certainly very 'springy'

The bow is 44" ntn and narrow, I flipped the tips with dry heat ( @1"x 3/4" at the handle, tapering down to pencil thickness at the tips, which I reinforced with camel bone).. I have broken my spring balance, but would say at a conservative estimate, that it draws 35lb at 20"..

I would say that if you use this wood, Beware of checking, and leave plenty of wood around the plentiful knots...I did leave some, but there is a hint of compression fracture around one or two!

Spits out arrows fine for now though






Thanks for looking folks

Offline tattoo dave

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Re: A short Broom (Cytisus scoparius) Bow
« Reply #1 on: February 10, 2011, 01:15:04 pm »
pretty cool little bow Keef! You gonna do any finish work to it?
Rockford, MI

Offline keef

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Re: A short Broom (Cytisus scoparius) Bow
« Reply #2 on: February 10, 2011, 01:19:00 pm »
pretty cool little bow Keef! You gonna do any finish work to it?
Dave

I'm going to put a whole heap of shots through it this weekend, then..If it holds up, I'm going to finish it ...... If not I'm going to work on another broom stave, and learn from my experience !!

Offline JackCrafty

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Re: A short Broom (Cytisus scoparius) Bow
« Reply #3 on: February 10, 2011, 01:37:21 pm »
Nice !  I like it. 8)
Any critter tastes good with enough butter on it.

Patrick Blank
Midland, Texas
Youtube: JackCrafty, Allergic Hobbit, Patrick Blank

Where's Rock? Public Waterways, Road Cuts, Landscape Supply, Knap-Ins.
How to Cook It?  200° for 24hrs then 275° to 500° for 4hrs (depending on type), Cool for 12hr

Offline Parnell

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Re: A short Broom (Cytisus scoparius) Bow
« Reply #4 on: February 10, 2011, 03:28:04 pm »
That's very nice!
1’—>1’

Offline John K

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Re: A short Broom (Cytisus scoparius) Bow
« Reply #5 on: February 10, 2011, 03:50:34 pm »
Sweet, i love it !
The only way to fail is to never start !

Offline dragonman

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Re: A short Broom (Cytisus scoparius) Bow
« Reply #6 on: February 10, 2011, 04:13:01 pm »
nice bow, I've  often looked at broom ( and gorse) and wondered if it would make a bow.... well done , nice to know it does. I wonder if gorse will?
'expansion and compression'.. the secret of life is to balance these two opposing forces.......

Offline Del the cat

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Re: A short Broom (Cytisus scoparius) Bow
« Reply #7 on: February 10, 2011, 04:17:42 pm »
Looks real sweet.
Del
Health warning, these posts may contain traces of nut.

Offline half eye

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Re: A short Broom (Cytisus scoparius) Bow
« Reply #8 on: February 10, 2011, 06:02:37 pm »
now that's slick.....
rich

Offline medicinewheel

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Re: A short Broom (Cytisus scoparius) Bow
« Reply #9 on: February 11, 2011, 02:48:22 am »
Looks really good!
Frank from Germany...

Offline Pappy

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Re: A short Broom (Cytisus scoparius) Bow
« Reply #10 on: February 11, 2011, 09:58:37 am »
Sweet little bow,very nice tiller. :) :)
   Pappy
Clarksville,Tennessee
TwinOaks Bowhunters
Life is Good

Offline Sidewinder

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Re: A short Broom (Cytisus scoparius) Bow
« Reply #11 on: February 11, 2011, 10:47:35 am »
Amen to all the above. Great looking little bow. Just goes to show ya, there is tons of workable bow wooods out there.   Good job,   Danny
"You know a tree by the fruit it bears"   God

Offline keef

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Re: A short Broom (Cytisus scoparius) Bow
« Reply #12 on: February 11, 2011, 01:18:41 pm »
 Thank you all for your kind comments.. I'm keen to srart a new bow from this wood soon, and perhaps sinew back it for good measure.. I will take it to the woods this weekend and have some fun with it though.. :)

Offline Lee Slikkers

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Re: A short Broom (Cytisus scoparius) Bow
« Reply #13 on: February 11, 2011, 02:02:26 pm »
Very sweet tiller and I love the profile.
~ Lee

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"The last word in ignorance is the man who says of an animal or plant: 'What good is it?"
— Aldo Leopold
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Offline Barrage

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Re: A short Broom (Cytisus scoparius) Bow
« Reply #14 on: February 11, 2011, 03:27:03 pm »
Very cool little bow.  Looks like a lot of fun.
Travis