Pine longbow

[fishfinder401]

what do you think if i could use a stave of good quality pine for a longbow? i have 80 acres in Massachusetts with probably thousands of pines
noel

[Acutus]

Looking forward to seeing your pics!! Been following this thread and sounds like you gotta nice bow outta the pine! I've always heard it couldn't be done or it'd have to be 4 inches wide! Good job!

[aznboi3644]

fish,
I don't see why a stave wouldn't work.  If you have probably have thousands of pines I'd search for compression pine staves for backed bows.  This pine is actually not that dense at all...pretty light and soft.  I'm sure you could find some suiteable pine staves.  It's very easy to work.



acutus,
thanks...I gotta put a handle wrap on this thing before I take any pics.

[JW_Halverson]

I keep expecting to check this thread and find the "aw crap" post, but it hasn't happened!  Cheers, mate!

And even if it turns out to be short lived, you are getting tillering experience and design experience for a lot less than an osage stave would cost you! 

I can get radiata pine here locally...growth rings up to 3/4 inch thick!  Might have to buy some of this stuff and try a pine longbow, too!  No guts, no glory.

[bucksbuoy]

I know pine bows have been built before so im not surprised. Souther yellow pine actually has a nice balance of tension and compression strength. Im sure it would make a fine bow, probably be fast too because its so light.
Jason

[aznboi3644]

Finished out low 40s I think...haven't weighed it yet.  I'll do that tomorrow.

Here she is braced at my fistmele which is right at 5.5"  Shoots well at that.


What the tips and nocks look like.  I am lazy and used some old tie on nocks I made out of broken arrow shafts.


Set right after unbracing on bottom limb


Top limb set.


And for the grand finally the full draw at 28".


I'll try and get some better full draw shots tomorrow afternoon.

I still gotta put a backing on this...the wood is really soft.  I was thinking of doing a paper backing.  Linen may be too heavy.  As for a finish I'm sealing it in bacon fat cured over a small fire.  And a handle wrap is to come later next week.

[Markus]

Most interesting and a good job.  Markus.

[nativenoobowyer86]

awesome thread i would love to try a pine bow, I live in Ontario, Canada where the growing season is short and the conifers have super fine rings.  the softwood lumber from this area is known for its strength, i would think that would transfer to bowmaking. 

[Jude]

Pine can be incredibly elastic, given the right thickness.  It looks like you've figured out what that is.  That's a nice looking bow, and it's good cheap tillering practice.
I've always wondered how hemlock (Tsuga Canadensis, not the poisonous weed) would do,  If I remember correctly, the specific gravity is only about 0.45, but it was truly evil wood to frame with.  My dad would have it sawn into rough framing lumber and barn boards, saving our rare spruce and fir for planed finish boards.  Compared to lumberyard framing, it was heavy, stiff, and difficult to drive nails into.

[Keenan]

 Nice bow and nice tiller. That is an accomplishment with pine. It is very soft and not very good for compression.  Be sure to watch for chrysalls on the belly. If there is the slightest tillering flaw it will show up as chrysalls on pine. However with the long length and great tiller you will probably be fine

[aznboi3644]

thanks for the compliments guys...it was really fun making this bow.

tried my hardest to perfect the tiller cuz my last one chrysaled pretty easily...but surprisingly there are no chrysals.