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Author Topic: Vine Maple Staves  (Read 13140 times)

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Offline Knocker

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  • Tumwater, Washington
Vine Maple Staves
« on: October 21, 2007, 09:56:34 pm »
Finally - a short break in the rain here in the Pacific Northwest.  I had cabin fever, so decided to get out and collect some Vine Maple staves.  Seeing all the nice V.M. bows on this site got me motivated...   ;D  It reminded me of looking all over the u-cut christmas tree lot for that perfect tree (by my wife's definition) but this was a lot better 'cause I was the one that got to pick.  Believe me, these are straighter than the other 100 I looked at!   >:(

I had to carry these about a half mile from the swamp behind the house, so I hope I came up with something usable.  What do you all think?  Is there a bow somewhere in the bunch?

I'll try some board bows while I wait for these to season...

Keith
PS:  Glad I had my revolver with me today.  There is an old orchard on the edge of the Black Lake swamp.  A bear is leaving piles the size of apple pies under the trees.  I'm guessing that is a good sized bear!

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If ye love wealth better than liberty, the tranquility of servitude
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Offline cowboy

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  • Paul Wolfe. Springtown, TX
Re: Vine Maple Staves
« Reply #1 on: October 21, 2007, 10:02:40 pm »
Man, that vine maple is some crazy lookin stuff. Is it all green like that when it's (Green)? Gonna try one myself soon.
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Offline Gordon

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Re: Vine Maple Staves
« Reply #2 on: October 21, 2007, 10:44:08 pm »
Oh yeah,  there's a few bows hiding in there  :)
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Gordon

Offline Knocker

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Vine Maple Staves
« Reply #3 on: October 22, 2007, 01:38:06 am »
Cowboy,
I think it's really green because of all the rain we have been having.  And the fact that it is seeing sunlight for the first time in years - it was all covered with several inches of rainforest moss...  I've painted the ends, and will be storing them away in the rafters of my shop to dry for a while.
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If ye love wealth better than liberty, the tranquility of servitude
better than the animating contest of freedom, go home from
us in peace. We ask not your counsels or arms. Crouch down
and lick the hands which feed you. May your chains set
lightly upon you, and may posterity forget ...

Offline Gordon

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Re: Vine Maple Staves
« Reply #4 on: October 22, 2007, 02:31:04 am »
You should split them first, or they will take forever to dry.
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Gordon

brian melton

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Re: Vine Maple Staves
« Reply #5 on: October 22, 2007, 09:17:35 pm »

    No offense, but I would head back to the woods with some more knowledge... those are going to be tough.....

Brian
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Offline Knocker

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  • Tumwater, Washington
Vine Maple Staves
« Reply #6 on: October 23, 2007, 01:41:55 am »
No offense taken Brian.  I'd love to find some that are easier, and I'll keep looking.  This was my first time out collecting.  Most of what I saw was tiny, or really curved and twisted.  I figured to get Something started drying, and I can keep adding to the stockpile if I find something better.  Reminds me of a sign I saw in a nursery the other day.  "It's best to plant a tree 10 years ago, or today" 

I have done a nice Osage orange bow that I am hunting with this fall, and I have a vine maple (purchased stave) floor tillered that I will be finishing this winter.  I'll attach a photo of that one.  I was thinking the short billet could be split and would make a decent take-down.  I hope to do a "snakey" bow when my skills are up to it, which is why I grabbed the zig-zaggy stave.

Gordon, do you paint/seal the split stave sides too?  Or still just the ends?  I was thinking of giving them a year to season - maybe I could do something with them this winter if I split?

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If ye love wealth better than liberty, the tranquility of servitude
better than the animating contest of freedom, go home from
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and lick the hands which feed you. May your chains set
lightly upon you, and may posterity forget ...

Offline Knocker

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  • Tumwater, Washington
Vine Maple Staves
« Reply #7 on: October 23, 2007, 01:46:50 am »
The camera flash made the wood look like Osage, but it's not! :D  I steamed the ends of that one, and worked on the propeller a bit too.  It's got a few knots in it, but I am hoping it comes out worthy enough to put some Northwest Coastal art on it.  I think I'll shoot it a couple of hundred times before I get the brushes out...
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If ye love wealth better than liberty, the tranquility of servitude
better than the animating contest of freedom, go home from
us in peace. We ask not your counsels or arms. Crouch down
and lick the hands which feed you. May your chains set
lightly upon you, and may posterity forget ...

Offline Gordon

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Re: Vine Maple Staves
« Reply #8 on: October 23, 2007, 03:10:30 am »
Keith,

I remove the bark and seal the ends - I've never had a problem with vine maple checking. If you rough them out, they will be ready in a couple of months.

Gordon
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Gordon

Offline cowboy

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  • Paul Wolfe. Springtown, TX
Re: Vine Maple Staves
« Reply #9 on: October 23, 2007, 08:21:43 am »
Nice looking stave you've got worked out there Keith. Looking forward to seeing the finished product. Oh, like that horse too.
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When you come upon a track or trail you do not know, follow it to the point of knowing.

brian melton

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Re: Vine Maple Staves
« Reply #10 on: October 23, 2007, 11:27:49 am »
keith,

                Where are you located?? I am on the the Wa. coast.....Montesano to be exact. Where did you purchase your stave?

Brian
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Offline Knocker

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  • Tumwater, Washington
Re: Vine Maple Staves
« Reply #11 on: October 23, 2007, 11:42:36 pm »
Thanks for the tips Gordon.  I'll split the big ones and see about getting them roughed out. 

I am in Tumwater Brian.  The stave came from Curt Brisky's stock.  His website is http://briskybows.com/index.html, and he is in Ferndale, Washington.  He has some nice Osage staves too.

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If ye love wealth better than liberty, the tranquility of servitude
better than the animating contest of freedom, go home from
us in peace. We ask not your counsels or arms. Crouch down
and lick the hands which feed you. May your chains set
lightly upon you, and may posterity forget ...

brian melton

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Re: Vine Maple Staves
« Reply #12 on: October 24, 2007, 12:26:05 am »
Keith,

                   Ever want to go cutting let me know.... I have cut lots...
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Offline Knocker

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  • Tumwater, Washington
Re: Vine Maple Staves
« Reply #13 on: October 24, 2007, 11:17:23 pm »
Hey Brian! I'll take you up on that!  Do you have a place that has good vine, or are you going to come over here and help me pick good ones from the stuff we have?  Maybe the Vine gets better closer to the Coast?  Of course the place I am collecting has been logged not so many years ago too. 

I'll bet the Olympic National park has some GREAT yew/vine maple/dogwood.  :-)  Have you ever used the local cherry for bow making?  And I have heard it's not the best bow wood, but I have some really nice straight grain Western Red Cedar.
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If ye love wealth better than liberty, the tranquility of servitude
better than the animating contest of freedom, go home from
us in peace. We ask not your counsels or arms. Crouch down
and lick the hands which feed you. May your chains set
lightly upon you, and may posterity forget ...

brian melton

  • Guest
Re: Vine Maple Staves
« Reply #14 on: October 25, 2007, 12:03:56 am »
Keith,

               I was thinking here....I have weyerhauser as my back yard. I wouldn't waste your time with the cedar it won't work. Cherry (pin cherry) is too brittle. Choke cherry from the east side of the mountains would work, but I think it is marginal wood. PM me your number, and we will set up a day/time.


Brian
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