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Author Topic: Against Better Judgement  (Read 12600 times)

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Offline JonW

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Against Better Judgement
« on: August 10, 2013, 03:29:22 pm »
Here is a Sassafras bow I've made recently. Been waiting for a while shooting it before I posted it. I may still eat some crow but so far so good. This is the lightest physical weight wood I have ever laid my hands on. I cut it in May and roughed it out and chased a ring as soon as I got it home. Let it dry inside the house and tillered it out a couple weeks ago. It is 66" long and 2 1/8" at the fades tapering to under 1/2" nocks. 45" @ 28". The grouping pic is from 20 yards. If you have ever watched me shoot you will know this bow is a shooter! I'm not totally happy with the tiller but it draws and shoots so good I don't think I will mess with it.
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Offline Strongbow

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Re: Against Better Judgement
« Reply #1 on: August 10, 2013, 03:39:03 pm »
Looks really nice.  Is there a reason you chased a ring on this one?  I haven't seen too many sassafras bows but I thought you treated it like a typical whitewood and use the outer ring as the back.  This gets me excited to start on the 5" diameter sassafras tree I just cut on my uncle's place last weekend.  Peeled the bark and sealed the ends.  I'm waiting for it to dry some before splitting. 
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Offline artcher1

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Re: Against Better Judgement
« Reply #2 on: August 10, 2013, 03:42:28 pm »
You're going to love that bow for the time it holds up. They make for a very fast and springy bow...............Art B
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Offline osage outlaw

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Re: Against Better Judgement
« Reply #3 on: August 10, 2013, 03:48:28 pm »
Nice bow!  Sassafras  ???  Don't see many bows made from that.  Great job on it Jon.  Hope it holds up for you.
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I started out with nothin' and I still got most of it left

Offline JonW

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Re: Against Better Judgement
« Reply #4 on: August 10, 2013, 04:02:27 pm »
I chased a ring because of the bad things I've heard about Sassafras as a self bow. I figured most of the bows made from this wood were treated like other white woods and just had the bark taken off. I didn't trust the sapwood so I took it off. Time will tell if this one will hold together. I think 2 1/2" wide with a good heat treat would get you a 55# bow. The only heating I did to this one was to bend the tips a little. The smell of the wood is wonderful. Heating it made me think of warm apple pie.
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Offline koan

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  • Brian D. Mo.
Re: Against Better Judgement
« Reply #5 on: August 10, 2013, 05:04:32 pm »
Well I sure learned somethin here... The only root beer bows ive seen before had more sinew than wood, lol... I dint know it would hold up for a unbacked selfbow... Nice work!... Brian
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Offline half eye

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Re: Against Better Judgement
« Reply #6 on: August 10, 2013, 05:26:23 pm »
Jon,
    aint nothing wrong with that tiller, nice bend there.
rich
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Offline Ifrit617

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Re: Against Better Judgement
« Reply #7 on: August 10, 2013, 06:57:45 pm »
+1 to what Rich said, looks real smooth.

Jon
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Offline Danzn Bar

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Re: Against Better Judgement
« Reply #8 on: August 10, 2013, 07:27:40 pm »
+2 what rich said! and +1 what OO said
DBar
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Offline IdahoMatt

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Re: Against Better Judgement
« Reply #9 on: August 10, 2013, 08:11:07 pm »
I sure love you bows.  Looks great to me
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Offline Badly Bent

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Re: Against Better Judgement
« Reply #10 on: August 10, 2013, 08:13:46 pm »
Looks good Jon and if shooting that well why mess with it. First sassafras bow I've seen also, whatever you did to it seems to have work very well.
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I ain't broke but I'm badly bent.

Offline Roy

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Re: Against Better Judgement
« Reply #11 on: August 10, 2013, 08:20:14 pm »
I guess it's Ok:)
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Offline H Rhodes

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Re: Against Better Judgement
« Reply #12 on: August 10, 2013, 09:50:58 pm »
That's the first one I have seen from sassafrass too.  Tiller looks good and the proof is in the pudding - good shooting.   What diameter do you reckon the tree was that your stave came from?   I have lots of it on my place but haven't tried it yet.  Great work as usual!
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Howard
Gautier, Mississippi

Offline JonW

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Re: Against Better Judgement
« Reply #13 on: August 10, 2013, 10:32:11 pm »
Thanks guys. Howard the tree I made this one from was about 10" diameter. First time ever I could throw a ten inch across eight foot long log over my shoulder and head to the truck with it! If you tried that with Osage you would probably leave your gonads laying right where you picked it up :o
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Offline dbb

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Re: Against Better Judgement
« Reply #14 on: August 10, 2013, 10:40:08 pm »
Nice bow and good shooting!
Isnt it nice with surprises now and again  :)
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It's better to ask and look like a fool than not to ask and remain one...
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