Another Crazy Badger Idea

[Badger]

  Brian, excellent point. Editing has to be ruthless to insure a good product. We would have to agree on who would do the editing, likley more than one person. You would have to edit the content as well as the writing. All this would happen behind the scenes. ..

    The way I would do it is say a member could nominate up to 10 bowyers including themselves. PA members would vote on who they would like to see write and the top 10 or 15 whatever would be asked to turn in a very rough draft of what they plan on talking about. Once the nominations were finished I would sugest that the authors started  thier own temporary private web site to hash ideas over with one another. I don't think it would be overly difficult to seperate bad info from good info and some of it would just be based on the writers opinion which may or may not agree with everyone else.

[vinemaplebows]

Sounds great then guys.....I will be watching...

[osage outlaw]

I would like to see some new information about different wood types, like some of the west coast trees, buckthorn, Seagrape, etc.  I think the list of bow woods has increased since the TBB have been out.  Maybe some harvesting information and best designs for each one. 

And I agree with Weylin on the finishing information.  Gordon does excellent work.  I think that finishes are much more detailed than they were back when the TBB were written.  I would like to see Dbar's turkey feather backing, or some detailed carp/fish skin preparation and application. 

What about arrows?  I'm sure something could be written on the difference in cane/bamboo species. 

How about a chapter on making your own tools like scrapers, tillering gizmo's, feather burners, spine testers, cauls, etc.

Way to go badger.  You got my brain all fired up right before bed time. 

[vinemaplebows]

I would like to see more on all wood laminates... recurves, longbows, R/D wood combos, and why...

[Thesquirrelslinger]

I would be happy to do a chapter on making (junky, cruddy, but shootable) bows with no time, money, tools, skills, or decent wood.

[RyanY]

I might be able to pull away from my studies to do a chapter on why Poplar is by far the best bow wood. 

[Bryce]

I would like to see some new information about different wood types, like some of the west coast trees, buckthorn, Seagrape, etc.  I think the list of bow woods has increased since the TBB have been out.  Maybe some harvesting information and best designs for each one. 

And I agree with Weylin on the finishing information.  Gordon does excellent work.  I think that finishes are much more detailed than they were back when the TBB were written.  I would like to see Dbar's turkey feather backing, or some detailed carp/fish skin preparation and application. 

What about arrows?  I'm sure something could be written on the difference in cane/bamboo species. 

How about a chapter on making your own tools like scrapers, tillering gizmo's, feather burners, spine testers, cauls, etc.

Way to go badger.  You got my brain all fired up right before bed time.

I've actually gotten together with some bowyers here in Oregon and put together a list of PNW bow woods. I still have one more guy to talk to and I think it will be done.
It has pictures of the leaves, bark and fruits. Also were your most likely to find such species


And if you wanna know arrows, Carson Brown is your man. I call him the Arrow wizard.

[steve b.]

Love it.  I've often thought how instructive it would be to interview about 50 bowyers that I can think of and ask them all the same thought-out questions.  The same questions that are so often asked by would-be and veteran bowyers.  You know, like:  "best glues, best woods, which woods break the most, what kind of heat for this or that correction, tiller techniques, backing techniques (sinew, rawhide, how to prep hide glue, etc.), etc., and then compile the answers in 1-10 format or whatever without necessarily mentioning any names, just so people can get an idea, by comparison, of what works best.
And also I've thought about a picture book of some of their works.  Not pics that we see here so much but more professionally done.  A coffee table book.  But that's another subject I guess.

[bowsandroses]

A compiled book of bags of tricks from a compiled group of pro's, what an idea. I'm sold!   
I was a saw mill saw filer for several years and the beauty of the job was head filers didn't stick around long. But they all had a bag of tricks all there own and if you listened and tried them you found some worked for you and some didn't and along the way some tricks morphed in to your own stile of trick. After about six years I had about as big of a bag as anyone. Basically this would be the same thing but in a book to try and refer back to at your own leisure. Wow! What a bargain all I can say now is just do it!!!  
Hugh Good Day

[mikekeswick]

This sounds like a great idea to me. I'd definately be a customer because there can't be too many archery/bowyery books for me! I've read and reread every book I can find so far.
I've got some interesting horn/sinew composites that I haven't really shown about yet. One design is outshooting my best wooden bows.
I agree with a lot of what has been said already.
Chapters by recognised experts on their personal favourite designs would be great.
Also I have two big shelves full of various jigs/bending devices/feather burners/arrow splicers etc....I'm sure others have come up with ingenious ways to fix 'problems' and it would be very interesting and useful to see what people have come up with.
Maybe a chapter on making arrow shafts from boards might be useful too.
 

[mullet]

Great idea Steve. I'm ready to read something different in print and humorous about bow making. It seems like lately I very seldom read a bow making book all of the way through because they just seem to rehash old ideas. Most of the books I buy I do it just to say I have them.

[Marc St Louis]

Yes that is a crazy one Steve, crazy but good 

[Knapper]

Ok. So now I'm sitting here ready to read the first draft. Awesome idea, definitely a hot seller already.
Don't forget a chapter on string making, materials and styles, longevity and stretch, gigs, ect.
Knapper

[IdahoMatt]

I think that all of these are great ideas.  I love the idea of the PNW bow woods literature.  I have learned a lot more on this site be for I became a member than the TBB.  Those book have a wealth of info on the topic, but I think a lot has been done sense the last one was out. They are great for someone new who wants to dive in head first on all facets.  Anything new from people on this site would definitely be something that I would buy.  Regional bow wood literature with photos of species wood be very cool .

Matt

[JacksonCash]

How about a chapter on making your own tools like scrapers, tillering gizmo's, feather burners, spine testers, cauls, etc.

This is a great idea all around, and what outlaw said above is fantastic. I can see this growing to a pretty large book if there are chapters on tools, strings, finishes, bow woods, and bow types. Where do I pre-order?