The Vine Maple Bow: A Build-Along

[soy]

Looking awesome!!!! This is on my list of woods I want to try, love your build a longs.....you're done with that sandwich yet

[missilemaster]

Watching with interest!

[Bryce]

Thanks guys, so far so good:)

Wait! Hold it. Just hold it!.......... What kind of sandwich?

It's peanut butter and raw unprocessed honey:D

Good job man, very nice so far. Note to self, get a band saw it saves a whole day of work!

I will be watching this, because I would like to obtain a vine maple stave one day! Patrick

Oh yeah saves a good couple hours of work that's for sure, but I like doing things the hard way, just not when I'm beat up:D
Echo archery has some really nice staves available:)

[Gordon]

I really like your technique Bryce. The only thing I might suggest is leaving the handle wide until you can do a low brace on the bow. That way you have some room to fine tune the string alignment.

[campx]

Sweet build-a-long!  I love using maple...... we have Douglas maple here, very similar to vine maple.  Makes a snappy bow, takes heat treating really well.

[Bryce]

I really like your technique Bryce. The only thing I might suggest is leaving the handle wide until you can do a low brace on the bow. That way you have some room to fine tune the string alignment.

good call gordon! thats something i always forget, hopefully we wont have that problem

[Dan K]

Looks like you're going parallel to about 8" from tip?

[Bryce]

Nope. Just a really gentle taper dan-o

[Carson (CMB)]

Nice work Bryce. You sure getting some use out of that band-saw!   

[lebhuntfish]

I'll check it out, thanks Bryce!

[Bogaman]

Great build along so far. I like the pictures and your comments. You seem to be pretty knowledgable  for a young man

[Bryce]

Great build along so far. I like the pictures and your comments. You seem to be pretty knowledgable  for a young man

only knowledgeable bc of the good ppl here on PA. not to mention the countless texts and phone calls ive made to other bowyers.

Carson, Weylin, Gordon, John Kelly, Keenan Howard, Josh Barnes, Chris Kefunipaaaaaaahhh (dude idk how to spell or pronounce your last name) have all dropped a little bit of "know how" into my bowyers cup. not to mention the books ive read on the subject.
a little bit here and there and learning from not just your own but others mistakes can go a long way, and not just when it comes to making bows

cheers

-Bryce

[Bryce]

all roughed out shes still a little on the stiff side



take some wood off and i like to bend it in the vice to superficially floor tiller the stave.





hmm... a little more.

there we go





im going to reflex the tips a little bit.
i run my fingers up and down the end of the limb to make sure the taper is good. few scrapes here and there and sand it smooth.











i like to boil wood for bending tips. doesnt matter what wood, boiling has never given me any problems. with dry heat you might crack or tear the wood or not get the amount of bend you desire so i always boil.

got my single burner propane stove on ill get the water to boiling stick the wood in for 25 mins and then make the bend in my favorite reflex form.






working quick is crucial




set a few clamps and the form is long so i can still align the tips and the handle on a wiggly stave.






TIME FOR A PICKLE!




after about 4 hours and a couple more pickles, im going to set the bend with dry eat. a light temper.






while i let that cool for a half hour or so, might as well rough out another bow
then ill do the other side.

[Blackcoyote]

Awesome build along! Thanks for taking the time to do it!

[Mad Max]

ME LIKE
How long are you going to let those tips dry out?