Pacific Dogwood build along.... Update- Broken...

[Blayne]

I have never done one of these before and it seems like a good way to learn from the experienced fellows on this site.

Last spring I was given this log of Pacific Dogwood from a tree surgeon who had come to remove danger trees from the campground where I was working. As I was chatting with him before he began his day I of course asked him what kind of wood he was removing, and if he took out anything interesting, 6' long, to save it for me. Hoping there were going to be some yew on his list, of course, but there weren't. He did mention dogwood, and I said "sign me up!" So as I am going around picking up all the firewood sized pieces I see this nice big dogwood log, 7' long. It weighed a ton! Not really but holy cow it was a bugger to load in my truck! I got it into a back shed and split it in half so it could dry and lighten up. It sat there all summer until the Cumberland Woodbow Gathering, which was at the same campground. I decided it would be cool to split half of it into four staves for three of my friends from PA, Wizard Goat, DC and Tree Ninja.



I have the most experience with yew and a few boards, and have had a hard time with white woods. My biggest problem has been trying to get the tips to line up, using heat to get the wood to move. So for this build I am going to be diligent to make sure that everything stays lined up so I won't have to deal with this problem.



This is the stave. Two of the staves split out nicely but the second side started to run out, so DC took it home and cut it in half with his bandsaw.



So of course I start with a string line to line everything up.



Then I layout the limb profiles. Making the limb 1 1/2" wide until 12'' from the tips, then tapering down. The stave is 70" long and I hope to make this one pretty heavy, 70lbs or so. I want a training bow to work up to warbow weight!



I laid out some thickness lines so I have something to follow along while I hatchet and draw knife the belly.



Here is the stave after the initial rough out. I hope to get more work done on it soon. I will post more photos as I get them. If anyone has any feedback for me, I am happy to hear it:)

[BowEd]

Nice project.Looking good.

[DC]

Your bark didn't pop off. On mine well over half the bark just popped off and fell on the floor. Might be drier than yours.

[RBLusthaus]

Nice stave.  I would think it would be difficult to lay out out a bow centerline without removing the bark so you can follow the grain line.  Did you just try to center it on the stave and hope for the best?
Russ

[Blayne]

Wow Don, my bark seems really stuck. I have had it inside since I got it back from you. Although it has been downstairs in an unheated room.

RB I am hoping for the best. I think the grain in this piece is pretty straight based on the look of the bark. I never though of that being a problem before...

[DC]

And it split beautifully straight

[wizardgoat]

Not sure if I've ever seen a log split so clean! Mine is roughed out in a pretty hefty blank.
Will be my 3rd pacific dogwood bow, great wood, would be cool if all 4 make a bow

[FilipT]

Not related to bow, does that pacific dogwood have similar characteristics such as common dogwood?

[shofu]

Thanks for the build along Blayne - watching eagerly!

[Blayne]

Stalker I couldn't answer that question. This is my first go at this species, and we don't have any other here(aside from Osier of course)

Shofu, your welcome! It was your idea after all lol!

[wizardgoat]

Stalker, pacific dogwood is very similarly to the flowering dogwood east of here.

[vinemaplebows]

Have you worked both Wizardgoat? I never had access to Eastern and was curious?

[FilipT]

Blayne, couple of more questions

Is wood enough dry for working it into bow, or you will rough it out and clamp it to finish it drying?

Why did you leave limbs so thick? Do you tend to leave your bow limbs every time so and proceed to tiller it with many shavings or you mark later taper along the limbs and work to it?

[wizardgoat]

Brian I've made just one bow from eastern dogwood, and 3 from pacific.
If you told me they were the same I'd believe you.
The 4 DW bows I made all have very distinct contrast between the pink and white wood.
This log is pretty much completely salmon coloured, maybe because it's size

[Blayne]

Stalker this wood is dry. Was felled last spring, split in half then, and we quartered it in September. It has been inside ever since. So I am just rocking on with it.

The reason the limb profile back to belly is so thick is because it was a reference line for my hatchet work. I didn't know how much tear out there would be so I gave my self lots of room for messing up lol! Will be working them thinner with my draw knife, then rasp.