Primitive Archer
Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: Slackbunny on January 30, 2012, 11:19:40 pm
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I've read that most fruit bearing trees make decent bow wood, and I (along with some illegitimate herb farmers) happen to know of an old abandoned overgrown apple orchard with some standing dead trees, and several non-producing live ones. But I don't want to put the effort into it without at least the possibility of success.
I've done some searching and I have read that apple is a serviceable bow wood, but it rarely gets more than mentioned. Does anyone have more specific details on apple? If I do decide to have a go at it, are there any suggestions on bow specs? If not, I'll just have to do some experimenting.
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Well there is this by J.D.Duff, which is on my top five all time coolest bows list.
http://www.primitivearcher.com/smf/index.php/topic,4575.0.html
But that's crab apple.
Gabe
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Thats definitely a cool lookin bow.
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The biggest problems with apple of any sort is finding a good stave that isn't twisted to bad,straight enough,relatively free of knots and you have to watch out for pithy,punky centers..Other than that apple will make an excellent bow. Id go for about 66 long 1.5 wide tapering to 3/8 to 1/2 tips.
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Standing dread is almost never good. Apple should be good if cut live or if downed by a storm within a couple of weeks. Black locust and osage I would cut dead. That is about it. Jawge
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Yeah apple definitely has a tendancy to be gnarly and nasty. But this old orchard probably has over 40-50 trees, many quite old and large. Surely I'll be able to find a few useable staves.
Thanks for the suggestions on specs, and I'll make sure to avoid the standing dead ones.
Would it be wise to cut a stave during the winter, or should I wait till the leaves come back?
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If you got access to an old orchard, make yourself a hickory bow and shoot the deer coming to get the apples. :laugh:
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I'd have much better luck getting bear. That orchard is overrun with black bears. I've never actually seen one, but the sign is all over the place, and the brush is so thick you can't see very far. But I've heard more than one large animal crashing through the brush when I've been out there. The bears keep the deer pretty scarce in that area. I've never once even seen a track. But its good grouse territory.
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Ive figured apple would make an excellent bow if a suitable staff could be found. i figure the same about a few other small crazily branching trees as well.
take a bow to shoot the bears with man. just take the explosive tipped arrows along :P
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I can only imagine smoked bear hams from a young boar taken at the very end of the apple season when he's had time to sweeten up and fill out!
Got the perfect bait, mashed apples with some yeast thrown in it to get it working!
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You may have just convinced me to get my bear license this year.
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no telling what you will find in your fermented mash trap ;)
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no telling what you will find in your fermented mash trap ;)
I just pictured gstoneberghead first down in a 5 gallon bucket with my arrow in his kiester!
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I don't have any experience with Apple YET, but I will soon! :D
Here's my stash of Apple staves and billets cut from a non-producing tree from my parents' yard:
(https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-dUkaMxYHjPU/TqaokM9JeeI/AAAAAAAABPo/IMsUF9Ypnho/s720/Apple%2520Staves.jpg)
The other posters are spot on, Apple is gnarly, twisted, and has many knots. Every one of these will be "character bows".
I think Tim Baker listed Apple's SG at around .67 in the TBBIV. That puts it in Pecan density or light Hickory, so I'm very hopeful I can get at least one good bow out of this stash.
I'd say go for it and post your bow(s) up! Would love to see more Apple.
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I smoke with it quite a bit because I have access to a bunch of trees. I've never seen a useable stave. Good luck!
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This was the first bow I made it is crab apple, it ended up lifting a splinter bottom limb at a knot and the lower limb was working a bit hard but was a nice little bow while it lasted ;D I have a few nice apple staves I look forward to working soon.
(http://i1019.photobucket.com/albums/af314/mandoman1540/044.jpg)
(http://i1019.photobucket.com/albums/af314/mandoman1540/028.jpg)
Josh
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Let me know how you guys do with your apple staves. I won't have a nice dry stave until spring so it'll be a while before I get into it.
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All else fails, like HoBow said, it's awesome wood for smoking with.
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i love smoking with apple wood. its as good as smoking with hickory but just another good flavor :D
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I can only imagine smoked bear hams from a young boar taken at the very end of the apple season when he's had time to sweeten up and fill out!
Got the perfect bait, mashed apples with some yeast thrown in it to get it working!
Judging from the original post, the bear might be smoked when you get there. I suggest pizza rolls and mountain dew. ;)
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Herb infused bear meat. That may just be the food that kills me. Eat some, get the munchies, eat some more, more munchies, more bear, until this dumb Norwegian busts open like a meat pinyata!
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I've got a stick straight apple stave...68" that I just started on, think it may end up being my Trade Bow...we'll see. I do look forward to trying my 1st piece of Apple though...
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good luck with your apple bow. cant wait for pictures!
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This thread has me thinking. I have a crab tree in the yard that has a lot of long shoots 3" diameter coming from a trunk. It never grew as a normal tree,trunk with branches, it has many shoots that are 2 bow size and quite long and straight. It is scheduled to be cut anyway , so I guess I will see what it gives for staves.
Pete