Primitive Archer
Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: Badger on March 09, 2012, 12:54:36 am
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I was out cleaning out my garage today and heard my speakers say I had e email. I went to check my e mail and was notified I had been outbid on some osage staves on e bay.
For the first time I was glad I had gotten outbid, I dug out over 60 bows that I still need to finish, 30 of them osage. All of them are at full tiller but not sanded or a broken string nock, or limbs need some alignment but never the less unfinished. I retired from my job last week and promised myself I won't start another bow until all the ones I have are either finished, cut up or gotten rid of.
About 3 years ago I really slowed down on my bow building, the last two weeks since retiring I have gotten back into it and my sinuses are reminding me why I quit last time LOL. I really recomend wearing a dust mask, it never bothered me for over 10 years now sanding 1 bow leaves me suffering for hours.
Besided the 60 unfinished in the garage I found about 30 more in the house I am still working on. This should keep me busy for a few months.
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Man o man... You sure have a lot of bows.... If ya need me to take one of those 90 off your hands so you have a little extra room I would be happy to do so.... >:D I could even save ya some suffering and sand it up... ;D
Jon
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Howdy, It certainly does sound like you have plenty to work on. Some how it's still nice to look at a raw piece of wood start planning how this one would make a good bow.
The whole wood dust allergy is nasty. I find myself wearing a dust mask more, or suffering the consequence's. Ron
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Steve, if you need some grunt work done bring a few of those unfinished bows to the Classic and I'll help you out. I'm sure we can find a scraper and vice. ;)
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Steve I'm looking forward to seeing some more of your work. Hope you enjoy your retirement, with as many projects as you have going I'm sure you will stay busy. Danny
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Sounds like you've been busy. I've never made a bow, but if you're lookin to lighten your load a bit, I'd be happy to talk a trade w/ you. PM me if you're interested. dpgratz
CONGRATZ on the retirement too!!
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Pat, I plan to not bring any bows to the classic as I am flying. I am going to make a couple hopefully and then give them away when I leave if they are suitable and safe.
Most of the bows in my stack are either problem staves or some kind of odd ball experiement. I will post them as I finish them up. I plan to keep about 16 bows ( my rack size) and give the rest away. I have always been more of an experimental type bowyer than a real craftsman so I don't often showcase my work.
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Steve... if you need some where for any of those bows to go, you can send one my way!! ;) ;)
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I got a bunch I need to finish myself,I planed on doing that and put one in the vice a couple of weeks ago,been moved out of the way a few times but still in the vive,I did manage to make a few marks on it where it needs some scraping. ;) :) :)
By the way got you a really clean piece of HHB/IW it has a little twist but very clean. Osage or what ever else you want you can pick when you get there.You got a plan yet on when you are flying out . :) :) Gray Davis is staying in the cabin
also with us so their should be some interesting selfbow talk over the week. ;) :) :)
Pappy
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I got a bunch I need to finish myself,I planed on doing that and put one in the vice a couple of weeks ago,been moved out of the way a few times but still in the vive,I did manage to make a few marks on it where it needs some scraping. ;) :) :)
By the way got you a really clean piece of HHB/IW it has a little twist but very clean. Osage or what ever else you want you can pick when you get there.You got a plan yet on when you are flying out . :) :) Gray Davis is staying in the cabin
also with us so their should be some interesting selfbow talk over the week. ;) :) :)
Pappy
Now that's a discussion id love to sit in on and tape my mouth shut and just listen 8)
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I've slowed down too but I still have bows everywhere. I give a few away here and there. I'm working on a red oak bow now. I have some BL in the wings waiting. Congratulations on your retirement. Jawge
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I really understand the dust thing, been having some problems with the stuff myself lately. Osage, mild hay fever, walnut, the dust induced equivalent of a bad cold, even with a dust mask and my dust collection system running.
I find I need a day between work sessions to let everything clear out in my head.
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Congrats on retirement... I'm nearly there, just do a couple of days work a week to keep the brain active and keep me out from under Mrs Cat's feet ;).
It pays the utility bills and puts a few pence into the pension pot (so the fundmanagers and other sharks can keep paying themselves big bonuses whilst my pension shrinks)
Don't suppose you'll be short of stuff to do.... so many bows to make.
Del
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I got a bunch I need to finish myself,I planed on doing that and put one in the vice a couple of weeks ago,been moved out of the way a few times but still in the vive,I did manage to make a few marks on it where it needs some scraping. ;) :) :)
By the way got you a really clean piece of HHB/IW it has a little twist but very clean. Osage or what ever else you want you can pick when you get there.You got a plan yet on when you are flying out . :) :) Gray Davis is staying in the cabin
also with us so their should be some interesting selfbow talk over the week. ;) :) :)
Pappy
Now that's a discussion id love to sit in on and tape my mouth shut and just listen 8)
I am with you Chris !!
Since Pappy has not been to Cloverdale in a few years I have not had a chance to sit and listen to him and Gary together ,and then throw Badger in there Oh my ,I sure hope I can get there for that!!
This is one of the reasons I keep begging Pappy to come to Marshall I miss the great debates that happen when we are all together !!
Guy
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My love for bow making is not unlike my love for women. I wanted to try them all. Old, young, fancy, skinny, fat, fast, slow. Just like women I seem to have settled into dependable, pleaseant to look at, and nice to hold. I just love picking up a piece of wood and making it bend without destryong it. Lat night I found a strip of yew sapwood I had cut off a stave and saved, about 1 1/16 wide and 50 inches long. Next thing I know I got her bending and she feels just lovely at about 35#, now I am thinking about stacking some sinew on the back and reflexing it hoping for 45#. It made me realize thats what I really love about bow making, not so much the sure things as the ones that have potential!
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Good to see you back at it. ;) I am looking forward to meeting you at the classic this year.
David
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Sounds like you have retirement figured out. I haven't had a lot of time to build bows since I went back to school a couple of years ago. I graduate the weekend of the Classic so I wont be able to make it, but hopefully I will be able to finish a bunch of projects that have been sitting and waiting.
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"promised myself I won't start another bow until all the ones I have are either finished, cut up or gotten rid of."
For me, I got bows that I have resolved myself to add a leather limb cover or snake skin or rawhide eventually that I just don't ever finish. I think after the initial bow is functionally completed, and it's been shot 1000 times, it just loses the excitement it had when you were making it. And then ill get enthralled with another beautiful stave I have been glancing at for a year or so. So, for me, sometimes I just lose motivation to finish the thing. The ones I do finish with the bowyers mark/leather cross stitched handle and all that jazz just get set up on the wall like some piece of art, I'm too scared to shoot the thing half the time because I'm too scared Ill dink the finish. However, the ones that do get all the love are usually some dirt stained sinew backed caveman lookin bow thats been dropped and bumped and thrown around in the woods so much it could make a bowyer cry.
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Badger, I think you are looking at it wrong. You can never have to much bow wood. ;D