Primitive Archer
Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: Zion on August 21, 2012, 11:06:10 pm
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Hey people! since i live in the PNW i have found some ocean spray around. When i was about 8 i made a few bows out of it. They shot, even though i violated the backs to the worst extreme. The bow i have currently that i made way back then is still alive and bending, even with huge cracks and violations. There's a large FOREST of ocean spray by a lake by me, so now i'm going to get some more. This wood is awesome! The wood is seriously dense, and is amazingly tension-strong. It also heat bends very well. The only problem i have with it is i always make my bows too light, and also they seem to take some set, but i can always heat that out and let it sit for a while on a form. Anyway, my 'experiment' is 52" ttt, and about 50#@25". (i get my full draw on this one.) I will post some more pics when i finish this, probably in a week or so since i'm going on vacation for 8 days ;)
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It looks like you did a great job on that one, for sure. It has a real sweet bend!! :laugh:
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How long are you seasoning your staves?
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How long are you seasoning your staves?
that's what I was wondering. I know John Strunk likes to leave his for a year at least. And make sure you seal them up really good.
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Awesome tiller! Never worked ocean spray but the set could be from not being dry enough or design. If your bow isn't wide enough at such a short length and that poundage it'll probably take a some set. Looks great from that first pic though!
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Awesome tiller! Never worked ocean spray but the set could be from not being dry enough or design. If your bow isn't wide enough at such a short length and that poundage it'll probably take a some set. Looks great from that first pic though!
My thoughts exactly.
If you want less set make sure your stave is dry enough and maybe make it a little longer if you want #50 maybe about 60" or so.
Other than that looks good bud. Looking forward to more photos.
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Thanks for the advice, compliments etc. Lets see, this 'stave' (more of a stick) was dried about 6 months. I harvested it during the late winter/early spring. I roughed it out to floor tiller and let it sit for about another month. When i make another ocean spray bow, i think my plans would be to rough it out so it's just bending, (but evenly) and seal it extensively before clamping it into some reflex. Then i would let it sit for like a month, before letting it dry more. I'm going to try putting some reflex into this bow and let it sit until i get back. As for width, man, it's HARD to find ocean spray with width more than 1 1/4" throughout the whole stem. Next time i'm in those woods i'm gonna try to find one though >:D Also, this wood is excellent for arrow shafts. Even though the wood is very dense, it doesn't take much wood removal for it to bend. The grain in ocean spray is generaly very straight, but unfortunately it doesn't come in size to split, but very rarely :'( On this bow i got the tips very thin with simple self nocks or whatever they're called because the wood ins't in any danger of splitting or breaking off even when narrowed down a bunch. The only thing i would change about ocean spray is the checking....but luckily that can be dealt with. I'll post pics when i'm back from my vacation ;D
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I've seen ocean spray roughly 3'' wide. But 1" is perfect! I would probably let your stave/roughed out bow dry for a minimum of a year. You can't speed dry ocean spray, it just won't have it. No matter how hard you try, trust me I've tried. Patience is not one of my attributes :)
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Nice tiller! OS is fantastic wood for sure. If you work with bent braches (reflexed) and keep the tips stiff you get a gull-wing effect from the set taken mid-limb.
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Sweet bend!! I've seen some very nice bows with not much wood at all made with Ocean Spray.... very interesting wood :)
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I think you did awesome with that stick. great tiller. Ocean spray is some impressive stuff, I just never see it bigger than arrow shaft material in lengths long enough to make a bow.
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absolutely beautiful bow! Keep up the work! nice to see you reaching full draw!
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Ah, that's exactly my taste.. 8)
Great bow!
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Thats some serious bend you got on that stick Zion, makes that bow look alive. I definitely want to see that one when you get it finished up. Please post pics when your done and would love to see profiles of back, side braced and unbraced with another full draw shot. Looks
like your doing some real good work.
Greg
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Thanks for the comments! Right now i'm on vacation in Tacoma. MIGHT have some time to get some cedar, idk though, tight schedule. I put the bow on a form to put some reflex into it, and when i get back i'll heat treat it. I'm looking forward to shooting with it, and making some more bows from this awesome stuff.....i'll also let it season longer. Believe me i'll take plenty of pictures of this one since i'm pretty happy with it ;D