Primitive Archer
Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: simson on January 14, 2013, 02:20:13 pm
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In the first bow making years I have damaged a bulk of staves. Of course sometimes because I wasn't experienced enough, but most because I hadn't patience to let them dry out. Since some years my stave arsenal grew up and I now I have the great advantage being able to work on several staves at the same time. So I became used to work on at least 8 or 10 staves / bows at the same time. Sometimes a stave became a bow in a few days, sometimes it takes years because I have no appetite on this one or searching for ideas to continue.
How is your experience?
Here are pics from 4 unfinished bows.
1. Osage static recurve (for my honey), should be in the 40# (will be posted in a few days)
2. Apple flat about 70#
3. Cornus mas (don't know the engl. word) about 80#
4. Elm Elb (too much for me!, here with about 90# draw - my limit, would need Druid's strength!!), still to do some tiller work. this is a natural grown set back handle
(http://i1252.photobucket.com/albums/hh576/orangesimson/just%20to%20tease/_DSC0002.jpg)
(http://i1252.photobucket.com/albums/hh576/orangesimson/just%20to%20tease/_DSC0007.jpg)
(http://i1252.photobucket.com/albums/hh576/orangesimson/just%20to%20tease/_DSC0009.jpg)
(http://i1252.photobucket.com/albums/hh576/orangesimson/just%20to%20tease/_DSC0032.jpg)
would be nice to some of yours ......
Simon
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Simon I usually have 2-6 bows in various stages around me.
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18 currently sitting on the "need to finish" shelf. all in varying stages.......
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I normally work on one 'main' one but will maybe have another being roughed out (or sapwood being reduced) and maybe one being steam bent .
I love that one in the first pic, looks real dramatic with the shadow behind it, gorgeous tiller on that :)
Del
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I'm a one at a time man. I have several unfinished bows around, but they are either not going to be finished, or will be worked on exclusiveness when the time comes. I have a hard time thinking about more than one or two bows at once. But.... as the wife says, I am a bit slow. ::)
Gabe
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I'm with pearly, usually 2 to 6 although I've got 22 hickorys roughed out in the last couple weeks that I've been workin on for some boy scouts ::)
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Too Many... :)
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During the making of one bow, I usually walk away from it and start another bow at least 3-5 times during the process of making the one....this has led to lots of rough out and floor-tillered bows.
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More than one ,less than 5. Always a couple on the go.
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I'm not even gonna get up off my couch to go count ...I got wood everywhere in every room n nook n cranny in my house all n various stages...some have been sitting for years.
Simon it sounds and looks like you got the bowyers bug baaaaaaad!!!!!! Me too...can't stop.
Cool looking bows
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Usually 6 to 10 anywhere from roughed out to floortillered to needing sanding. I usually have about a dozen or so staves ready to be laid out as well.
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Tiller on that top static is a stunner.
Usually quite a few at the same time. Most I ignore, pull out every now and then, making a sucking noise and swear at them a few times. Then they go back in teh corner.
Then i go cut some more staves and start all over again.
Sometimes I finish a bow.
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One or two at a time. Now I'm down to zero. I think I'll work a Hickory or Osage next. I've not been to lucky the last few I've started. :o
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I have quite a few roughed out and standing in the corner or under the bed. I'll grab one out every now and then and do some work on it. When I want to finish one that's all I'll touch until its done.
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I have lots of potential bows in limbo(that sounds appropriate ;D ) and like others I'll grab one every once in a while and work on it. Some have been waiting for years. I can easily have 4 or 5 going at once when I'm in the groove.
The recurve in the first pic is stunning. Cool little bow!!! 8)
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Always more than one but rarely more than four. If I had more good staves I'd probably be on 6-8 at a time, have to find a place where someone will let me cut some trees this spring because my stave pile is getting low.
Those four you have going look real nice Simson, can't wait to see them finished and posted.
Greg
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I've got 7 going right now. One Yew is shooting real good, I just can't think how I want to attach all of the Chrome.
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My answer is....far too many.
I love to rough them out, chase growthrings, define limbs and handles, and best of all the final sanding and finishing. But the whole tillering thing is hateful to me. I should partner with some of you jokers that love chasing tiller. We'd make a great team. I'll start 'em, you tiller 'em, and I'll finish them out.
Then someone will have to shoot them, because I really don't enjoy shooting either. But that's another story for another day.
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One
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I've got one kid and he's 7. Before he came along, I'd have 4 or 5 working at any one time, plus hides tanning, hides smoking, bead work going blah blah blah. Now it's Karate, T-ball, homework...and one, at most two bows at any one time. Worth it though!
I too am getting low on staves. Got some Mulberry and Elm that I cut over X-mas, and a little Hackberry that's ready to go, but I gotta cut some wood! Spied some Bodark over the summer that's not too far up the road from me.
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I try to keep several in various stages. I've found that after letting a nearly finished bow sit for a couple weeks or years I can usually see some aspect or 'uniquessness' in the stave which I had been too close to recognize before. I've also learned not to put all my eggs in one basket-- If I happen to break one or screw up one big time it is easier to move on to the next one rather than sit and stew and cuss.
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I try to keep several in various stages. I've found that after letting a nearly finished bow sit for a couple weeks or years I can usually see some aspect or 'uniquessness' in the stave which I had been too close to recognize before. I've also learned not to put all my eggs in one basket-- If I happen to break one or screw up one big time it is easier to move on to the next one rather than sit and stew and cuss.
took the words right out of my mouth/could not of said it better
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Probably 8 or 10 in one stage or another,always involved in a lot of bows,don't build to many for myself. I thought I was involve in the 22 scout bows but guess Will has that covered. ;) ;D
Pappy
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I'm not even gonna get up off my couch to go count ...I got wood everywhere in every room n nook n cranny in my house all n various stages...some have been sitting for years.
Simon it sounds and looks like you got the bowyers bug baaaaaaad!!!!!! Me too...can't stop.
Cool looking bows
No bug, blackhawk, it's a kinda epedemic .....
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Thank you all, I see I'm not alone .... hahaha
Building only one at atime is more or less the exception
btw. sorry for the bad pics with disturbing shadow. In the last days it was very cold and its already dark when I come home from the job
Simon
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I usually have around a half dozen in various stages of completion.
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Then someone will have to shoot them, because I really don't enjoy shooting either. But that's another story for another day.
That's where I come in handy JW... >:D >:D
Jon
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Usually between 3-5 or so at various stages...right now I think I have 4 going and getting ready to start a few more.
Nice looking bows!
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Getting in kind of late on this but like the subject.Right now I've got about half a dozen that will all be ready to tiller in the next month and a half I guess.Weeeoooo a dozen to two dozen....Looks like I better get on the stick.....LOL.
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One at a time. My feeble mind can't take multi-tasking.
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Man I'm glad you asked that question! I had to go out to the shop and count. I've got 9 right now in various stages of completion! I usually let a bow sit for a while if I get frustrated with a certain aspect of the construction, start a new one, then come back to it when I get a epiphany of how to finish the darn thing. I guess I've got projects to last a while!
Dale
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I have enjoyed this post! It makes me not feel like the only one who is so afflicted. I keep a half a dozen or so on my mind and at various stages of progress. It really is an addiction. It's nice to see that there are folks on here who have worse cases than my own. :D
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Howard, me too.
Have not expected to get so much replies.
Simon
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I have lots of other things going so I go slow. I uselly have 2 or 3 going at one time. With a couple of my own in the back ground. Going slow you always see things you don't when you try rushing things. With bow building you very seldom can go back.