Primitive Archer
Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: half eye on February 09, 2013, 12:25:40 pm
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This spring I'm gonna get free access to a large quantity of ironwood. Some green, and some 2 years dead standing. The question was weather or not the dead standing was gonna be worth the work to collect and split.
Went out and cut a short section of a 3" diam sapling that had been killed by the skidders when they logged off the hard maple. I figured if I was to know if it was still good I'd make me a overstressed little bow and see when it blew. Well, it didn't blow so here it is.
53# @ 18", 34" ntn, physical weight is 4-3/4 ounces. at 15 yards it shoots really hard. I give 2 full draw pics. The first is regular string grip, and the second is draw with the "secondary string grip. I'm too weak to pull 53# that way so it's only about 17" of draw. The arrow in the photo is 18" to the point where the black fore-shaft starts. This dead standing ironwood is really tough, and real "snappy".
Nothing done to the wood, no heat or steam or glued craks. Just tillered and greased. Just wanted to share my "experiment".
rich
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Cool little bow there Rich
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That's a lot of bend out of that thing. Great job on it Rich. Ironwood is some good stuff.
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Very Cool!!!
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wow, thats is great!
have a very nice split of ironwood gun doc gifted wayne and i with.
looking forward to getting at that thing
esp now!
thanks
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Yeah, Buddy. Sweet bend!! I bet you can't wait to make a full sized one, now!! ;)
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Sweet bend Rich! Your short/hunting weight bow tillering skills really impress me. 8)
Greg
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Dang Rich. Now I gotta up my game some. That's a cool experiment.
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I'm pretty stoked about the ironwood for sure, especially now that I know I can get to makin bows right away after the harvest, while the rest is curing out. I'm real pleasantly suprised that the wood was in such good shape.
rich
Thanks guys, but I'm givin it all to the ironwood,eh? Greg, it's got to be the wood, cause it has not made a single sound and no complaints at all. I seriously believe ya could pull the string off before it would break, and the string angle is past 90 degrees at full draw allready.
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Love it! what a great little horse bow that would be.
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Dang Rich. I've got some arrows longer than that bow :o Nice work!
Gabe
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I've been wanting to see this since ya told me about it, you weren't kiddin' were ya, nice bend
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Your test is showing potentially good results using dead standing iron wood. Eastern hhb is the only wood I have had blow apart on me so far, and I think that particular tree may have been dead. Good luck and continued success with the wood you get.
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There is likely something to the 'killed by accident" rather than disease that is in its favour.
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Dang Sir!
That looks like Dynamite! :)
-gus
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That's some tough stuff half eye. That stand of trees should keep you busy for awhile.
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Sweet bow Rich.
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Doggone it Rich, you are going to get some great bows outta that ironwood. That is an amazing little bow. I haven't tried it yet, but have some spotted that I am going to cut this spring. It looks like awesome bow wood. Leave it to you make a deer killing bow 34" long! :D
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Thanks fellas for the nice comments. Don, Howard I'll make sure ya get some of that dried Ironwood so ya can try it for yourselves....Probably only gonna be about 100 logs, think there might be a couple to spare,eh? 8)
rich
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Thanks brother! I am putting you a little something in the mail in the next couple of days too.
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Sweet little stinger there. That is impressive some impressive wood.
PatM, I like your point about accidental kill rather than disease.
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Very impressive little bow. You can get more from a short piece of wood than could be expected. Add to that dead standing. Very nice.
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I don't know much about iron wood but THAT is a cool little bow!
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That's awesome Rich!! Don't know how ya do it, but that's just awesome. I got started on a shorty of that muscle wood ya gave me, the ironwood is next.
Tattoo Dave