Primitive Archer
Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: toomanyknots on August 30, 2013, 03:31:24 pm
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A lot of times, lately especially, I find myself trying to rush through a bow. And I think that is a very bad thing to do. During the tillering process especially. For me, I find the things going on in my life, all the drama and crap that just sticks with me, gets in the way of me and my concentration on what I am doing when I am trying to make a bow anymore. For other people, probably most other people, this is probably not an issue. But for me, I find I have to get myself into a certain mindset to really make a bow anymore. For me what works is reminding myself I am making a weapon, not a toy or something pretty to look at, but a weapon designed from the beginning with taking life in mind, and it is a serious thing. I know it's kinda silly, :), but this really zaps me into bow making mode, and blocks out all other crap going on in my mind at the time so I can concentrate on what I am doing. Anybody else gotta get into bow making / tillering mode, or am I just a lone weirdo? :)
P.S, yes I probably got adhd, 8).
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I have to get into a certain "mindset" myself knots....:)
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I have been haveing the same problem lately. It seems that I just have the end product in my head instead of all the steps,especially tillering. Things have been clouding my mind. I will try the trick of telling myself this is a weapon slow down its not a race. I used to be a luthier (builder of stringed insterments)and time was money. So working wood quikly was essential. But I am not selling anything. I'll try that, it's nice to know that I'm not alone
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I agree. I have to walk away sometimes especially now that I am older. I used to be able to knock them off in a a day or 2 or 3. No longer as I age. Jawge
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I go out to my garage to get away from it all, or 'cos I really want to work on the bows... If I'm not in the "mindset" (I hate that expression... you just gotta do the waggly finger thing when you say it... it's redolent of management speak and BS like "pragmatic" and "paradigm" dunno anyone who has the faitest idea what a "paradigm" is anyhow... maye it's a Dime on a parachute? but I digress)
If I'm not in the mood, I have a clean down and tidy up instead... then I find I'm pickin' up a stave anyhow :).
Can't keep off 'em for long.
Del
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making a bow is my stress reliever not my stresser so im always in tillering mode. when im stressed out i either work on a bow or think about working on a bow. the end product is always on the forefront of my mind when tillering, even before im done tillering i already know what it will look like.
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When I was on night shift I would often have to stay up all day after work instead of going to sleep. I learned that I can't tiller bows very well after I have been awake for 24 hours straight. Other than that I'm good to go.
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I guess my life has just been a bit stressful lately. I am thinking maybe I need to chill out for a bit.
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There are times where I just leave them set.
If I try to work on one and I'm having life's problems, I WILL screw it up.
So I just walk away for a while but I always come back to it.
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When I'm working on a bow, my mind is blank nothing else that was stressful or made me angry even exists in my mind as I'm making a bow
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To me tillering is the most stressful part of building a bow but it is also the most rewarding part if I get it right. If my head aint on straight I clean up around the shop or work on some arrows or something. The last few bows Ive built I have changed my tillering process and seems to work out much better for me.
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The part of the brain that has to do with tillering is the creative side of the brain. This is the side which is also closely tied to the emotional side of the brain. If the emotional side of the brain is under stress/fatigue it won't work as well (cant recall all the specific names it's been a few semesters since that chapter..LOL.)
The same is true for me. I gotta be in a decent mood with out lots of distractions. After a stressful day of work it's better to not try and tiller a bow. I just go out and shoot a little and usually my shooting stinks, the opposite is true when i am in a good frame of mind.
Greg
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:) Thanks for the input guys.
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Nice to hear I am not alone.
I think the trick is to have multiple bits of timber at different stages.
Splitting and rouging out when you need to just smack something. Heat treating when you have not the energy to swing a tool. Cutting nocks when you have the concentration but not the muscles.
I fall in and out with all of the bows I make as they progress or fail. Just got to keep going and learning.
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Yep. Same here. Busted hump to get 2 bows finished for the trade. Very motivated. Since finishing both and a few others earlier in the year to boot, I've started a few others along with a dozen arrows. Tinkered here and there, but just haven't hit it very hard. The "mindset" should return with some cooler weather.
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Nice to hear I am not alone.
I think the trick is to have multiple bits of timber at different stages.
Splitting and rouging out when you need to just smack something. Heat treating when you have not the energy to swing a tool. Cutting nocks when you have the concentration but not the muscles.
I fall in and out with all of the bows I make as they progress or fail. Just got to keep going and learning.
+1
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a long time ago PatB told me to never work on a bow if your in a bad mood, great advice, bub
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Wow, I've felt exactly the same recently. Also think I'm a little attention deficit... which probably contributes to it a lot. The solution for me anyways is to have 6 or 7 blanks in various stages of completion.
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Maybe now is the time to go crashing around the bush looking for future bows. Take an axe. Beat on a tree. Maybe go hunting and kill something. >:D
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Nice to hear I am not alone.
I think the trick is to have multiple bits of timber at different stages.
Splitting and rouging out when you need to just smack something. Heat treating when you have not the energy to swing a tool. Cutting nocks when you have the concentration but not the muscles.
I fall in and out with all of the bows I make as they progress or fail. Just got to keep going and learning.
I do that myself..problem is when the "mindset"dont show up for a while i have a bunch of projekts waiting for tillering.....more stress ::)
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That probably exxplains why I'll have 10 bows going but not feel right about tillering them, then when the time feels right, I'll finish them all together in short order.
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I spend all day (and nights sometimes) workin at a computer which can be deadly - sittin all day - so I take breaks away from it to stand up and that's when I get to fool with my pile of roughed out bows......never know which one will inspire me to pick it up and work on it a bit......eventually one by one they'll come off the other end of the finish line....I'm gettin to the point where I resent the stuff (no matter how important) that keeps me from workin on bows....would that be the definition an addiction or an obsession? >:D
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I make myself a cup of tea before a tiller. Kind of my ritual. Slows me down, I focus in, and everything is all right.
Gabe
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I end up getting to caught up in quantity and not so much quality. I have to think it is something I hate, somebody, and imagine I'm rasping their face :) I actually had a dream I was beating someone with a stave. You might want to take me to a mental hospital ;)
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I have to get into the "finishing" mindset. I love roughing out and tillering bows. I may have six to eight going at once. When it comes time to make 'em Purdy I lose interest and start roughing and tillering all over again.
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I love tillering. That's when a piece of wood is transformed from a stick to a bow. But, like the rest of you sometimes I "want" to tiller a bow, but the mental faculties are just not there, usually because I'm tired and drained. But, I want to be in the shop working. So, I just go out there and piddle around. I might tidy up the place or work on some less mind tasking other projects. About half the time doing so will revive me and a stave ends up in a vice. Once little yellow curls start falling to the floor, I'm usually good to go. Other times I just have to walk away.
I think aspiring to be a bowyer, is journey of learning about ones self. The wood teaches us more than how to bend it so it will put an arrow in flight. We learn patience, perseverance, disappointment and pride. We also learn our limits. When we,re physically and mentally DONE we learn to call it a day.
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I think aspiring to be a bowyer, is journey of learning about ones self. The wood teaches us more than how to bend it so it will put an arrow in flight. We learn patience, perseverance, disappointment and pride. We also learn our limits. When we,re physically and mentally DONE we learn to call it a day.
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You nailed it there Hedgedude.
I might even borrow that if I may?
Del
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i have not made many bows by any standard....but I do have to get the correct mindset to do it. I also have to really feel like it.....can't go at it half into it. I usually like to take my time and be in no rush.
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First off I'm slower than a rock followering even though I work bows just about everyday. I enjoy what I'm doing. I don't try to hurry though it.
One thing that comes with a little age. You learn to slow down what ever your doing.
I use'lly have a couple 3, bows at different stages at any given time.
When I start tillering a bow I work on it on differnt (days) steps. When I come back come the next day and look it over, I'll see stiff spots or other things I would'nt have seen if I'd hurryed and (finished) tillered the bow straight through at one setting.
With a tillering tree with a scale. I can hide desired weight spot on. So I'll also set the draw weight needed 2, 3 pounds over what I need. So when I'm finished tillering the lenth I need. This will also alow me to (sand) fine toon the tillering.
But if I don't have my heart and mine into it. Idon't even get one off the racks. I have other little hobbies I'll work on.
THERE'S NOT MUCH I CAN ADD TO HEDGES POST. Other than I started my journey almost 22 years ago. It seams I just got to the first water hole. I hope the finish is still along ways away.
My old friend CROOKETARROW told me once.
Building bows not that hard.
IT'S JUST WHAT I DO. When I go in front of the great spirt. He'll look down on me fondy for doing it.
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I have to get into the "finishing" mindset. I love roughing out and tillering bows. I may have six to eight going at once. When it comes time to make 'em Purdy I lose interest and start roughing and tillering all over again.
Me too!
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I have to get into the "finishing" mindset. I love roughing out and tillering bows. I may have six to eight going at once. When it comes time to make 'em Purdy I lose interest and start roughing and tillering all over again.
I'm exactly the same way Jon. Unfortunately, my bows show that all to well. :-[
To many- I guess its the other way around for me. When life gets to kickin in my ribs, I need something to focus on to keep from going postal. For me tillering and trigger jobs are the ultimate medicine for getting my head and my butt wired back together. Nothing else works as well to get my head straight and that inner wolf back on the chain. Josh
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Dang Josh, I wish you were closer. I have a Henry .22 that I want the trigger lighten a bit.