Primitive Archer

Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: campx on September 27, 2013, 11:55:52 pm

Title: Vine maple
Post by: campx on September 27, 2013, 11:55:52 pm
Went out this morning, took my girls who are 8 and 5, and got some decent vine maple, elm, and a birch of some sort just to try out.  The leaves on the vine maples are turning orange and red, making them easier to see.  Found some pretty straight VM in a protected draw, so they were growing more vertical and less gnarly than the usual VM i have seen.
Threw the Tikka T3 in 338 Federal in the truck too, just in case a 4 point (American 8 point!) decided it wanted to play.......no luck.
(http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3769/9974895584_02cf2b609b_c.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/backinthecroft/9974895584/)
IMG027 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/backinthecroft/9974895584/) by CampX (http://www.flickr.com/people/backinthecroft/), on Flickr

(http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2807/9974937086_d775de09bc_c.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/backinthecroft/9974937086/)
IMG041 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/backinthecroft/9974937086/) by CampX (http://www.flickr.com/people/backinthecroft/), on Flickr
Title: Re: Vine maple
Post by: campx on September 27, 2013, 11:58:29 pm
Oh ya, I tried the "score the elm with a SkilSaw' trick, and man oh man, way easier to split it!  Started the split with a hatchet, then used hard wood wedges I zipped out on the band saw.  Grain ran true, no ripping or tearing across the grain.   I'll be using this method from now on.
Title: Re: Vine maple
Post by: huisme on September 28, 2013, 12:43:21 am
That vine maple looks awfully clean. How're you going to make a seven-curve snakey character bow from that  ??? ?

Nice haul, get 'em roughed out and strapped down so you can show us those bows that are hiding in them  ;D
Title: Re: Vine maple
Post by: BowEd on September 28, 2013, 01:53:00 pm
Looks like a classroom of work making D bows.Good score.
Title: Re: Vine maple
Post by: b-dog on September 28, 2013, 04:49:50 pm
What diameter does maple need to be? I mean on the minimum side.
Title: Re: Vine maple
Post by: huisme on September 28, 2013, 05:05:49 pm
I made a really light D-bow from a one-inch sapling. It broke  :-[ But I'm sure if I tried again I could pull it off now.
Title: Re: Vine maple
Post by: Gordon on September 28, 2013, 05:27:38 pm
Quote
What diameter does maple need to be? I mean on the minimum side.

1.5 inches for a hunting weight bow.
Title: Re: Vine maple
Post by: campx on September 29, 2013, 08:48:25 pm
The skinny little staves are gonna be bows for my girls.  Already roughed out the limbs on 4 of them, and have them drying out back. Just got to finish that elm molly I am working on first.......
Title: Re: Vine maple
Post by: Carson (CMB) on October 05, 2013, 01:43:10 pm
That Canadian VM looks quite different than the oregon stuff. Are you sure it is not Douglas' maple? 
Title: Re: Vine maple
Post by: campx on October 05, 2013, 04:52:15 pm
Hmmmmmm, maybe right.....
http://www.for.gov.bc.ca/hfd/library/documents/treebook/vinemaple.htm

http://www.for.gov.bc.ca/hfd/library/documents/treebook/douglasmaple.htm

Perhaps it is Douglas......
Title: Re: Vine maple
Post by: Carson (CMB) on October 06, 2013, 12:19:52 am
If it is Douglas, dont let that stop you from making a bow from it.  I would guess it is similar to VM in properties, since they are so similar overall. 
Title: Re: Vine maple
Post by: vinemaplebows on October 06, 2013, 01:04:01 am
It's Douglas. I have made bows from it, but it just is not as "springy" as vine, at least where I have cut it. Just got done cutting some VM today.....oh, and hawthorn. :)

VMB
Title: Re: Vine maple
Post by: campx on October 06, 2013, 11:25:01 am
When you make a post about vine maple, and a person with  the username ' vinemaplebows' responds, you listen!!!
Funny, I am on the look out for hawthorn here too......tough to find, but usually near old homesteads around these parts.