Recent Posts

Pages: [1] 2 3 ... 10
1
Flintknapping / Re: Some of my points
« Last post by jameswoodmot on Today at 09:25:27 am »
Cool post and great looking points.  So interesting to see the material you have.  I have a piece of English Flint from a trip and it really is gorgeous material.

Ps.  I like that chair also, you make that?

Thanks!

No I didn’t make it though I have made chairs. It’s made by Robin Duckmanton of Redwood chairs
2
Bows / Re: Hickory Processing ??s
« Last post by Pappy on Today at 09:03:19 am »
I usually peal the bark, I usually go over it with a scrapper lightly to get the gummy layer off under the bark ,seal the back and ends, split it into 1/4's or maybe even 1/8's if it is a large log as you describe, no narrower than about 4 inches then let it set a few months  and then ,with 4 inches you can get 2 bows from each stave after it dries, then split or saw it down to 2 inch staves, leaving it wide to start will keep it from warping. I also belly split the heart wood off, it will usually follow the heart wood grain right down the log if it is a clean log with no knots. I cook brats with the belly split heart wood. ;) :) Most hickory will split good with just a wedge and sledge, if not I will Cerf it with a chain saw and then split, most time that is not necessary . :)
 Pappy
3
Bows / Re: Recommended layout for hickory bow for beginners
« Last post by willie on July 04, 2025, 07:46:51 pm »
on second thought,  3/4" may be enough if you go with a  primitive full width handle.
http://www.primitivearcher.com/smf/index.php/topic,58067.0.html
http://www.primitivearcher.com/smf/index.php/topic,68908.0.html
4
HowTo's and Build-a-longs / Re: First try at no horn asiatic - build along
« Last post by sleek on July 04, 2025, 05:16:14 pm »
Whelp. You have 100% of my attention!
5
HowTo's and Build-a-longs / Re: First try at no horn asiatic - build along
« Last post by jameswoodmot on July 04, 2025, 04:15:53 pm »
So this is where I got to today.

The Cherry needs to dry, no point in fitting the spices up when the wood is likely to move. I’m going to give the limbs a heat treatment too which is likely to make them move a bit as well.

The limbs are over sized in width and thickness, I’m not sure what sort of size to take
Them down to. They’re about 1 1/2” wide and 3/8 thick. I think I need to leave as much width in them as I can feasibly but I dunno how much that is. I’m also not sure how close to final tiller they need to be before sinewing. I imaging the thinner they are the more the sinew will be able to pull them into reflex.
6
HowTo's and Build-a-longs / Re: First try at no horn asiatic - build along
« Last post by jameswoodmot on July 04, 2025, 04:09:42 pm »
I decided to go shorter, I’d rather it explode or not make the draw length that I want that be a floppy and slow bow.

I also then re steamed the tip of the limb so I could have the space going round the recurve to keep the overall length shorter and to not loose working limb.

My steaming set up isn’t the prettiest but it’s working and this green cherry just bends so easily.
 
7
HowTo's and Build-a-longs / Re: First try at no horn asiatic - build along
« Last post by jameswoodmot on July 04, 2025, 04:03:23 pm »
I spent a while moving the limbs around on the handle and the siyahs to get an idea of the angles and lengths. The longer piece of cherry is 28” so plenty of spare. I want to thumb shoot it so a 30” draw would be nice.

I cut down the handle and roughed in the spice on the bandsaw, I’ll fettle it later. 
8
HowTo's and Build-a-longs / First try at no horn asiatic - build along
« Last post by jameswoodmot on July 04, 2025, 03:54:49 pm »
I’ve been procrastinating on this one for a while, might as well get on with it!

I’m pretty confident this is not going to be a good bow, or even a bow but I’ve got to get the experience some how.

After seeing styilian Stefanov’s Mongolian bow video years ago I’ve wanted to try it but I’m finding it pretty hard finding much info. Making normal bows there are loads of suggestions about dimensions but with sinew all I have found really is make the bow short.
So, likely outcomes are-
Too long to engage the sinew, rubbish bow
Too short for the wood to be able to handle it, too much set and/ or failure.

Other likely issues I can think of -
Limb alignment
Splice failure
Wood failure due to poor dimension choice
Chasing tiller and wood ending up too thin for the amount of sinew.

Other likely outcomes I can’t think of-




Siyahs and handle are beech, natural crooks. Limbs are cherry. I’ve never used Cherry before so this will add more fun to the experiment!

Cherry cut and sanded to a fairly consistent thickness, it’s pretty wobbly but quite clean.
I’ve cut out the handle and siyahs with plenty of  spare room so I can adjust angles.
9
Bows / Re: Woods superior to osage
« Last post by Badger on July 04, 2025, 12:57:38 pm »
 I was just reading up on persimmon and it was listed as being useful for golf clubs and bows. I was checking to see if silica in the wood is a common problem with persimmon and it said it was not common but did occur more frequently than in other American woods. And quite commonly in tropical woods, which persimmon has a lot in common with. 
10
Around the Campfire / Re: What Did You Do Today?
« Last post by Eric Krewson on July 04, 2025, 10:57:06 am »
Most of the big box grocery stores carry butternut squash later in the year, it doesn't look like many people are buying it, Publix always has it.

I think most folk cook what they can buy that comes out of cans, there is very little knowledge on how to cook anything outside of beans and potatoes. Often when I try to give stuff away out of my garden I get a "I don't know how to cook it" and get turned down.

It is sad that there are so few actual cooks out there now, most people eat junk and go out for most of their meals.
Pages: [1] 2 3 ... 10