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Author Topic: Ash bows, alive and kicking in Wales, UK  (Read 12676 times)

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Offline dragonman

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Ash bows, alive and kicking in Wales, UK
« on: September 13, 2011, 03:24:15 pm »
Hi All, greetings from Wales, thought you might find these pics of an ash bow workshop entertaining!! This the 4th one we've done down in the deepest jungles of Wales and they have been very successfull. Most guys have never made bows before and 95% make good working bows in a weekend ( intense weekend). We use a selection of tools from axes , draw knives, saws , planes and scrapers, depending what people are comfortable with. The design is a 68" x 2" basic holmgaard.  The best of which are  achieving max 1 1/2" of set without heat treatment.
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Offline Del the cat

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Re: Ash bows, alive and kicking in Wales, UK
« Reply #1 on: September 13, 2011, 03:27:52 pm »
Excellent. Great pics.
Not sure about having two hands on that saw tho'  ;)
Del
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Offline dragonman

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Re: Ash bows, alive and kicking in Wales, UK
« Reply #2 on: September 13, 2011, 03:29:05 pm »
heres a few more pics , the last is a shortie roughed out of green ash with a side axe, as ongoing experiment!!!!
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Offline PEARL DRUMS

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Re: Ash bows, alive and kicking in Wales, UK
« Reply #3 on: September 13, 2011, 03:32:19 pm »
Very cool bow building shed you got there. Looks liek fun with like minded firends to me!
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Offline Del the cat

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Re: Ash bows, alive and kicking in Wales, UK
« Reply #4 on: September 13, 2011, 03:34:31 pm »
Nice looking bows too.
Are you sure that's Wales... it doesn't appear to be raining ::)
What sort of weights were you turning out?
Del
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Offline dragonman

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Re: Ash bows, alive and kicking in Wales, UK
« Reply #5 on: September 13, 2011, 03:35:29 pm »
wow, Del, you were off the mark, didnt get time to send the other pics. Thanks, and yeh, you're right not the best sawing tecnique in the world, but he got the job done and stayed well clear of the line with the saw. Definately West Wales 10 mins from the sea.  We where aiming at 55#, some went over others under but mostly not too far off.
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Offline dragonman

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Re: Ash bows, alive and kicking in Wales, UK
« Reply #6 on: September 13, 2011, 03:41:29 pm »
found another nice pic of shed and shave horse, hope not boring you all
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blackhawk

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Re: Ash bows, alive and kicking in Wales, UK
« Reply #7 on: September 13, 2011, 03:45:01 pm »
Hell yeah...that makes me wanna skip across the big pond and jump in on that fun. Lol :laugh:
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Offline Del the cat

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Re: Ash bows, alive and kicking in Wales, UK
« Reply #8 on: September 13, 2011, 03:47:44 pm »
55# That's very respectable.
I like that style of bow, but I'm not too fond of Ash as it's a bit tough. Great to see guys want to get stuck in and have a go rather than fiddling with their mobile phones texting whilst moaning into their beer... whoops nearly slipped into rant mode!
Del
(certainly not boring)
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Offline dragonman

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Re: Ash bows, alive and kicking in Wales, UK
« Reply #9 on: September 13, 2011, 03:58:14 pm »
What do ya mean Del?  'ash is a bit tough'??? ;)  its a great wood to work with.
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Offline half eye

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Re: Ash bows, alive and kicking in Wales, UK
« Reply #10 on: September 13, 2011, 04:34:07 pm »
damned fine bow building, there. I feel bad for ya, not being able to get out and hunt them though. Looks like they all had a good time and made good bows......dont get better than that.
rich
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Offline Del the cat

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Re: Ash bows, alive and kicking in Wales, UK
« Reply #11 on: September 13, 2011, 04:45:27 pm »
Quote from: dragonman on September 13, 2011, 03:58:14 pm
What do ya mean Del?  'ash is a bit tough'??? ;)  its a great wood to work with.
Ah, but when you get to my age with years of Badminton, Golf, Goalkeeping, and 'Gentlemans recreational exercise O:)' the elbows find it a bit hard going!
Del
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Offline dragonman

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Re: Ash bows, alive and kicking in Wales, UK
« Reply #12 on: September 13, 2011, 04:54:42 pm »
sorry to here that Del!!!  how about a draw knife? does that hurt the elbow too.?
Hi Rich, good to here ya, hunting here is illegal, but no-one here expects it, so it goes on anyway, Kinda makes it more fun, and increases ones ninja skills so to speak.... rabbits, pheasants, fish and deer( in some parts) are common enough and not endangered , the police here are pretty dumb, ya just have to be smarter....
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Offline Del the cat

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Re: Ash bows, alive and kicking in Wales, UK
« Reply #13 on: September 13, 2011, 05:04:38 pm »
Quote from: dragonman on September 13, 2011, 04:54:42 pm
sorry to here that Del!!!  how about a draw knife? does that hurt the elbow too.?
Hi Rich, good to here ya, hunting here is illegal, but no-one here expects it, so it goes on anyway, Kinda makes it more fun, and increases ones ninja skills so to speak.... rabbits, pheasants, fish and deer( in some parts) are common enough and not endangered , the police here are pretty dumb, ya just have to be smarter....
The problem is I have too much power and not enough sense, so it's easy to over do it! I rely on the bandsaw for roughing out more thesedays, so I'm not trying to remove too much wood too quickly.
There's still life in the old cat yet... big six O coming up in December, I'm hoping Mrs Cat won't organise a big do, I'd rather it slipped by quietly and un-noticed.
Got a guy wanting a 90# longbow for early next year, that'll exercise the elbows :)
Mrs Cat is after an Autumn break, maybe I'll persuade her that West Wales is good destination, gotta be some great walking there. We'd love a nice Venison steak!
Del
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Offline Pat B

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Re: Ash bows, alive and kicking in Wales, UK
« Reply #14 on: September 13, 2011, 05:11:33 pm »
Nice set up for bow building. Similar to what Pappy has at the Tennessee Classic in may.
  Nothing better than walking and working on shavings.  ;D   Keep up the good work!
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