Author Topic: on how many bows do you work?  (Read 6049 times)

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Offline simson

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on how many bows do you work?
« on: January 14, 2013, 02:20:13 pm »
In the first bow making years I have damaged a bulk of staves. Of course sometimes because I wasn't experienced enough, but most because I hadn't patience to let them dry out. Since some years my stave arsenal grew up and I now I have the great advantage being able to work on several staves at the same time. So I became used to work on at least 8 or 10 staves / bows at the same time. Sometimes a stave became a bow in a few days, sometimes it takes years because I have no appetite on this one or searching for ideas to continue.

How is your experience?

Here are pics from 4 unfinished bows.
1. Osage static recurve (for my honey), should be in the 40# (will be posted in a few days)
2. Apple flat about 70#
3. Cornus mas (don't know the engl. word) about 80#
4. Elm Elb (too much for me!, here with about 90# draw - my limit, would need Druid's strength!!), still to do some tiller work. this is a natural grown set back handle








would be nice to some of yours ......
Simon
Simon
Bavaria, Germany

Offline PEARL DRUMS

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Re: on how many bows do you work?
« Reply #1 on: January 14, 2013, 02:38:19 pm »
Simon I usually have 2-6 bows in various stages around me.
Only when the last tree has died and the last river has been poisoned and the last fish has been caught will we realize we cannot eat money.

Offline Bryce

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Re: on how many bows do you work?
« Reply #2 on: January 14, 2013, 02:54:24 pm »
18 currently sitting on the "need to finish" shelf. all in varying stages.......
Clatskanie, Oregon

Offline Del the cat

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Re: on how many bows do you work?
« Reply #3 on: January 14, 2013, 03:03:28 pm »
I normally work on one 'main' one but will maybe have another being roughed out (or sapwood being reduced) and maybe one being steam bent .
I love that one in the first pic, looks real dramatic with the shadow behind it, gorgeous tiller on that :)
Del
« Last Edit: January 14, 2013, 04:20:16 pm by Del the cat »
Health warning, these posts may contain traces of nut.

Offline rossfactor

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Re: on how many bows do you work?
« Reply #4 on: January 14, 2013, 03:20:18 pm »
I'm a one at a time man.  I have several unfinished bows around, but they are either not going to be finished, or will be worked on exclusiveness when the time comes. I have a hard time thinking about more than one or two bows at once.  But.... as the wife says, I am a bit slow.  ::)

Gabe
Humboldt County CA.

Offline Will H

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Re: on how many bows do you work?
« Reply #5 on: January 14, 2013, 03:55:02 pm »
I'm with pearly, usually 2 to 6 although I've got 22 hickorys roughed out in the last couple weeks that I've been workin on for some boy scouts ::)
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Offline Roy

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Re: on how many bows do you work?
« Reply #6 on: January 14, 2013, 04:11:08 pm »
Too Many... :)

Offline Carson (CMB)

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Re: on how many bows do you work?
« Reply #7 on: January 14, 2013, 04:12:20 pm »
During the making of one bow, I usually walk away from it and start another bow at least 3-5 times during the process of making the one....this has led to lots of rough out and floor-tillered bows. 
"The bow is the old first lyre,
the mono chord, the initial rune of fine art
The humanities grew out from archery as a flower from a seed
No sooner did the soft, sweet note of the bow-string charm the ear of genius than music was born, and from music came poetry and painting and..." Maurice Thompso

Offline lostarrow

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Re: on how many bows do you work?
« Reply #8 on: January 14, 2013, 05:00:45 pm »
More than one ,less than 5. Always a couple on the go.

blackhawk

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Re: on how many bows do you work?
« Reply #9 on: January 14, 2013, 05:07:19 pm »
I'm not even gonna get up off my couch to go count ...I got wood everywhere in every room n nook n cranny in my house all n various stages...some have been sitting for years.

Simon it sounds and looks like you got the bowyers bug baaaaaaad!!!!!! Me too...can't stop.

Cool looking bows

Offline JonW

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Re: on how many bows do you work?
« Reply #10 on: January 14, 2013, 05:10:35 pm »
Usually 6 to 10 anywhere from roughed out to floortillered to needing sanding. I usually have about a dozen or so staves ready to be laid out as well.

Offline dwardo

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Re: on how many bows do you work?
« Reply #11 on: January 14, 2013, 05:38:17 pm »
Tiller on that top static is a stunner.
Usually quite a few at the same time. Most I ignore, pull out every now and then, making a sucking noise and swear at them a few times. Then they go back in teh corner.
Then i go cut some more staves and start all over again.

Sometimes I finish a bow.

Offline _Jon_

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Re: on how many bows do you work?
« Reply #12 on: January 14, 2013, 06:01:51 pm »
One or two at a time.  Now I'm down to zero.  I think I'll work a Hickory or Osage next.  I've not been to lucky the last few I've started.   :o
Member of "Twin Oaks Bow Hunters,"  Chapmansboro, Tennessee

Offline osage outlaw

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Re: on how many bows do you work?
« Reply #13 on: January 14, 2013, 06:25:49 pm »
I have quite a few roughed out and standing in the corner or under the bed.  I'll grab one out every now and then and do some work on it.  When I want to finish one that's all I'll touch until its done. 
I started out with nothin' and I still got most of it left

Offline Pat B

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Re: on how many bows do you work?
« Reply #14 on: January 14, 2013, 08:55:32 pm »
I have lots of potential bows in limbo(that sounds appropriate  ;D ) and like others I'll grab one every once in a while and work on it. Some have been waiting for years. I can easily have 4 or 5 going at once when I'm in the groove.
  The recurve in the first pic is stunning. Cool little bow!!!  8)
Make the most of all that comes and the least of all that goes!    Pat Brennan  Brevard, NC