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Author Topic: First Bow Build  (Read 5101 times)

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Offline IrishJay

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Re: First Bow Build
« Reply #15 on: November 25, 2018, 03:32:32 pm »
Here are a couple close-ups.
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"The best camouflage pattern is called, 'Sit down and be quiet!' Your grandpa hunted deer in a red plaid coat, think about that for a second." - Fred Bear

Offline DC

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Re: First Bow Build
« Reply #16 on: November 25, 2018, 04:34:49 pm »
Can we see the end?
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Offline turmoiler

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Re: First Bow Build
« Reply #17 on: November 25, 2018, 04:58:12 pm »
It could be some kind of elm... but it could be poplar too...
Can you post a picture close to the end grain?
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Offline IrishJay

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Re: First Bow Build
« Reply #18 on: November 25, 2018, 05:49:22 pm »
Whatever it is it's harder than heck. Ash maybe?
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"The best camouflage pattern is called, 'Sit down and be quiet!' Your grandpa hunted deer in a red plaid coat, think about that for a second." - Fred Bear

Offline IrishJay

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Re: First Bow Build
« Reply #19 on: November 25, 2018, 05:57:11 pm »
Today's progress. I'll do a little more tomorrow.
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"The best camouflage pattern is called, 'Sit down and be quiet!' Your grandpa hunted deer in a red plaid coat, think about that for a second." - Fred Bear

Offline bentstick54

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Re: First Bow Build
« Reply #20 on: November 25, 2018, 07:14:57 pm »
Not Osage, and from the size and number of branches that were cut off, I would find a better piece to work with if it were me.
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Offline IrishJay

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Re: First Bow Build
« Reply #21 on: November 25, 2018, 07:54:35 pm »
So after some googling I'm 99% sure its white ash. The pores in the early growth rings are the give away. The bark is similar to osage which is what tripped me up when I cut it.
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"The best camouflage pattern is called, 'Sit down and be quiet!' Your grandpa hunted deer in a red plaid coat, think about that for a second." - Fred Bear

Offline Pat B

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Re: First Bow Build
« Reply #22 on: November 26, 2018, 06:26:32 am »
If it was dead standing and anything other than osage or locust I would not use it for a bow. It will already have fungi infection.
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Make the most of all that comes and the least of all that goes!    Pat Brennan  Brevard, NC

Offline IrishJay

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Re: First Bow Build
« Reply #23 on: November 26, 2018, 08:37:00 am »
I appreciate all the input guys, I was thinking about going out to look for a better stave today, but our weather is not cooperating. Since I have some time today and won't be able to get any better material I think I'm going to go ahead and start making a pyramid bow from this piece. If it doesn't work out no biggie it was a free stave, and it'll be good practice. I figure its at least a learning opportunity and a chance to get working some wood.
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"The best camouflage pattern is called, 'Sit down and be quiet!' Your grandpa hunted deer in a red plaid coat, think about that for a second." - Fred Bear

Offline Bayou Ben

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Re: First Bow Build
« Reply #24 on: November 26, 2018, 08:58:04 am »
Jay, I bought one of those you finish bows from them after my 1st attempt at a red oak board bow failed.  They aren't bad, just plain jane roughed out hickory flatbow.  There's really nothing left for you to do but sand it down and finish it.  The bow was sluggish and had a bunch of hand shock. 
My advice is not to go that route if you have any interest in building your own.  As soon as I got the bow all I could think about was making one that was better.... :BB It didn't get much use.
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Offline TimBo

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Re: First Bow Build
« Reply #25 on: November 26, 2018, 09:11:04 am »
It seems like a good idea to just practice on that wood, but it will almost certainly break before you reach full draw, and exploding bows can have long lasting effects on your shooting!  Besides the fact that the wood is already breaking down (and the color does look off, so there's no doubt about that), it would break at those knots anyway.  If you have a limb in the middle of a stave in the future, leave more of it on until you can see better; that way you won't violate the ring on the back.  I would wait until you can get out to find osage, locust, or a living whitewood.  If you can find standing dead osage, that would be ideal of course.  Sorry if I sound like a party pooper.  Good luck!
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Offline Hawkdancer

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Re: First Bow Build
« Reply #26 on: November 26, 2018, 09:32:48 am »
Jay,
You might go to the "Trading Post" thread and try to work a trade for a stave or two.  That's how I got my start.  That would give you something to work on, and give whatever wood you cut, time to cure.  Somebody in your part of the country should have a stave they would part with.  I have only worked one hickory stave, plan to start on an Osage next, so I'm no expert, but hickory and Osage would be the place to start, I think.
Hawkdancer
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Life is far too serious to be taken that way!
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Offline IrishJay

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Re: First Bow Build
« Reply #27 on: November 26, 2018, 04:17:39 pm »
I did some work on my practice stage today. One limb is nice and straight and shaping up well. The other I am going to try to heat beat straight tomorrow. The curvy limb also has some nice natural reflex to it, so once everything is roughed out I'm going to make a jig from that limb and try to heat bend matching reflex into the other limb. Even if it's a bad piece of wood, I'm still learning and having, by the time I get a good stave I'll know enough to be dangerous.
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"The best camouflage pattern is called, 'Sit down and be quiet!' Your grandpa hunted deer in a red plaid coat, think about that for a second." - Fred Bear

Offline IrishJay

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Re: First Bow Build
« Reply #28 on: November 27, 2018, 06:10:53 pm »
Put some heat to my crooked limb, everything is starting to come straight.
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"The best camouflage pattern is called, 'Sit down and be quiet!' Your grandpa hunted deer in a red plaid coat, think about that for a second." - Fred Bear

Offline StickMark

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Re: First Bow Build
« Reply #29 on: November 27, 2018, 07:38:18 pm »
Is that the wood you harvested off the ground?
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