Author Topic: Tiny Lilac (Syringa vulgaris) bow (With better fulldraw pic)  (Read 11651 times)

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Offline Fundin

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This is my most recent bow, it is made of lilac, 122 cm long and draws 36#@25" I did mess up a little while tillering, otherwise I would have had a 45# bow. It is less than an inch wide at the widest point, and the stave had a big kink about in the middle, so thats where I put the handle. Even though there is a big king, It is still working in the handle. It started with a severe deflex reflex profile, but is now mostly reflex. It took slightly less than an inch of set. I would estimate this wood to be denser than the osage I have tried, but harder to find a large enough stave.

The stave was cracked down to the marrow, as lilac cracks with a dry look. The bow is finished only with beewax to keep the MC under controll.

Last I would like to thank Tuukka of Finland for trying this wood.

Well here are the pictures;

Belly with semi dark heartwood

towards the tip there was some darker heartwood

Big kink with two knots looking like eyes of an ancient sea monster, despite this you can feel the handle work

Marrow down the center of the limb

Resting unstrung

Low string height helps speed and lowers stress with a longer draw.

And finally the Full Draw image, unfortunately not a very good background as I was out with my wife in the yard, and we couldnt go far as we had our baby with us.


« Last Edit: May 30, 2008, 02:46:11 am by Fundin »

Offline PatM

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Re: Tiny Lilac (Syringa vulgaris) bow
« Reply #1 on: May 27, 2008, 08:48:05 am »
 Thanks for posting this one. I manged to get a few pieces of it myself and have managed to start them quick drying with no problems. They are very short so I will put some extensions on the tips and try a sinew backing. It will be interesting seeinng how far the wood can be bent safely with a backing added.

Offline George Tsoukalas

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Re: Tiny Lilac (Syringa vulgaris) bow
« Reply #2 on: May 27, 2008, 09:57:35 am »
That is a very nice bow. Well done. Nice to see a character bow. Jawge
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Offline Pappy

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Re: Tiny Lilac (Syringa vulgaris) bow
« Reply #3 on: May 27, 2008, 11:22:52 am »
Very nice,love one with character,tiller looks good to me.Nice bow from a tough
piece of wood. :)
    Pappy
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radius

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Re: Tiny Lilac (Syringa vulgaris) bow
« Reply #4 on: May 27, 2008, 11:45:39 am »
Pat, how will you make extensions???

Offline DanaM

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Re: Tiny Lilac (Syringa vulgaris) bow
« Reply #5 on: May 27, 2008, 12:13:40 pm »
Looks great I can't seem to find any lilac that is worth cutting :(
"Prosperity is a way of living and thinking, and not just money or things. Poverty is a way of living and thinking, and not just a lack of money or things."

Manistique, MI

Offline OldBow

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Re: Tiny Lilac (Syringa vulgaris) bow
« Reply #6 on: May 27, 2008, 12:28:00 pm »
Good for you for using something new (Lilac) for a really neat primitive self bow. We'll look at it again this weekend for Self Bow of the Month for May.
When you're retired, every day is Saturday

Offline David Long

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Re: Tiny Lilac (Syringa vulgaris) bow
« Reply #7 on: May 27, 2008, 05:22:37 pm »
That's a very nice effort with what I have found to be a difficult wood Fundin. As you mention, Tuukka has used it and is a big fan, and I can see why. Drying the large pieces is quite difficult. But man, that wood's properties keep me a tryin'!

Dave
NW Montana

Offline PatM

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Re: Tiny Lilac (Syringa vulgaris) bow
« Reply #8 on: May 27, 2008, 07:05:46 pm »
Pat, how will you make extensions???
I will splice in some Elm recurves and wrap the v-joints. That is my usual method of making a recurve anyway. Some woods can be a bit touchy to bend so I just go with tips that are from a wood that is practically guaranteed to bend nicely.
 I should be able to stretch out the 40-44 inch pieces I have by about ten inches or so.

Offline david w.

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Re: Tiny Lilac (Syringa vulgaris) bow
« Reply #9 on: May 27, 2008, 07:48:10 pm »
Thats so cool. That is some beautiful wood
These pretzels are making me thirsty.

if it dont go fast...chrome it - El Destructo

Offline ricktrojanowski

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Re: Tiny Lilac (Syringa vulgaris) bow
« Reply #10 on: May 27, 2008, 09:10:17 pm »
Very Cool, Nice to see some bows out of some different wood types.  Looks really nice.  Beautiful wood.
Traverse City, MI

Offline shamus

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Re: Tiny Lilac (Syringa vulgaris) bow
« Reply #11 on: May 27, 2008, 11:22:29 pm »
a very nice job, indeed.

Offline Fundin

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Re: Tiny Lilac (Syringa vulgaris) bow
« Reply #12 on: May 28, 2008, 04:50:35 am »
Thanks everyone for the kind words

I will not take cred for discovering this wood, It is my first bow from it, but Tuukka ifrom Fiinland has been using it for some great bows, including flightbows.

I will try to take a nicer full draw picture as this one has a rather blurry background.

/Henrik

Offline DanaM

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Re: Tiny Lilac (Syringa vulgaris) bow
« Reply #13 on: May 28, 2008, 11:16:20 am »
I have to find some straight enough to cut, nice bow and I really like the grain and color of this wood.
"Prosperity is a way of living and thinking, and not just money or things. Poverty is a way of living and thinking, and not just a lack of money or things."

Manistique, MI

Offline PatM

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Re: Tiny Lilac (Syringa vulgaris) bow
« Reply #14 on: May 28, 2008, 10:22:32 pm »
I have had some luck finding straighter  pieces where it is growing in a hollow or ravine and trying to reach sunlight. It will send up rather atypical slender trunks in those situations, particularly where it is a smaller clump.