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Author Topic: Plum Branch  (Read 15663 times)

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Offline rossfactor

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Plum Branch
« on: May 08, 2011, 01:36:55 am »
This plum tree at my mother-in-laws is 'the giving tree.'  It has yielded 5 staves so far, just with normal pruning  :)

Here's one I made from a narrow diameter (maybe 1.5") branch.  I left the bark on and used it on the handle.  The arrow pass is in-layed  honey locust that I cut thin with the chop saw.  Bow is about 40# @ 29 inches.  I used dry heat to put some reflex into the tips however a horizontal tear started to form in the lower limb during the bending process so I stopped before reaching the an equal reflex with the top limb.  This made tillering a bit tricky, and also gives me some concern about the bows longevity.  I super glued it and wrapped it with B50.  We'll see.  In the meantime she shoot very nice, hard and flat with 450 grain arrows at 20 yards.  Hope you like it.

Gabe

















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Humboldt County CA.

Offline rossfactor

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Re: Plum Branch
« Reply #1 on: May 08, 2011, 01:38:36 am »
I'm not happy with the finish, its an amber shellac, and I rushed it.  I also don't like the color.  Should have gone with clear.

Gabe
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Humboldt County CA.

Lombard

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Re: Plum Branch
« Reply #2 on: May 08, 2011, 01:55:00 am »
I like the bow. That tree behind you is something else. Any idea how old a tree is to get that big?
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Offline Pat B

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Re: Plum Branch
« Reply #3 on: May 08, 2011, 01:59:36 am »
Gabe, she's a beauty! I like everything about her.  8)  Have you left the bark on as backing before?  I love the idea but have had bad results. I have added cherry bark backings with good results but not leaving the natural bark on the bow.
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Make the most of all that comes and the least of all that goes!    Pat Brennan  Brevard, NC

Offline rossfactor

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Re: Plum Branch
« Reply #4 on: May 08, 2011, 02:03:19 am »
Thanks guys.

Lombard, I like to joke and say that tree is a baby, although its true.  She's a second growth redwood maybe only 80 years old.  They get a whole lot bigger when they're 2000 years old  :)

Pat - this is the first time I've left the entire bark on.  Tim Baker has done it several times with plum branches and so I thought what the heck. We'll see how it holds up, although after the dry heat and getting banged around it still seems perfectly bonded to the stave.

Gabe
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Humboldt County CA.

Offline ErictheViking

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Re: Plum Branch
« Reply #5 on: May 08, 2011, 02:34:43 am »
that is probably one of the coolest bows I have seen in awhile. the bark left on is just awesome. love the bark left on on the belly handle area. reminds me of the purple plum bow by Baker on the cover of tbbIV. excellent job Ross. Oh ya full daw is a beaut.
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Offline sharpend60

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Re: Plum Branch
« Reply #6 on: May 08, 2011, 03:12:50 am »
Really nice.
I like it a lot.

Especially the handle section.
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Offline Elktracker

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Re: Plum Branch
« Reply #7 on: May 08, 2011, 04:30:18 am »
 :o WOW I love this bow allot! The grip is awsome and probably one of my favorites I have seen but all together I love it! Great  job!

Josh
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Offline dbb

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Re: Plum Branch
« Reply #8 on: May 08, 2011, 06:50:49 am »
Thats a beauty! I love it.

/Mikael
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Offline straightarrow

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Re: Plum Branch
« Reply #9 on: May 08, 2011, 08:15:31 am »
That bow is a beauty...great work. I hope she holds out for ya. ... oh yeah...I think the finish looks very nice

Jon
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Offline ricktrojanowski

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Re: Plum Branch
« Reply #10 on: May 08, 2011, 08:29:26 am »
That is a FINE looking bow.  The plum bow on the cover of TBB4 always interested me.  You did an awesome job on that one,  I love it with the bark on, I can't say enough about it.  Great job.
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Offline HoBow

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Re: Plum Branch
« Reply #11 on: May 08, 2011, 10:06:39 am »
Very cool bow!
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Jeff Utley- Atlanta GA

Offline swamp yeti

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Re: Plum Branch
« Reply #12 on: May 08, 2011, 10:36:44 am »
Dang nice.
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Offline PEARL DRUMS

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Re: Plum Branch
« Reply #13 on: May 08, 2011, 10:45:27 am »
Not much to say that hasn been already. I love the amber sealer, love the bark on the back and especially love the story of the tree it came from! Very nive work.
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Offline gstoneberg

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Re: Plum Branch
« Reply #14 on: May 08, 2011, 10:56:35 am »
I agree, the superlatives are already pretty much used up.  Man, it's only the 8th and the beautiful self bows for this month are already rolling in.  Going to be another hard BOM vote. ;D  Great bow!

George
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St Paul, TX
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