Lunch Bow/ bush tiller

[Tree_Ninja]

   Howdy All,

     This new area I'm working in has the straightest, thickest, longest ocean spray I've seen in a while.  It's tough to stay focused some times as I'm constantly looking for that gentle bend only a nice ocean spray has.

   The area was train/rail logged about 60-70 years ago, and the 2nd growth Douglas fir (Fd ) is huge.  Closed canopy and dry ground at about 500m elevation. 


    So, after having a nice and sunny lunch and hand-feeding some piggish Whisky Jacks, I spotted an ocean spray that I couldn't ignore.  Using my trusty fiskar hatchet and grohman knife I had inherited from my gramps , I decided to make a bow.  (Lunch is a "required" 1/2  hour unpaid, ever hear of 10 and 1/2 hour days? it's a weird rule)

    So it took about 10 min to rough out, and I made a bow string out of a 50m nylon rope I carry in my first aid kit.  I strung it up on one of the Fd branches and tillered it out by eye.

    I wanted to show you guys before it splits and checks, since the stick was so green.  Tiller isn't perfect . It's 66" and pulling around 45# at 28".

Hopefully it survives a few months for me to finish it. 

[Eric Krewson]

I would pull it into a little reflex while it dries.

[Del the cat]

Very cool 
Damn fine tiller for a quickie.
Del

[Tree_Ninja]

  Eric: I might put it into a reflex form to dry it.

 Del: Thanks, I had a few mis-chops when roughing it out, and it had some major bends and knots. Somehow it worked out.


 Next step, have a lunch fire and heat treat one right after I rough it out. Maybe today or tomorrow.

[TimBo]

That's a whole lot more productive than I ever am during lunch.  I'm usually happy just to avoid spilling something on myself!

[Pappy]

Very cool lunch hour project. I would do what Eric said, I use to do that a lot before I knew about a heat gun.
  Pappy

[Tree_Ninja]

I made another one yesterday, I'll try and get some pics, but it turned out waaaaay nicer.   

  I hope hope hope the new one doesn't split.  I'm really happy the way it turned out. I made some expedited arrows out of the thin ocean spray, fletching with flagging ribbon and smashed some shale into sharp little points.  Even the first nations co-worker was impressed. 

  I think I'll wrap em up in something to  try and save them. Luckily the weather turned here and is going to rain for the next week or so. 

I'm starting to realize that thicker isn't always better with ocean spray.  1" wide and no taper with the brown bark makes a much faster bow. 

[DC]

TN This is how I rough out my staves. Expose the pith and shellac. Very similar to what you've done. I stand them in the corner and no checks. The only place you might have trouble is in the handle. I'm trying something different with a bunch this year, I'm going to leave them outside(sheltered) to keep them away from the dryness in the garage. This time of year the RH is around 80-100% outside and in the garage it's 40% even though It's only heated when I'm out there. Put a coat of shellac on them and keep them in the 70-80% RH range and I don't think they will check.