2019 Bow Trade - Sign up closed

[Bayou Ben]

Yeah I do.  So although it has interlocking grain and is much denser, do you find it behaves like white oak?

[burchett.donald]

  Ben,
           I prefer Live Oak over White Oak when it comes to string follow...Seemed the Live Oak was more stubborn to bend or correct...It's density was probably the culprit, but I think that's why it has less string follow...Makes one of the toughest bendy's around...You won't break it...My opinion is they are different
                                                                                            Don

[Bayou Ben]

You won't break it...

I wouldn't be 100% sure about that.    
Hopefully I can bend that twist out. 
Thanks for the advice. 

[Swampman]

Here is my black locust getting closer to a bow.  It is fresh off a heat treatment and I put tip overlays on it.  The tip overlays are keys from an early 1900s piano.  I haven't cut string grooves in yet and I think I will take a little more mass off before I do that. 

I won't be able to do any more work on anything for at least the next week as I will be away for work for awhile.

[stuckinthemud]

Really envious of the progress you guys are making, reckon it will be another week before I 'm match fit 

[stuckinthemud]

Ok,
So digging through my stash
I've shortlisted these 3 staves, all about 66" long. Left to right  a snaky piece of privet,
A nearly perfect length of blackthorn
And a hawthorn stave with a 90 degree heli twist .
I'm leaning toward the blackthorn but it could be  a little boring to work on. What do you all think?

[M2A]

That BL is coming along nice Mike. like the contrast of those overlays also.

Looking forward to see what you do with that live oak Ben.

I don't think that blackthorn is boring at all. Can't say I know anything about that wood but from what I can see in the picture it looks like that wood has some nice character to it. I think some very fine sanding and oil finish would make for a pretty piece.

Slow going for me right now. Hope to be back at it soon.
Mike   

[hoosierf]

Honey Locust still in the hunt. Starting tillering and it’s out to 26” and holding its reflex at 45# at 26”.  Plenty more work to do on it. 

[stuckinthemud]

Love it! How thick are the limbs?

[hoosierf]

1/2” thick for most of its length including sinew and 1-7/8” wide for as long as the stave allowed. It will easily draw to 28” and it’s about 58” long. I’m liking it for a hunting bow which is about all I’ve been building lately. I like more the rugged style and my trade pard builds a more refined bow so I’m going for something I doubt he has on his rack...I hope.  He’s in a dry climate so I think the sinew is a good choice.  This trade is fun. I look forward to it. Good way to get motivated in spring.

[jeffp51]

Outer limbs still look really stiff

[burchett.donald]

  Yea, I winced when I looked but than remembered it was sinew backed and calmed down...Looks like a real speedster! Looks fast hoosierf...
                                                                                                                                                                              Don

[hoosierf]

Speed with semi-levers is the objective.

[M2A]

Good to see that sinew job doing well Hoosierf. Never used the stuff yet but have some in the shop for when inspiration strikes. Like watching your build progress.

Got some work done on a piece of red elm over the weekend. This piece has had its ups and downs for me. Got it to brace and adjusted the tiller and had things nice then added reflex to the tips then the other limb was too heavy. In hind sight, think I scraped through the original heat treatment on the limb and that made things flip flop on me. Unbraced, it still holds a small amount of reflex not counting the tips. Going to heat treat the limbs again and then try and to tiller out to full draw. I am no pro but seems to me heat treating changes elm more so than any other wood I have  worked with. Heat treating should put me in good shape as far as draw weight provided tiller stays close and that's my big question right now. Don't want to say anything too good or bad about it yet. Going to work this piece to a final outcome one way or another. The locust is done except for some cosmetics and writing so taking some chances to try and one up myself. 

IMG_2670 (2) by Mike Allridge, on Flickr
IMG_2671 (2) by Mike Allridge, on Flickr
IMG_2669 by Mike Allridge, on Flickr

[doulosparachristos]

Well it’s been a few weeks so I decided to take the Oregon Ash off the form; the sinew looks okay so I’ll give it a bit longer then retiller. It was pulling right at #53 @ 26 so I’m hoping to gain a bit of weight.