2020 Virtual Bowmaking Festival

[PEARL DRUMS]

I have no use for oak other than trim and cabinetry. Hickory or maple boards are head and shoulders above oak.

[RyanY]

The more I use red oak the more I like it. Definitely has its flaws and I think there may be some more variability to its integrity compared to other woods. Good pieces seem as good as any other wood for making bows. It’s also downright beautiful which is the reason Pearly wants all his trim to be oak! 

[ksnow]

Red oak is for cabinets.

White oak is another matter.

[Flntknp17]

I've made six bows in 2020 and three of them were for the kids.....one for each of them.  They're 3, 8, and 11.  The 3 year old got a tiny hickory flatbow because her favorite movie is "Brave" where the heroine is a great archer. 


The 8 and 11 year olds got matching bamboo backed hickory bows with padauk tips and risers.  Both are Perry reflexed and the smaller one (50" and 54") has slightly flipped tips.  Both finished with tung oil and now have leather grips and arrow shelfs. 

[mmattockx]

The more I use red oak the more I like it. Definitely has its flaws and I think there may be some more variability to its integrity compared to other woods. Good pieces seem as good as any other wood for making bows. It’s also downright beautiful which is the reason Pearly wants all his trim to be oak! 

I've noticed you like it and maybe I just need to adapt to what it needs, but so far I'm not a fan. It could be that I expected it to do something it just isn't going to do with the bending. Once I get to tillering this one and can shoot it (assuming it gets that far, I'm far too inexperienced to be certain of anything relating to bows yet) maybe I will change my mind. It is significantly cheaper than maple which is a nice bonus.

This piece has thin early wood rings and thick late wood rings along with pretty straight grain, which is why I bought it. Red oak does look very nice when finished, usually with much nicer character to the grain than the maple.


Mark

[PEARL DRUMS]

Mark, he is an osteopathic doctor, he is learned/trained to think differently Don't try to save him!

[RyanY]

Mark, he is an osteopathic doctor, he is learned/trained to think differently Don't try to save him!

You might be on to something... 

[PaulN/KS]

Mark, he is an osteopathic doctor, he is learned/trained to think differently Don't try to save him!

And to think, I was there at his first visit to Mojam... 

[bownarra]

Here are a few pics of a bow I made for a customer. 45#@27" osage pyramid with a bit of character. As a rule I don't like cutting shelves in selfbows but this one had a perfect wiggle in the handle grain that suited a pistol grip and shelf and that is what the man wanted.
Deer bone overlays over a thin slice of clear buffalo horn.
It shot around low 170's with 10 gpp. It was a nice resilient stave

[bownarra]

Couple more pics.

[bownarra]

Double unbraced photo...one of them was meant to be this one haha

[PEARL DRUMS]

I like that green leather, rarely see that.

[RyanY]

Mark, he is an osteopathic doctor, he is learned/trained to think differently Don't try to save him!

And to think, I was there at his first visit to Mojam... 

Sure were Paul! It’s been a long time. I’d like to make it down again some time.

[DC]

Nice job Bownarra. Finally get to see one of your bows

[bownarra]

Here is another I finished up for a week or so back.
Boo backed ipe with a tapered greenheart core. Stacked ipe to build up the handle and an ipe powerlam.
55# and good speed.
Pretty buffalo horn arrowpass and nock overlays.