2022 Bow Trade - complete

[Swampman]

I roughed out an iron wood stave this morning.  It is a real nice piece of wood so hopefully I can do it justice.

[Flntknp17]

I'm going to be working on a BBO with Padauk and bocote accents.  I glued up the handle parts, made the powerlam, flattened the boo, and glued up the Perry reflex.  The bow is now out of the glue-up an ready for initial tillering.....hopefully it goes well.  This piece of osage has a history of making great bows so hopefully I can do my part and not let it down.

Matt

[Flntknp17]

....glued up

[Flntknp17]

Handle before boo and powerlam....I love bocote

[superdav95]

Man that’s gonna be nice Matt!  can’t wait

[superdav95]

I roughed out an iron wood stave this morning.  It is a real nice piece of wood so hopefully I can do it justice.

That is very nice and straight for iron wood!  How big was the tree you took this stave from???

[Swampman]

I roughed out an iron wood stave this morning.  It is a real nice piece of wood so hopefully I can do it justice.

That is very nice and straight for iron wood!  How big was the tree you took this stave from???

If I recall that stave came from about and 8 inch tree that grew in a valley below a bunch of taller trees. I made one other bow from this tree that turned out pretty nicely.  Hopefully this one will turn out too.  I do recall cursing a bit while splitting that tree into staves.

[superdav95]

That’s a good size for iron wood.  At least for around my neck of the woods.  Most of the trees I find are smaller diameter and a chore to find straight (ish) grain

[Mafort]

Working this squirrelly vine maple stave into shape.

[superdav95]

Selected a nice clean seasoned hickory stave and roughed it out.  So far so good!  It’s 64” ttt. 

[superdav95]

Going to do flipped tips backed with Buffalo horn on this bow which will look sweet.   Got more drawknife work done today on this bow.  Keeping thicker tip sections last 8” or so at single growth ring for when I steam bend those tips.  Nice clean dry piece of wood.  Should be nice. 

[Flntknp17]

Now THAT is a beautiful piece of hickory!  I really enjoy working with hickory, but I haven't ever had a non-lumber stave that nice and clean and straight.  Should be really nice.

Matt

[superdav95]

Now THAT is a beautiful piece of hickory!  I really enjoy working with hickory, but I haven't ever had a non-lumber stave that nice and clean and straight.  Should be really nice.

Matt

Thanks Matt.  I harvested this last spring and bark just peeled rite off.  Did t have to fight with it at all.  This stave came from larger tree that was fairly straight.  Shagbark hickory works very well for bows. 

[superdav95]

Some updates on this build.  Boiled and curved the tips and clamped down to let dry for a
Few days.

Cheers

[Mo_coon-catcher]

I’ll have to make a trip to pickup my materials, but I’m thinking about doing a trilam. Bamboo, cherry core, and persimmon belly. I’ve been curious of that combo for a while. I’m not sure whether flip tipped bendy handle, or more of a hill style flat bow with glued in reflex. Once materials are in hand (or get a response on here from my recipient) I’ll decide. I’m leaning towards the bendy handle.

Kyle