Primitive Archer

Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: Mar on December 04, 2009, 04:12:59 am

Title: 2nd bow attempt...The horny bow
Post by: Mar on December 04, 2009, 04:12:59 am
Pictures to follow soon and I will need opinions.
Title: Re: 2nd bow attempt...The horny bow
Post by: Pappy on December 04, 2009, 06:11:21 am
Can't wait. :)
   Pappy
Title: Re: 2nd bow attempt...The horny bow
Post by: woodstick on December 04, 2009, 10:37:01 am
your a tease make us wait for pics, send them.
Title: Re: 2nd bow attempt...The horny bow
Post by: George Tsoukalas on December 04, 2009, 10:39:55 am
:)
Title: Re: 2nd bow attempt...The horny bow
Post by: Mar on December 05, 2009, 10:54:08 am
I am just about ready to take this stave to the bandsaw.Wondering if I should cut it off or leave it. Horny is on the side of the bow I would like to keep and the stave has a slight twist to it.
(http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d33/Ruckster/P1020400-1.jpg)
(http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d33/Ruckster/P1020401.jpg)
(http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d33/Ruckster/P1020408.jpg)
(http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d33/Ruckster/P1020407.jpg)
(http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d33/Ruckster/P1020402.jpg)

Splitting it was a pain, came from that knotty log and have a fat end where two big knots are, reason I want to stick to one side. Stave width at handle is 1 1/4".
(http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d33/Ruckster/P1020403.jpg)
(http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d33/Ruckster/P1020404.jpg)
(http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d33/Ruckster/P1020405.jpg)
 
One knot I can bypass
(http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d33/Ruckster/P1020406.jpg)


Title: Re: 2nd bow attempt...The horny bow
Post by: sailordad on December 05, 2009, 11:09:45 am
i say since ya named it the "horny bow" ya gotta try and leave it
Title: Re: 2nd bow attempt...The horny bow
Post by: Mar on December 05, 2009, 11:54:59 am
yeah I don't know if I can leave it. Following the grain looks like it might have to go.
Title: Re: 2nd bow attempt...The horny bow
Post by: Kirkll on December 05, 2009, 01:02:13 pm
keep in mind here... i'm just getting familiar with idea of carving a bow out of one piece of wood, and i know this is a primitive archery site....but i'm curious why you would choose a piece of wood like this to do so?

Is it the challenge, or what?  ???  Seems to me any self respecting Indian would use a knotty log like that for firewood, and find himself another tree.

i'm not being critical here bro.... just sincerely curious on your reasoning....Kirk
Title: Re: 2nd bow attempt...The horny bow
Post by: Mar on December 05, 2009, 01:09:12 pm
Hahaha! yes challenge. I will learn the hard way but this piece is not as bad as it seems. Maybe I'm trying to learn too much at once as in this piece I may have to try to untwist one end if I don't cut it at the first big knot. I like character.
Title: Re: 2nd bow attempt...The horny bow
Post by: PeteC on December 05, 2009, 01:10:26 pm
Kirk,that's just osage.In fact it's a pretty good stave,better than most of mine.  ;) God Bless
Title: Re: 2nd bow attempt...The horny bow
Post by: Mar on December 05, 2009, 01:12:01 pm
Kirk,that's just osage.In fact it's a pretty good stave,better than most of mine.  ;) God Bless

Actually it's Pacific Yew.
Title: Re: 2nd bow attempt...The horny bow
Post by: Mar on December 05, 2009, 01:49:38 pm
Here's a bow that isn't fun to lug around, 412# @28", made out of Holly.
(http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d33/Ruckster/P1020412.jpg)
Title: Re: 2nd bow attempt...The horny bow
Post by: Kirkll on December 05, 2009, 02:08:11 pm
Well Mar,  I'm no self bowyer, and i'm up for getting started at learning the whole process..... but if you'll pardon the pun here, i'll use an old expresion my grandad used to use on occasion..... "Son, i believe you are barkin' up the wrong tree there."   :) :)

is it just my eyes, or do you have knots running both directions in that proposed stave? is that the right term?

there is a good quesrtion for you seasoned vets.... when exactly does a piece of wood you have harvested become a "Stave".  I've got a bunch of "proposed" staves, or wanna be staves...... but....i'm quite certain some of these will end up warming my feet, rather than harvesting game.

Title: Re: 2nd bow attempt...The horny bow
Post by: Hojo on December 05, 2009, 03:51:53 pm
Hey Mar, outstanding tiller on that HEAVY holly bow!  I see you are trying one of those skinny strings on it....

Kirkll -- IMO, any piece of wood that you have that might eventually become a bow is called a stave.  It only gets called firewood once you decide that there is just no way that it can possibly work.  I think the important thing to keep in mind is that you shouldn't apply the 'firewood' name to a piece of wood too early.  Self-bowyers, like wood, go through a seasoning process that may eventually take them to the place where Mar is----where you WANT to take on the challenge of a challenging stave. 

Good luck with your stave Mar.  Keep us posted with your progress!

Title: Re: 2nd bow attempt...The horny bow
Post by: sweeney3 on December 05, 2009, 04:43:54 pm
Mar,

Must have been a hoot steaming that reflex/deflex into that holly bow!  Bet you had to boil that sucker for a week!   ;)
Title: Re: 2nd bow attempt...The horny bow
Post by: Mar on December 05, 2009, 07:34:19 pm
Yeah this is the only person I know who can pull this one.
(http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d33/Ruckster/P1020413.jpg)
Title: Re: 2nd bow attempt...The horny bow
Post by: Mar on December 05, 2009, 10:43:27 pm
His name is Hercules.
Title: Re: 2nd bow attempt...The horny bow
Post by: Kirkll on December 05, 2009, 11:41:37 pm
Kirkll -- IMO, any piece of wood that you have that might eventually become a bow is called a stave.  It only gets called firewood once you decide that there is just no way that it can possibly work.  I think the important thing to keep in mind is that you shouldn't apply the 'firewood' name to a piece of wood too early.  Self-bowyers, like wood, go through a seasoning process that may eventually take them to the place where Mar is----where you WANT to take on the challenge of a challenging stave. 

Hojo,

i was just funning Mar. i'm flat out amazed what you guys do with these knarly looking sticks of wood. i'm just getting into it myself.... i'll be interested to see this "Stave" go through it's transformation. i cant imagine bending wood with knots running parallel to the back in tension, and have it hold.  :oThis i gotta see......

Kirk
Title: Re: 2nd bow attempt...The horny bow
Post by: Mar on December 06, 2009, 12:03:59 am
Risk it! Kill it, don't hold back!
Title: Re: 2nd bow attempt...The horny bow
Post by: The Gopher on December 06, 2009, 01:16:06 am
And imagine pulling that holly bow with the little finger pinch he's using  ;D

Kirk, take a look at the bows on page 282 of TBB1
Title: Re: 2nd bow attempt...The horny bow
Post by: Mar on December 06, 2009, 01:43:02 am
Yeah this is the only person I know who can pull this one.
(http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d33/Ruckster/P1020413.jpg)

It's only 27.2 # total weight,  so easy to hold.
Title: Re: 2nd bow attempt...The horny bow
Post by: Gordon on December 06, 2009, 02:34:11 am
Mar, if this is only your 2nd attempt at making a self-bow then you may be better off with a stave that presents a little less challenge. The fundamentals are hard enough to master without getting into character wood like that. But if you chose to go forward with this stave anyway, good luck - it will certainly be interesting to watch.
Title: Re: 2nd bow attempt...The horny bow
Post by: Mar on December 06, 2009, 03:12:34 am
Interesting is a good word. ;D
Title: Re: 2nd bow attempt...The horny bow
Post by: Hillbilly on December 06, 2009, 12:11:46 pm
You have your work cut out for you. Staves like that can teach you a lot about bow building.
Title: Re: 2nd bow attempt...The horny bow
Post by: Gordon on December 06, 2009, 03:05:25 pm
Quote
Staves like that can teach you a lot about bow building.

That's true if one has a decent grasp of the fundamentals of bow building. If not, it's more an exercise in frustration. At least that has been my observation in the few years that I have been helping others out.
Title: Re: 2nd bow attempt...The horny bow
Post by: Dave 55 on December 06, 2009, 03:55:25 pm
Must be hard to get an arrow spined for that one,huh :D
Title: Re: 2nd bow attempt...The horny bow
Post by: Mar on December 06, 2009, 05:04:29 pm
Back to my stave...this is how it's starting to look. I am glad I won't have to deal with those big knots.
(http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d33/Ruckster/P1020415.jpg)
(http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d33/Ruckster/P1020414.jpg)
This is where those big knots were. Top is the back.
(http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d33/Ruckster/P1020416.jpg)
Title: Re: 2nd bow attempt...The horny bow
Post by: PeteC on December 06, 2009, 05:08:42 pm
Pardon,my mistake,I guess I should look a little closer at the pictures before spoutin' off.  God Bless
Title: Re: 2nd bow attempt...The horny bow
Post by: Gordon on December 06, 2009, 05:44:42 pm
Did you remove all the sapwood?
Title: Re: 2nd bow attempt...The horny bow
Post by: Mar on December 06, 2009, 07:49:43 pm
Gordon this was from splitting a stave in half, top and bottom. The sapwood on this piece was bad and working with the lower half:
(http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d33/Ruckster/P1020418.jpg)

I have staves though from my other log  such as this one, just will need to deal with some twisty pieces.
(http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d33/Ruckster/P1020417.jpg)
Title: Re: 2nd bow attempt...The horny bow
Post by: Gordon on December 06, 2009, 08:12:04 pm
Quote
The sapwood on this piece was bad

Then I recommend you back it before pulling it back too far.

I think the 2nd stave pictured is a nicer piece to work with.  Removing that twist will not be difficult.