Primitive Archer

Main Discussion Area => Primitive Skills => Topic started by: Grunt on December 27, 2010, 10:29:39 pm

Title: drying bows
Post by: Grunt on December 27, 2010, 10:29:39 pm

 This is my wood stove drying rack for bows. Got a new computer I trying to see if I got the image ok to post. Bear with me.

Title: Re: drying bows
Post by: JW_Halverson on December 27, 2010, 10:31:35 pm

Guess that's better than tossing them in the dryer with some old tennis balls to fluff 'em up.   I'd be sure to wait until the staves were mostly dry before putting much heat to them for fear of causing cracks.

Title: Re: drying bows
Post by: beetlebailey1977 on December 27, 2010, 11:14:09 pm

Yeah if they are wet (fresh cut) they will crack or split.  Be carefull.

Title: Re: drying bows
Post by: sailordad on December 27, 2010, 11:16:57 pm

looks to me like they would dry unevenly like that

Title: Re: drying bows
Post by: Grunt on December 28, 2010, 12:07:58 am

They are pretty dry as they have been inside for a couple of months and I flipped the tips on the yellow one with dry heat.

Title: Re: drying bows
Post by: tyler holley on December 28, 2010, 11:56:46 am

Good job grunt!!. ;D

Title: Re: drying bows
Post by: Pat B on December 28, 2010, 12:05:18 pm

Grunt, I have a Fisher "Momma Bear" in the living room and sometimes stand bows up near it between working sessions.

Title: Re: drying bows
Post by: gstoneberg on December 28, 2010, 02:47:13 pm

I have got to get a wood burner for the shop...if for no other reason than disposing of bow scraps.  They frown on bonfires in town.  It was sure simpler in the country.

George

Title: Re: drying bows
Post by: Grunt on December 28, 2010, 08:42:26 pm

I've been rubbing the yellow bow [black locust sapling] down with lard and letting the heat from the stove help soak the pig fat in. Used lard when I flipped the tips also.

Title: Re: drying bows
Post by: JackCrafty on January 03, 2011, 06:50:17 pm

Cool.  Not much different than drying the staves in a sweat lodge.

Title: Re: drying bows
Post by: jamie on January 04, 2011, 06:31:13 pm

like patrick said. i use the wigwams to dry wood. put up in the horizontals and let the heat and smoke get to it. i think smoke does an incredible job of sealing wood too.

Title: Re: drying bows
Post by: JackCrafty on January 05, 2011, 01:12:10 am

I need to build me one of them wigwams. ;D

Title: Re: drying bows
Post by: crooketarrow on January 11, 2011, 07:19:01 am

   Hang them from the seling the heats much more constent up there you won't heat one part of the bow more than others. Also a good way to cut down the moisture. Exspecally on white wood bows.

Title: Re: drying bows
Post by: Pat B on January 11, 2011, 10:35:36 am

I'm working on a locust semi-Eastern Woodland style bow(my version) and I plan to finish it with hand rubbed bear grease and use my wood stove, much like Grunt, to help the beare grease sink in.

Title: Re: drying bows
Post by: Cacatch on January 11, 2011, 12:36:34 pm

Grunt, does that BL sappling bow have a back of sapwood? It looks similar to one I made a while back. Mine didn't last, but I think it was my fault for going too narrow with it.

CP

Title: Re: drying bows
Post by: Grunt on January 17, 2011, 11:15:44 pm

Quote from: Cacatch on January 11, 2011, 12:36:34 pm

Grunt, does that BL sappling bow have a back of sapwood? It looks similar to one I made a while back. Mine didn't last, but I think it was my fault for going too narrow with it.

CP

The Black Locust sapling bow is all sapwood. I think I had four nice fat rings. I didn't crown the back and it seems to be holding up pretty good. I heat treated the tips when I flipped them.