Primitive Archer
Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: rossfactor on May 08, 2011, 01:36:55 am
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This plum tree at my mother-in-laws is 'the giving tree.' It has yielded 5 staves so far, just with normal pruning :)
Here's one I made from a narrow diameter (maybe 1.5") branch. I left the bark on and used it on the handle. The arrow pass is in-layed honey locust that I cut thin with the chop saw. Bow is about 40# @ 29 inches. I used dry heat to put some reflex into the tips however a horizontal tear started to form in the lower limb during the bending process so I stopped before reaching the an equal reflex with the top limb. This made tillering a bit tricky, and also gives me some concern about the bows longevity. I super glued it and wrapped it with B50. We'll see. In the meantime she shoot very nice, hard and flat with 450 grain arrows at 20 yards. Hope you like it.
Gabe
(http://i55.photobucket.com/albums/g124/rossfactor/IMG_2846.jpg)
(http://i55.photobucket.com/albums/g124/rossfactor/IMG_2849.jpg)
(http://i55.photobucket.com/albums/g124/rossfactor/IMG_2851.jpg)
(http://i55.photobucket.com/albums/g124/rossfactor/IMG_2853.jpg)
(http://i55.photobucket.com/albums/g124/rossfactor/IMG_2865.jpg)
(http://i55.photobucket.com/albums/g124/rossfactor/IMG_2857.jpg)
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I'm not happy with the finish, its an amber shellac, and I rushed it. I also don't like the color. Should have gone with clear.
Gabe
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I like the bow. That tree behind you is something else. Any idea how old a tree is to get that big?
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Gabe, she's a beauty! I like everything about her. 8) Have you left the bark on as backing before? I love the idea but have had bad results. I have added cherry bark backings with good results but not leaving the natural bark on the bow.
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Thanks guys.
Lombard, I like to joke and say that tree is a baby, although its true. She's a second growth redwood maybe only 80 years old. They get a whole lot bigger when they're 2000 years old :)
Pat - this is the first time I've left the entire bark on. Tim Baker has done it several times with plum branches and so I thought what the heck. We'll see how it holds up, although after the dry heat and getting banged around it still seems perfectly bonded to the stave.
Gabe
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that is probably one of the coolest bows I have seen in awhile. the bark left on is just awesome. love the bark left on on the belly handle area. reminds me of the purple plum bow by Baker on the cover of tbbIV. excellent job Ross. Oh ya full daw is a beaut.
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Really nice.
I like it a lot.
Especially the handle section.
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:o WOW I love this bow allot! The grip is awsome and probably one of my favorites I have seen but all together I love it! Great job!
Josh
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Thats a beauty! I love it.
/Mikael
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That bow is a beauty...great work. I hope she holds out for ya. ... oh yeah...I think the finish looks very nice
Jon
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That is a FINE looking bow. The plum bow on the cover of TBB4 always interested me. You did an awesome job on that one, I love it with the bark on, I can't say enough about it. Great job.
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Very cool bow!
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Dang nice.
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Not much to say that hasn been already. I love the amber sealer, love the bark on the back and especially love the story of the tree it came from! Very nive work.
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I agree, the superlatives are already pretty much used up. Man, it's only the 8th and the beautiful self bows for this month are already rolling in. Going to be another hard BOM vote. ;D Great bow!
George
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What an awesome lookin bow!!! I love everything about it. Great job. Oh yeah, that redwood tree is pretty cool too.
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Really like the look of this bow. The bark makes for a nice appeal.
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Thanks guys for the kind words. I appreciate it :) :).
Yeah the cover bow on TBB4 was definitely an inspiration for this. I also got the idea for an inlayed arrow pass from Ken "toxophileken" over on another site.
I will say that plum is about the easiest wood to work. Its hard enough to resist the tools but soft enought that it comes off in satisfying amounts when you scrap it.
Gabe
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That's a fine bow you made there. You're artistic sense was right on the mark on this one.
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The first thing that came to mind when scrolled down to see the pics...... "WOW that is SWEET!" Very nice dude. Very nice!
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If you really don't like it, send me a p.m. and I'll send you the cost of shipping!
That's a really sweet looking bow, the bark left on the handle is exquisite! Plum crazy!
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Agree with the others ,sweet bow looks like a shooter you could shoot for hours and still be havin' fun with,nice work-Hammertime
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Very well done. The bow is excellent in every respect. Jawge
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beautiful bow and excellent craftmanship . tiller is outstanding !!
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A beautiful , functioning work of art. Well done,
Jeff
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Hey, thanks everyone for the really nice words. I feel humbled. Definitely nothing new under the bow making sun, but you learn by copying others. You know, when I make a bow I'm always looking for the imperfections, the things that are in the way of a nice tiller, or graceful profile. Eventually though its just a stick that you bend with a string. Thats what I tried to remember with this one.
Gabe
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Excellent, nice to see a branch self bow.
There's plenty of plumb planted along the cycle tracks where I live... come to think of it, I'm sure they need some pruning O:).
Del
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Awsome bow and awsome tiller....makes me glad i have some Plum stocked up:-)
I think you did the right thing with the amber finish...mainly because that is the colour many Plum species get when fresh cuts are allowed to dry (oxidization of exposed sap?). This deep yellow/brownish colour dont occur on cuts and surfaces on seasoned wood....but you finish reflects what newly cut plum looks like (some species at least).
Cheers
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Now that is sweet,beautiful work,I especially like the bark handle. :) Tiller looks good also. :)
Pappy
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A beautiful , functioning work of art. Well done,
Jeff
Pretty much sums up my thoughts on the bow. Ross - you say you're not happy with the finish and there's also the tear you've patched up. At the moment, the bow works fine... Even if it never fired another arrow from now on, it's sheer beauty would be enough for me to hang it on the wall in a prime position.
Beautiful bow, Ross. Well done!
There's plenty of plumb planted along the cycle tracks where I live... come to think of it, I'm sure they need some pruning O:).
Del
You know where to send some... ;) hehehe
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nice tiller and the finish work is great..i really love it and i like how you used the big redwood for the back ground..most people dont get to see the big red woods...now you just have to shoot a blacktail with it...john
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This might be the crest of the wave of beautiful bows that is hitting the PA shores lately.
(Dang I'm such a poet sometimes...)
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Just fantastic, I like this "bark-backing", it looks great.
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Great looking bow, I am starting to favor plum over osage. You did an excellent job on that one. Steve
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looks lke evryone really likes this one, so thought I'd chime in and say 'nice bow' as well....., didnt realise such a small branch would make a decent bow.
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Man I love that BOW!! You got my vote! :)
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BEAUTIFUL!!! Love the bark on the handle, the color, and the save on the tear.
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I know this is an older thread, but I had another peek and couldn't not comment on how much I like the looks of this bow - it seems very plain or natural, but still a work of art.
Gabe - Just wondering, how is the bow holding up? And is the bark still well-attached? I'm just curious because I have some chokecherry seasoning, and would like to attempt a similar bow at some point. I would contemplate leaving the bark on, just because it looks so damn cool, if I knew it wouldn't come loose eventually.
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Wild....The more I see great bows like this one, the more I realize I'll never look at trees the same. There's bows in them there woods!!
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She is very very pretty nice work. I think the finish is nice too cant see a problem with it at all infact.
I feel for you about the splinter but thats our choice of material for ya, sometimes it just has other ideas that dont involve us.
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I know your not supposed to say who you voted for BOY............so I wont...........
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Thats a fine lookin bow. I really like it. The color is great as well. Nice touch on the Bark handle and Heart Wood Rest. When I think there is no new concepts out there, y'all just keep comin up with new ideas.
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awsome looking bow.
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My offer still stands Mr. Rossfactor. If you are really all that displeased with the shellac finish I will gratefully send you the cost of shipping, packing materials, and even your gas money to get it to the post office.
Simply gorgeous, ya done good.
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Arg, sorry I missed that this had come up. Life is moving fast right now, the wife is pregnant with our first, we're buying a house and I'm putting the finishing touches on my master thesis. So needless to say, I haven't had much time to engage in our beloved hobby. BUt i try to check into PA whenever I've got a spare moment. There's some awesome work being done right now by y'all.
Cameroo the bow is holding up well, but I haven't shot it much recently. I shot it a lot for the first couple months and as usuall got interested in other projects. I'll give it a whirl this weekend and let you know.
JW_ The shellac has held up well, with no signs of cracking. I think next time I will use the poweder and cut it myself with mineral spirits. That way I can put it on more evenly and avoid some of the runs etc.
Thanks y'all, you've re-inspired me to make wood chips. As soon as June comes i'll be back in the saddle.
gabe