Primitive Archer
Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: blackhawk on November 20, 2011, 01:48:39 pm
-
Here's the final outcome of my experiment with rosebay rhododendron. As far as I know this wood has never been tried and used before in our present day and age. My assessment of it is its a suitable wood for bows :) ...and its a beautiful wood as well. I peeled the bark off right when I cut it,and within ten minutes it started to oxidize the exposed wood. I left this look on the back of the bow and I think it gives it an awesome rustic look to it. I never touched the wood with any kind of heat and left the stave totally natural as well to see what the wood would do on its own with no aids. This stave was from a horizontal grown trunk and its the underside to the trunk. Yup,that's called thinking out of the box there. It has a yew look to it from the side :D
Here's the stats...69" ntn, 1 3/8" at fades tapering to 3/8" nocks. Stiff 9" lever tips. A natural defelx reflex profile. Bottom limb reflexes more thru the working limb than the top,and my tiller reflects this. 45@27" draw. I haven't sent it thru the chrono yet,but it has decent cast.
Here's the pics....enjoy :)
(http://i1181.photobucket.com/albums/x436/blackhawk28/2011-11-20_09-04-07_360.jpg)
(http://i1181.photobucket.com/albums/x436/blackhawk28/2011-11-20_09-05-13_642.jpg)
(http://i1181.photobucket.com/albums/x436/blackhawk28/2011-11-20_09-06-24_157.jpg)
I named it Dry Fork,because it was cut on the banks of the Dry Fork river at one of my favorite campsites in good ole West by God Virginia :D
(http://i1181.photobucket.com/albums/x436/blackhawk28/2011-11-20_09-07-09_184.jpg)
(http://i1181.photobucket.com/albums/x436/blackhawk28/2011-11-20_09-01-18_551.jpg)
(http://i1181.photobucket.com/albums/x436/blackhawk28/2011-11-20_09-00-37_710.jpg)
(http://i1181.photobucket.com/albums/x436/blackhawk28/2011-11-20_08-58-54_273.jpg)
(http://i1181.photobucket.com/albums/x436/blackhawk28/2011-11-20_09-21-04_167.jpg)
(http://i1181.photobucket.com/albums/x436/blackhawk28/2011-11-20_09-16-03_380.jpg)
(http://i1181.photobucket.com/albums/x436/blackhawk28/2011-11-20_09-17-18_57.jpg)
It only took an 1 1/4" of set :)
-
SWEET!! I like it, nice work Blackhawk.
Tattoo Dave
-
Ditto on SWEET. The only word to describe it.
-
Very cool bow and thanks for experimenting with an uncommon bow wood. Now my 25ac of rhodo and laurels has more value! ;D
-
And there you have it! Must be she held up to your shoot in. Good job man.
-
I like it !!
Another good job !!
Guy
-
Very cool, full draw is sweet.
-
Very cool post. It's great to see something different and you did a great job with the bow.
-
Great bow! I've been eyeing my Rhodies for some time wondering but mine are so twisted and gnarly, I couldn't see a bow in them.
But I have a couple of great staves and a little shorty in progress from some Camellia Japonica trees I have in my back yard.
Ever tried Camellia? Really springy stuff.
-
Great bow! I've been eyeing my Rhodies for some time wondering but mine are so twisted and gnarly, I couldn't see a bow in them.
i bet i could, i can see bows in slinkys ;D
-
Thanks guys for all the compliments
Pat I hope to see a rhodo bow from ya in the future ;)
Randman..I never tried camellia...give it a try and let us know how it goes
-
Now I like that one. Nice to see something besides yeller wood ;D ::).
Lane
-
That is sweet brother another nice job I like tne set back good jod brother God bless
-
Nice looking stick man 8)
-
Thanks...Lane yeah...its nice to break up the yeller trend every now and again
Thanks Marty...and thanks for the phone call last night brother ;)
Thanks Soy
-
Nice bow! I like to come on here and discover a new bow wood. That's a great name for your bow. I know the area you speak of well. Caught my share of trout fishing the Dry Fork and Red Creek rivers.
-
Thanks wvarcher...im glad someone understands and appreciates the name of the bow. ;D
My wife grew up and lived in Parsons her whole life before she met me,and she grew up on the Dry Fork. We go back down frequently,and I love that whole area and know it well myself ;)
-
Very, very nice.... pretty as the blooms it once carried ;)
Looks like it's a smooth drawing bow?
-
Very cool, great looking bow.
-
Thanks guys and yes she's very smooth and comfy to draw. :)
-
Nice bow! One more kind of wood to look for during my travels. Thanx for increasing the known bow wood list. ;) Josh
-
Great looking bow Blackhawk. Thank you for the info on the Rhodies. I do have some that I harvested when over at the coast last spring. It does seem like strong wood. You did very well with the D/R profile and very nice tiller.
-
Thanks gundoc
Thanks Keenan..is that the pacific rhodo you cut? Pull one off the rack and share your results/thoughts on it....plus I always love seeing a Keenan bow ;)
-
Is this a type of azalea wood or something? It looks great!
-
Man that looks nice! I bet that was fun to tiller ;D You shure are pounding out the bows and with great quality! Well done as usual!
Josh
-
Thanks Nashoba...its exactly what the title says...a rosebay rhododendron...it grows rampid all thru out the east,especially thru the good ole appalachias ;)...its not an azalea...I have one of those in my front yard,and I've eyeballed it,but there's nothing there to even try and splice together.
Thanks Josh...it was a great teacher stave tillering slightly mismatched D/R limbs,and a wood with all unknowns. Yeah I was on a pretty good bowyering binge there the last couple months. >:D...is there a cure? Oh yeah.. its as soon as I make that perfect bow that shoots ten rings every time...lol :laugh:
-
I like it! Is this the same Rhododendron that grows in the west Cascades? I like to see bows made of wood that is not common. ;)