Primitive Archer
Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: rossfactor on June 02, 2012, 01:15:24 am
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Its been a year. I got a job, bought a house, my wife had our first baby, finished my masters thesis (almost) and.... well, I've have been a little busy.
But life is not the same when you're not whittling on a stave, and I finally found a window of opportunity. So.. today I went out to the stash, and found a nice piece of plum (what else?). Just got her roughed out. Man I love plum. This stave feels like a huge stick of butter, the draw knife just lifts soft curls of wood of the belly Ahhhh it feels so good.
Tomorrow I'll be pulling my hair-out with tillering tree, but tonight was good.
Pics of the roughed out stave to follow.
Gabe
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Good to see your mug in here again, Gabe! Now post some pics of this infamous bow of yours.
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Thanks JW. Home is only a mouse click away, with PA. :)
Heres some pics of the roughed out stave. Some minor prop twist to adress, and string alignment. A little natural reflex to work with also, which is always nice. The stave seems to lend itself towards an elliptical limb profile, so I'm gonna just go with it. I tend to build more of a pyramid profile normally, but gotta listen to the wood.
Gabe
(http://i55.photobucket.com/albums/g124/rossfactor/IMG_3970-1.jpg)
(http://i55.photobucket.com/albums/g124/rossfactor/IMG_3971.jpg)
(http://i55.photobucket.com/albums/g124/rossfactor/IMG_3975.jpg)
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Nice! Its been a while Gabe. It will be good to see some work from you. Good luck on the build!
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Congrats on some big lifetime achievments Gabe.....now get back to that wood youve been neglecting ;) i cant imagine going that long without whittling,i think id end up in the psych ward
Cant wait to see her all dolled up n bent over,keep posting your progress,cus we all love seeing a bow come to life
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Iknow how you've been feeling.
I'm refurbishing my central heating no now bow makin' for Del :'(
It's also mid June in Merrie England... yup cold and wet grrrr ftzzzz.
I'd better get back to my plumbing...tell me if you see any leaks over there...
Del
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I am glad you got to work on a bow, rossfactor. Jawge
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Thats funny you mentioned it Del. Just yesterday afternoon I found a big puddle in the front yard. And it hasn't rained in a week. :( I guess Gabe will be digging holes today instead of tillering this plumb. Oh well, I will finish this bow.
Gabe
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Well, this is what happens when you have a new baby. It takes forever to finish a bow! But, I finally got her done. The tiller was 'confusing' at times, but we worked out our differences. Especially after multiple heat treating sessions. I though I'd name the bow "imperfections" because this build reminded me how many I have :P and how many little things can make or break (literally) a bow build. Any way enough gabbing, here are the stats: purple leaf plum, 64" ntn, 50# at 29 inches. Honey Locust overlays and inlaid arrow shelf. Handle is braided fishing line, built up shelf is layers of thick leather. Shoots a 500 grain arrow awful fast. Now if I could only tighten up my groups... but thats another story.
Enjoy the pics.
Gabe
(http://i55.photobucket.com/albums/g124/rossfactor/th_IMG_4022-1.jpg)
(http://i55.photobucket.com/albums/g124/rossfactor/th_IMG_4025.jpg)
(http://i55.photobucket.com/albums/g124/rossfactor/th_IMG_4024.jpg)
(http://i55.photobucket.com/albums/g124/rossfactor/th_IMG_4028.jpg)
(http://i55.photobucket.com/albums/g124/rossfactor/IMG_4037.jpg)
(http://i55.photobucket.com/albums/g124/rossfactor/th_IMG_4044.jpg)
(http://i55.photobucket.com/albums/g124/rossfactor/th_IMG_4045.jpg)
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Hmm, those weren't so small on Photobucket. Let me see what I can do...
Gabe
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Checking image size... sorry
(http://i55.photobucket.com/albums/g124/rossfactor/IMG_4027.jpg)
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Okay, got it fixed (i hope)
Gabe
(http://i55.photobucket.com/albums/g124/rossfactor/IMG_4022-1.jpg)
(http://i55.photobucket.com/albums/g124/rossfactor/IMG_4024.jpg)
(http://i55.photobucket.com/albums/g124/rossfactor/IMG_4025.jpg)
(http://i55.photobucket.com/albums/g124/rossfactor/IMG_4028.jpg)
(http://i55.photobucket.com/albums/g124/rossfactor/IMG_4044.jpg)
(http://i55.photobucket.com/albums/g124/rossfactor/IMG_4045.jpg)
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That's really nice! You make sweet looking bows. 8)
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Very nice bow. Well done! 8)
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Beautiful work. Fine looking bow.
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The bark on the back looks great, truly elegant. I expected it to look much rougher when I saw the stave.
A fine bow, great work!
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man o' man you shure got a way with plumb, that's a beauty, Bub
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I love the detail work on that thing. Nice work all around.
-Dan
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That's a beauty,sweet. :)
Pappy
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Nice one
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That came out very well. Something about your handle really catches my eye.
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Just beautiful all around. Great bend and looks like a smooth shooter too, very impressive to my eyes!
Greg
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Nice work. I love the way you did the strike plate. :)
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POW! sweet bow Gabe, very nice finish work as expected from you.
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What a great bow!!! Beautiful!!!
Please find time to build more :)
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That's a nice looking bow. I like the unstrung profile pic. Great job.
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Well shoot, you guys are an easy crowd ;) I really do appreciate all the kind words, but y'all build bows out of tricky woods like Osage and Elm and Walnut for pete's sake. Plum is a wlak in the park. ::) ::)
I do have a low elevation yew shorty (ish) stave in the works. We'll see how that turns out, but don't hold your breath.
Thanks everybody, this place is the best!
Gabe
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A beauty for sure Gabe. that full draw is just sweet. love the color on the tips, and the handle looks killer.
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WELL DONE!
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Here's two more pics i found
(http://i55.photobucket.com/albums/g124/rossfactor/IMG_4043.jpg)
(http://i55.photobucket.com/albums/g124/rossfactor/IMG_4055.jpg)
Gabe
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Very nice bend on that bow. That plum is some pretty wood. What happened to the giant redwood tree pic??? I was lookin forward to seein that tree again.
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Well shoot, you guys are an easy crowd ;) I really do appreciate all the kind words, but y'all build bows out of tricky woods like Osage and Elm and Walnut for pete's sake. Plum is a wlak in the park. ::) ::)
Gabe
Are you joking buddy? You need some yellow wood....and stat! It may be hard on the arms, but you sure dont have to be careful....or good to get a bow from it....look at me!
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looks really awesome! Makes me want plum.
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WOW,id be plumb tickled ::) i know tackey...but i wood >:D sweet bow man!
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What everybody else said...All rolled into one post!
Beautiful work
Ron
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Whats up gabe glad to see that everything is going good for you man. Nice bow by the way love how you left the bark on and then took it off at the tips. When are we going to get together? I got buddy going to hsu as well who makes his own bows. You will have to meet him. Contact me so we can hang out soon.
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Sweet as I said before,did you add the bark on the back or leave the bark on the stave? I have tried leaving it on Hickory saplings and eventually cracked, I guess as it dried out. Just curious. Nice tiller and finish work is exceptional. :) With that profile it's has to send an arrow down range pretty darn quick. :)
Pappy
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Thanks Pappy,
Yeah, I left the bark. With plum (at least purple leaf plum) if the stave is from a small diameter branch (less than 3 or 4 inches), the bark is usually safe. Especially if you scrape down past the outer 'crust' (still technically not too the inner bark, but past the really coarse stuff).
If you sand the bark down smooth with 60 grit then 80 than 150 than 240 and finally hit it with some steel wool, it makes a super rich reddish beautiful color. I didn't go all the way on this one, but it still came out ok. Also a Sap Sucker had been pecking at the upper limb (while it was still on the tree) and made a nice row of holes that I decided to leave for "effect."
Gabe
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It does get the arrows down range quick, I just been shooting lousy groups. Not ready to take her up the hill like I was hoping... :'(. May have to go rifle this year. Unless I get a 10 yard shot.
Gabe