Primitive Archer

Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: spyder1958 on September 04, 2012, 09:05:14 pm

Title: Weekend with Mullet and Parnell, Cypress bow built
Post by: spyder1958 on September 04, 2012, 09:05:14 pm
Hey gang, Had a great time hanging with Eddie and family along with steve building my first real bow and out of cypress no less a first for everyone. I learned so much and I'm in debt to both Eddie and steve for all their help. Lots of great food and good times, it don't get any better than that. Love it when a plan comes together ( a quote from, Ol'Man Rick, rest in peace brother)
Anyway back to the bows, I'm not sure of all that was accomplished by Eddie and Steve, I let them pipe in with their photos and story. I was so engrossed with working this Cypress and taking my sweet time, they finished several I'm sure. I did get a few shots of what was going on, but not many. The bow shots great, I have not finished smoothing out the bow or anything at this time. So don't be to hard on me. Plans are to finish with a mix of tong oil and bees wax and hand rub till she shines. Still unable to name her yet, and since it was a PA members build everyone can give some IDEALS on a name for this florida cracker/Seminole/Tenn. hillbilly Bow. LOL
Ok enough from the mouth. heres some pic. I think Steve got the money shot. Maybe Eddie too.

3 1/2" cypress tree at the base over 7'. cured bark on for about 5 yrs.
http://i1141.photobucket.com/albums/n584/spyder1958/Bows/Bow062.jpg (http://i1141.photobucket.com/albums/n584/spyder1958/Bows/Bow062.jpg)
http://i1141.photobucket.com/albums/n584/spyder1958/Bows/Bow058.jpg (http://i1141.photobucket.com/albums/n584/spyder1958/Bows/Bow058.jpg)

Steve and hatchet work
http://i1141.photobucket.com/albums/n584/spyder1958/Bows/bowII002.jpg (http://i1141.photobucket.com/albums/n584/spyder1958/Bows/bowII002.jpg)
Eddie having a go at it
http://i1141.photobucket.com/albums/n584/spyder1958/Bows/bowII003.jpg (http://i1141.photobucket.com/albums/n584/spyder1958/Bows/bowII003.jpg)

geting there
http://i1141.photobucket.com/albums/n584/spyder1958/Bows/bowII008.jpg (http://i1141.photobucket.com/albums/n584/spyder1958/Bows/bowII008.jpg)
on tree
http://i1141.photobucket.com/albums/n584/spyder1958/Bows/bowII018.jpg (http://i1141.photobucket.com/albums/n584/spyder1958/Bows/bowII018.jpg)
Title: Re: Weekend with Mullet and Parnell, Cypress bow built
Post by: Pat B on September 04, 2012, 09:12:20 pm
Interesting! I'm curious to see how cypress works out as a bow. I've heard that the Seminole used it for bows.
  Its always fun around Eddie and Steve and both know how to build bows.
Title: Re: Weekend with Mullet and Parnell, Cypress bow built
Post by: spyder1958 on September 04, 2012, 09:15:46 pm
Thats not funny, the photos didn't post only link, my bad. I thought, oh well, maybe better this time.
(http://i1141.photobucket.com/albums/n584/spyder1958/Bows/bowII0152.jpg)

Standing next to her sister, I'm going to try to make a lite bow for my granddaughter with the sister.
(http://i1141.photobucket.com/albums/n584/spyder1958/Bows/bowII0102.jpg)
http://i1141.photobucket.com/albums/n584/spyder1958/Bows/bowII0132.jpg
(http://i1141.photobucket.com/albums/n584/spyder1958/Bows/bowII020.jpg)

steve and I think Ironwood he finished
(http://i1141.photobucket.com/albums/n584/spyder1958/Bows/bowII016.jpg)
Title: Re: Weekend with Mullet and Parnell, Cypress bow built
Post by: spyder1958 on September 04, 2012, 09:22:19 pm
Pat, it shoots great seem fast to me and really sinks the arrow deep in Eddies target.

Heres some pics of a osage Steve and Eddie worked on

(http://i1141.photobucket.com/albums/n584/spyder1958/Bows/bowII013.jpg)
(http://i1141.photobucket.com/albums/n584/spyder1958/Bows/bowII006.jpg)
(http://i1141.photobucket.com/albums/n584/spyder1958/Bows/bowII005.jpg)

One more of the Cypress
(http://i1141.photobucket.com/albums/n584/spyder1958/Bows/bowII0072.jpg)
Title: Re: Weekend with Mullet and Parnell, Cypress bow built
Post by: spyder1958 on September 04, 2012, 09:35:19 pm
Forgive the newbee, I forgot the spec's
68" ttt 2" limbs not sure what to call the taper, but about 12" from nock slight taper to 3/4" at nock, 1 3/8 handle.
Title: Re: Weekend with Mullet and Parnell, Cypress bow built
Post by: mullet on September 04, 2012, 11:27:20 pm
There you go. I think the bow was shooting close to 53# at 28" and the nocks were 1/2" or smaller. I will sling an arrow and the wood had me puckering everytime I pulled it on the tree, acted a lot like Eastern Red Cedar, but better.
Title: Re: Weekend with Mullet and Parnell, Cypress bow built
Post by: mullet on September 04, 2012, 11:29:28 pm
Here's a few more; and it was hot. ;D That bow Steve was shooting is my 35# Osage I'm making for Tim Beach's daughter
Title: Re: Weekend with Mullet and Parnell, Cypress bow built
Post by: Sidewinder on September 05, 2012, 03:31:05 pm
Looks like time well spent to me. That could have been a picture of any number of us getting together and making shavings. Good for you guys. I really need to get outside my comfort zone and make one with something other than osage.  Danny
Title: Re: Weekend with Mullet and Parnell, Cypress bow built
Post by: vinemaplebows on September 05, 2012, 04:39:26 pm
Looks like a great time...cypress?? hmmm. :)
Title: Re: Weekend with Mullet and Parnell, Cypress bow built
Post by: rossfactor on September 05, 2012, 07:49:04 pm
Made a rawhide backed bow out of Cypress once. Shot pretty well.  Failed when a buddy over drew it. Interesting wood, seems prone to tension failure, but strong in compression, sure didn't take much set.  Very light. I'm impressed that you got 53# at 28" out of it.  Good Work.

Gabe

Title: Re: Weekend with Mullet and Parnell, Cypress bow built
Post by: spyder1958 on September 05, 2012, 10:35:58 pm
Gabe, I think it got even stronger since sunday, I was working the bow over my knee to wake her up and boy I had to bare down But when I strung her up I almost failed, I was doing some grunting for sure. Any set it had from sundays was all but gone. The wood doesn't make a sound when stretch
I sanded a lot on her today, the grain looking from the edge is stacked with a lot of rings. I rub some oil on and get a close up for you.
I'm liking this cypress
Title: Re: Weekend with Mullet and Parnell, Cypress bow built
Post by: JW_Halverson on September 06, 2012, 12:15:42 am
It's only called "set" if it sticks around long after being unstrung.  Otherwise it's  more correct to call it "string follow".  Well, at least that's the terminology that some of us use. 

Oh them ersters looked goooooood on that ice!

Can't say the same for those potbellied, sweaty, shirtless, old farts!  Oh, wait, someone replaced my monitor with a mirror!   >:(  That's wasn't nice!

Looks like good times had by all.  I get a kick out of how people from such wildly different walks of life get together over scraps of firewood and handtools just to produce anachronistic weapons.  Who'da thunk it?
Title: Re: Weekend with Mullet and Parnell, Cypress bow built
Post by: Pappy on September 06, 2012, 07:47:18 am
Looks like a mighty fine bow to me,and I know around Eddie and Steve it had to be a hoot. :)
   Pappy
Title: Re: Weekend with Mullet and Parnell, Cypress bow built
Post by: Parnell on September 06, 2012, 11:26:14 am
What amazing pictures of my belly and bald head!  Hahahaha!  Alright, let me get these pictures and videos downloaded and up from the iPad...
Title: Re: Weekend with Mullet and Parnell, Cypress bow built
Post by: spyder1958 on September 06, 2012, 11:51:51 am
Did some sanding and rubbed a coat of tung oil (http://i1141.photobucket.com/albums/n584/spyder1958/Bows/005.jpg)

The grain is sooo small and thin, I guess this growing up chocked out by all the thick older trees let her grow nice and slow.

(http://i1141.photobucket.com/albums/n584/spyder1958/Bows/003.jpg)
(http://i1141.photobucket.com/albums/n584/spyder1958/Bows/007.jpg)
(http://i1141.photobucket.com/albums/n584/spyder1958/Bows/001.jpg)
Title: Re: Weekend with Mullet and Parnell, Cypress bow built
Post by: Parnell on September 06, 2012, 12:47:27 pm
Alright, here are some of the photos.  Meeting up at first, the osage bow I worked on - came in underweight because I screwed up when coming to ground tiller.  Haven't done that in awhile.  No problem though, the bow will be sinew backed.  Gotta thank Eddie for helping with the recurve.  Really liked the cup burner - what do you call it again?  Very cool.  Money shots and I've got two videos of the bow shooting that I'll get on the tube and post links to shortly.
Title: Re: Weekend with Mullet and Parnell, Cypress bow built
Post by: Parnell on September 06, 2012, 12:48:33 pm
Couple more...
Title: Re: Weekend with Mullet and Parnell, Cypress bow built
Post by: Parnell on September 06, 2012, 02:01:48 pm
Here is one.  The other is for some reason giving me a problem.  I'll work on it.

http://youtu.be/fx8mxLG8bnc

Title: Re: Weekend with Mullet and Parnell, Cypress bow built
Post by: stickbender on September 06, 2012, 07:12:47 pm

     Dang that is nice! 8)  Well as for a name,..... "Seminole Wind" of course.  Or "Seminole Fling"..... ;)  Looks like despite the weather, and Eddie's "Sunday go to meeting shirt",   :o  you guys did an excellent job!  I guess that Eddie must have told Kathi that your wife was coming, and she made him put it on. ::) ;D
Great looking bow, and seems like it flings the arrows out there!  You couldn't have picked a better place to build your bow, and with Eddie, and Steve, how could you go wrong?  Now all you got to do is go stick a hog with it! ;)  Oh have Eddie, and Kathi talked to you about the Tennessee Classic?  Of course they did, you weren't getting out of there without being told about the Classic.  That is an event I would like to go to sometime, when my finances get better.
Congratulation on a fine bow.  Cypress......Hmmmm, never would have thought of it. ???
                                                           Wayne
Title: Re: Weekend with Mullet and Parnell, Cypress bow built
Post by: spyder1958 on September 06, 2012, 11:50:49 pm
Hey wayne, Ya, As soon as the Tn classic was mentioned, I jumped in and was all over that subject. I love all gatherings for one and two I grew up and all my family live in Sweetwater and Madisonville Tn. So I'm there as much as possible hanging with grandkids. So if the lord willing and the creek don't rise I'll be there.
Your right being able to building my 1st under two great guys supervison and help was great. and I can't thank them both enough for letting me hang out. I hope to pick their brains a plenty, arrows need made and rock needs cracking  ;D
Thanks Eddie & Steve
Title: Re: Weekend with Mullet and Parnell, Cypress bow built
Post by: JW_Halverson on September 06, 2012, 11:54:01 pm
Hey Amazing Spiderbow!  Didja happen to drop a bug in Mullet's ear about how many incredible Merriam's turkeys we got up here in western South Dakota.  You lived here, you saw'em!

(If this works, Spyder, Mullet, and I will have photos to post of bowmaking and turkey hunting the Black Hills next spring.)
Title: Re: Weekend with Mullet and Parnell, Cypress bow built
Post by: spyder1958 on September 07, 2012, 12:03:23 am
Oh I forgot, thanks for the input on a name wayne. I'm liking "Seminole Wind"

Any other suggestions. Whats the best for writing the info into the wood. Sharpie?
Title: Re: Weekend with Mullet and Parnell, Cypress bow built
Post by: spyder1958 on September 07, 2012, 12:09:43 am
Ya JW, I told him several days ago we should come up. And your right about the Gobblers they seem less skiddish In SD.
Title: Re: Weekend with Mullet and Parnell, Cypress bow built
Post by: mullet on September 07, 2012, 12:33:45 am
Spyder, I have super fine point Sharpies and some other pens that have a finer point. And I'd like to get that Merriam, just got to work out the time, John.

Wayne, you're too funny.