Primitive Archer
Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: Knocker on October 21, 2007, 09:56:34 pm
-
Finally - a short break in the rain here in the Pacific Northwest. I had cabin fever, so decided to get out and collect some Vine Maple staves. Seeing all the nice V.M. bows on this site got me motivated... ;D It reminded me of looking all over the u-cut christmas tree lot for that perfect tree (by my wife's definition) but this was a lot better 'cause I was the one that got to pick. Believe me, these are straighter than the other 100 I looked at! >:(
I had to carry these about a half mile from the swamp behind the house, so I hope I came up with something usable. What do you all think? Is there a bow somewhere in the bunch?
I'll try some board bows while I wait for these to season...
Keith
PS: Glad I had my revolver with me today. There is an old orchard on the edge of the Black Lake swamp. A bear is leaving piles the size of apple pies under the trees. I'm guessing that is a good sized bear!
[attachment deleted by admin]
-
Man, that vine maple is some crazy lookin stuff. Is it all green like that when it's (Green)? Gonna try one myself soon.
-
Oh yeah, there's a few bows hiding in there :)
-
Cowboy,
I think it's really green because of all the rain we have been having. And the fact that it is seeing sunlight for the first time in years - it was all covered with several inches of rainforest moss... I've painted the ends, and will be storing them away in the rafters of my shop to dry for a while.
-
You should split them first, or they will take forever to dry.
-
No offense, but I would head back to the woods with some more knowledge... those are going to be tough.....
Brian
-
No offense taken Brian. I'd love to find some that are easier, and I'll keep looking. This was my first time out collecting. Most of what I saw was tiny, or really curved and twisted. I figured to get Something started drying, and I can keep adding to the stockpile if I find something better. Reminds me of a sign I saw in a nursery the other day. "It's best to plant a tree 10 years ago, or today"
I have done a nice Osage orange bow that I am hunting with this fall, and I have a vine maple (purchased stave) floor tillered that I will be finishing this winter. I'll attach a photo of that one. I was thinking the short billet could be split and would make a decent take-down. I hope to do a "snakey" bow when my skills are up to it, which is why I grabbed the zig-zaggy stave.
Gordon, do you paint/seal the split stave sides too? Or still just the ends? I was thinking of giving them a year to season - maybe I could do something with them this winter if I split?
[attachment deleted by admin]
-
The camera flash made the wood look like Osage, but it's not! :D I steamed the ends of that one, and worked on the propeller a bit too. It's got a few knots in it, but I am hoping it comes out worthy enough to put some Northwest Coastal art on it. I think I'll shoot it a couple of hundred times before I get the brushes out...
-
Keith,
I remove the bark and seal the ends - I've never had a problem with vine maple checking. If you rough them out, they will be ready in a couple of months.
Gordon
-
Nice looking stave you've got worked out there Keith. Looking forward to seeing the finished product. Oh, like that horse too.
-
keith,
Where are you located?? I am on the the Wa. coast.....Montesano to be exact. Where did you purchase your stave?
Brian
-
Thanks for the tips Gordon. I'll split the big ones and see about getting them roughed out.
I am in Tumwater Brian. The stave came from Curt Brisky's stock. His website is http://briskybows.com/index.html, and he is in Ferndale, Washington. He has some nice Osage staves too.
-
Keith,
Ever want to go cutting let me know.... I have cut lots...
-
Hey Brian! I'll take you up on that! Do you have a place that has good vine, or are you going to come over here and help me pick good ones from the stuff we have? Maybe the Vine gets better closer to the Coast? Of course the place I am collecting has been logged not so many years ago too.
I'll bet the Olympic National park has some GREAT yew/vine maple/dogwood. :-) Have you ever used the local cherry for bow making? And I have heard it's not the best bow wood, but I have some really nice straight grain Western Red Cedar.
-
Keith,
I was thinking here....I have weyerhauser as my back yard. I wouldn't waste your time with the cedar it won't work. Cherry (pin cherry) is too brittle. Choke cherry from the east side of the mountains would work, but I think it is marginal wood. PM me your number, and we will set up a day/time.
Brian
-
I would suggest debarking, and chopping out a rough bow right away and then placing the bow/stave in a frame while it dries to minimize the warping, twisting and other changes, particularly lateral movement. This can be as simple as a one or two inch reflex by placing a two inch block at the handle and then tying or clamping down the nock ends of the limbs ala Jim Riggs; but also, bracing with another piece of wood 90 degrees to the back end by clamping the bow from the side. This is important in my experience in order to get the string to cross at or close to the handle--the biggest problem making vine maple bows.
In Western Washington, I would suggest two weeks to dry. Then do the next stave and so on.
-
The Olympic National Park is a lot more difficult to harvest from than scoping out weyerhauser or simpson land... plus you need special Olympic harvest permits to keep your butt out of jail.
Spent a full day sunrise to sunset harvesting in the ONP.... and was sorely dissappointed considering all the hoops, gas, time, etc...
I live a stone's throw from Black Lake... and ironically my name is also Keith.
Small world.
-
Milo,
Good to see you here again...got some spots picked out behind the house....get the saws ready.... ;D
-
Hey Milo,Good to see you back. Wow,first Russel,then you.Has anybody heard how Keenan is doing?
-
Glad to meet you Keith! ;D I am on Delphi Rd, so we are neighbors too. Does anyone shoot primitive at the Black Lake Archery range?
Keith
-
Are you talking about the archery shop on delphi across from the old rock quarry/gas station? or are you talking about the 3d range off Littlerock road?
-
I see some of you guys are in Olympia, I also live in Olympia and shoot primative at Blacklake archery. May be I will see you around. Greg
-
Good grief ! Where the heck are you guys coming out of the wood works? lol
I guess Oly has more bowyers in it than I thought. Any other Oly/Tum/Lac bowyer-lurkers out there?
Keith AKA Milo
-
Keith/Milo,
I was talking about the range across from the quarry on Black Lake. I've been there a couple of times, but all wheel bows when I went. Are you talking about Capitol City Gun Club for the 3D range?
Maybe we'll have to schedule a primitive get together at the indoor range on some rainy winter day? Next summer I will host a get together at my property if we get a few that are interested.
Keith
-
Heck Keith, I'll come up with a few of my buddies if you hold a get-together. It's not that far.
-
I've always thought of the idea of hosting here - but alas, I do not have a yard that would accomodate even the smaller of gatherings, let alone actually flinging a few. lol
Yeah, I would completely be down for either a rainy day shoot or a get together. I guess just keep us posted!
Keith AKA Milo
-
I am surprised how many locals are on this list as well! :o Next summer I could set up a few extra straw bales in the back property, and there is a full section of timber country if some want to do stump shooting - even a nice creek with fields and an old orchard. Shooting in the early PM, Cold beer (or maybe even Mead), and a barbeque in the late PM. Maybe we can find a local napper to do a demo? Or have a friendly shooting competition with a nice stave or a draw knife for a prize?
Maybe those that are within driving distance can send me a personal email and your full name so I can add you to my address book? We can determine a date and flesh out the plan during the long, dark, rainy winter months... >:( As far as the indoor range, I would think any weekend after hunting season and the holidays would be great!
Keith Anderson
Delphilabs@msn.com
-
Hey count me in for that shoot/BBQ. I just moved back to Montesano after being in Colorado the last seven years. Might be moving to the Olympia area next spring though to shorten my commute and free up some more time for hunting ;). I just cut some VM staves myself. Any tips for removing the bark on winter-cut staves? Seems like it would be hard not to cut into the wood with all the knots and such.
-
For winter cut, I just like a really good scraper with a sharp burl, a good pocket knife, and a really dull pocket knife. Gives me something to do on cold winter days... ;)