Primitive Archer

Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: Accipiter on August 28, 2013, 02:24:47 am

Title: Splitting skinny stave for a stiff handled bow.
Post by: Accipiter on August 28, 2013, 02:24:47 am
I'm headed up to NE Oregon for a camping trip and hoping to get in some stave harvesting as well. One of the woods I'm most like to try is Mock Orange (Philadelphus lewisii, sometimes called Syringia), which is typically on the small side of things, but tough and dense. I have some shrubs in mind from last year that were straight but with a diameter of <2" and not long enough for a bow by themselves, even a bendy-handle. I'd love to make a take-down, but that requires a stiff handle section and I don't know if I can get that with a thickness in the middle of <1". Is it possible to add a lamination to the middle of bow, (socket to the end of the fades) or will the thin mock orange wood bending break the glue-line?

Here is what I'm thinking of:

(http://i.imgur.com/xFmpVfz.jpg)

Thanks!
Title: Re: Splitting skinny stave for a stiff handled bow.
Post by: Accipiter on August 28, 2013, 02:26:47 am
Oh, and the reason I ask is partly because I've noticed mock-orange has a tendency to split like crazy if the pith is still there, so I'm hoping to split the stave and remove some wood almost immediately.
Title: Re: Splitting skinny stave for a stiff handled bow.
Post by: Mo_coon-catcher on August 28, 2013, 12:28:48 pm
As long as you fade the lamination into the mock orange so that it will bend also, I don't see you having any problems with it. I have not done it myself yet, but have seen it done enough to know that it should work. just make the fades long and thin and you should be fine.
Title: Re: Splitting skinny stave for a stiff handled bow.
Post by: simson on August 28, 2013, 01:23:34 pm
Yeah, should be fine
See my hollow limb buildalong, here it is shown!
Title: Re: Splitting skinny stave for a stiff handled bow.
Post by: Accipiter on August 28, 2013, 10:02:38 pm
Coon-Catcher, that sounds like good advice to me. Thanks guys! Simson, that build-along is crazy!