Primitive Archer

Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: Gordon on December 15, 2013, 02:39:16 pm

Title: Asymmetrical vine maple bow
Post by: Gordon on December 15, 2013, 02:39:16 pm
Here is bow that I recently completed. It's made of a surly piece of vine maple that I harvested on the N. Oregon coast. I tried repeatedly to make it submit to the shape I had in mind, but the wood fought me all the way. Eventually I gave up and just let it do what it wanted. So the top limb is a D shape and the bottom limb is a natural reflex deflex. In spite of the limb asymmetry the bow actually shoots really well. Its 58" nock to nock and bends through the handle. The tips are made of elk antler also harvested from the N. Oregon coast. 45# @ 27". Last two pictures are of my buddy Dave shooting the bow.

(http://i793.photobucket.com/albums/yy217/gferlitsch/PC080740.jpg) (http://s793.photobucket.com/user/gferlitsch/media/PC080740.jpg.html)

(http://i793.photobucket.com/albums/yy217/gferlitsch/PC080743.jpg) (http://s793.photobucket.com/user/gferlitsch/media/PC080743.jpg.html)

(http://i793.photobucket.com/albums/yy217/gferlitsch/PC080752.jpg) (http://s793.photobucket.com/user/gferlitsch/media/PC080752.jpg.html)

(http://i793.photobucket.com/albums/yy217/gferlitsch/PC080793.jpg) (http://s793.photobucket.com/user/gferlitsch/media/PC080793.jpg.html)

(http://i793.photobucket.com/albums/yy217/gferlitsch/PC080776.jpg) (http://s793.photobucket.com/user/gferlitsch/media/PC080776.jpg.html)

(http://i793.photobucket.com/albums/yy217/gferlitsch/PC140862.jpg) (http://s793.photobucket.com/user/gferlitsch/media/PC140862.jpg.html)

(http://i793.photobucket.com/albums/yy217/gferlitsch/PC140875.jpg) (http://s793.photobucket.com/user/gferlitsch/media/PC140875.jpg.html)
Title: Re: Asymmetrical vine maple bow
Post by: portlandfire on December 15, 2013, 02:46:30 pm
     Having shot few bend through the handle bows, I was skeptical.  But that bow is one of the nicest shooting bows that I have shot.  Maybe I was having a good day (unlikely :o), but I was really hitting where I was aiming with that bow.  It is faaasssst for a lightweight bow and I know Gordon will be harvesting a nice blacktail  next year from the treestand.
Dave H
Title: Re: Asymmetrical vine maple bow
Post by: blackhawk on December 15, 2013, 02:51:10 pm
Cool Gordon....good to see a bow from ya again  ;)
Title: Re: Asymmetrical vine maple bow
Post by: Gordon on December 15, 2013, 02:51:54 pm
Thanks Dave! Yes, this bow will likely be going up with me in my tree stand next year.
Title: Re: Asymmetrical vine maple bow
Post by: NeolithicMan on December 15, 2013, 02:52:54 pm
I like it! very unique, I have had a few bows with reflex in one limb. usually make that one the bottom limb for some reason. looks good at full draw is whats most important I think, and that one looks pretty cool! it may just be the angle but thr bottom limb seems to be bending more at mid limb to near the fade than the top limb. no matter wht though it shoots decent so dont listen to me or anyone if your happy! again, really kool bow, I really have to get my hands on some vine maple. tons of sugar maple but no vine that I know of.
Title: Re: Asymmetrical vine maple bow
Post by: Pat B on December 15, 2013, 02:55:00 pm
Very cool bow Gordon.
Title: Re: Asymmetrical vine maple bow
Post by: Gordon on December 15, 2013, 02:57:42 pm
Neolithic, the bottom looks like it's bending excessively mid limb because the inner limb is deflexed and the outer limb is reflexed. Whereas the top limb is straight. You can't rely on your normal visual clues when tillering a bow like this.
Title: Re: Asymmetrical vine maple bow
Post by: Bryce on December 15, 2013, 03:02:58 pm
You finished it! Woohoo! Way to go Gordo I know she was givin yah some trouble but it looks like you tamed that beast :)
Title: Re: Asymmetrical vine maple bow
Post by: Gordon on December 15, 2013, 03:05:30 pm
Quote
Way to go Gordo I know she was givin yah some trouble but it looks like you tamed that beast

Hmm, I wouldn't go so far as to say I tamed it - more like we came to an "accommodation" with each other  ;D
Title: Re: Asymmetrical vine maple bow
Post by: Bryce on December 15, 2013, 03:16:02 pm
Gotyah ;D well she came out beautiful either way
Title: Re: Asymmetrical vine maple bow
Post by: Crogacht on December 15, 2013, 03:25:14 pm
Is it upside down in the last pic? Serving looks lower than the previous pic. It looks the right way up...

Very very beautiful bow, I hope I can make something like that one day.
Title: Re: Asymmetrical vine maple bow
Post by: RyanR on December 15, 2013, 03:30:04 pm
Really neat looking bow. Good job.
Title: Re: Asymmetrical vine maple bow
Post by: Carson (CMB) on December 15, 2013, 03:31:20 pm
Nice work Gordon.  It looks fast.  Love that unstrung profile. 
Title: Re: Asymmetrical vine maple bow
Post by: IdahoMatt on December 15, 2013, 03:42:18 pm
I love your bows Gordon.  When I was first thinking of building bows, I came across your bows on P.P.  Inspiring to say the least.  Great job.  You made a great bow out of a very tricky stave.  What kind of stain did you use?
Title: Re: Asymmetrical vine maple bow
Post by: Jodocus on December 15, 2013, 04:02:54 pm
Very nice, the bent bow looks quite harmonic for such a unwieldy stave
Title: Re: Asymmetrical vine maple bow
Post by: osage outlaw on December 15, 2013, 04:11:17 pm
That's a very nice bow Gordon.  I like when irregularities like that are incorporated in the finished bow.  It shows the talent level of the bowyer.
Title: Re: Asymmetrical vine maple bow
Post by: burn em up chuck on December 15, 2013, 05:26:07 pm
    only someone w/experience how knotty vine maple can be. well done.

                                                     chuck
Title: Re: Asymmetrical vine maple bow
Post by: Weylin on December 15, 2013, 05:32:19 pm
Here Gordon. Let me help you with that. I can tell you had some trouble tillering that bow because the full draw doesn't look like a perfect ellipse. This picture should help you fix the tiller. You can tell where the problem is by all the important looking lines I drew. You're welcome.  >:D

(http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e113/olivewn/PC140875_zpse699fbd8.jpg) (http://s38.photobucket.com/user/olivewn/media/PC140875_zpse699fbd8.jpg.html)
Title: Re: Asymmetrical vine maple bow
Post by: Bryce on December 15, 2013, 06:36:03 pm
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA OMGOSH! Weylin your killin me bro.
Thats hysterical!
 ;D :laugh:


Dave looks good in them ears
Title: Re: Asymmetrical vine maple bow
Post by: Badly Bent on December 15, 2013, 06:56:57 pm
Good stuff Weylin  :laugh: :laugh:,  I hope you will do that for me on the next bow I post, it would be quite helpful.

Gordon, great job on that bow looks amazingly smooth when at full draw and as always I love the way you finish them. I've had a couple like that from buckthorn and agree with you, just can't fight 'em so ya gotta go with it.
Excellent job you did on yours.
Title: Re: Asymmetrical vine maple bow
Post by: Will H on December 15, 2013, 07:23:08 pm
That is one classy bow there Gordon! I always look forward to seeing your work. You are a master of the craft.
Title: Re: Asymmetrical vine maple bow
Post by: Arrowind on December 15, 2013, 07:57:08 pm
Nice bow!  I like the asymmetric limbs.  Looks really cool.   I love the finish too. Thanks for sharing!
Title: Re: Asymmetrical vine maple bow
Post by: Gordon on December 16, 2013, 02:03:20 am
Thank you for the compliment Crogacht. The bow is being held correctly.

Thank you Ryan.

Hey Carson, thank you. I'm glad you like the profile.

Thank you for the nice words Matt. I used a brown and green dye to stain the bow.

Thank you Jodocus.

Thank  you for the compliment Outlaw.

Thank you Chuck, I appreciate it.

That's hilarious Weylin. I laughed so hard I almost cried.

Thank you Bent. When you make enough bows you get used to having things go your way. And then one of these guys comes along and makes you humble again.

Will, thank you for the compliment.

Thank you Arrowind, I appreciate the kind words.
Title: Re: Asymmetrical vine maple bow
Post by: Dan K on December 16, 2013, 02:54:55 am
It's ok Gordon. ;)
Title: Re: Asymmetrical vine maple bow
Post by: nathan elliot on December 16, 2013, 04:16:48 am
Sweet looking bow, it takes real skill to know when to leave something rather than pushing it. That said I bet you tried every trick to get that limb behaving.

Title: Re: Asymmetrical vine maple bow
Post by: Pappy on December 16, 2013, 07:13:43 am
Good looking bow Gordon, from a challenging piece of wood for sure.Very nice work. :)
 Pappy
Title: Re: Asymmetrical vine maple bow
Post by: PEARL DRUMS on December 16, 2013, 07:28:31 am
That's a cool bow Gordon. I like that tiler job.
Title: Re: Asymmetrical vine maple bow
Post by: burchett.donald on December 16, 2013, 08:35:15 am
  Gordon you done an excellent job tillering that character limb. It looks well balanced from unstrung profile to the full draw bend. Everything moving well...Hat's off to ya...
Title: Re: Asymmetrical vine maple bow
Post by: Parnell on December 16, 2013, 10:23:51 am
Nice job Gordon.  It's always more interesting to think about irregular bows like this.  Just because they don't look "normal" doesn't mean they don't shoot well.  I bet you maxed out that tiller.  Nice job.
Title: Re: Asymmetrical vine maple bow
Post by: Knapper on December 16, 2013, 04:17:17 pm
Very nice bow Gordon. Is the back natural or is it stained?
Knapper
Title: Re: Asymmetrical vine maple bow
Post by: seabass on December 16, 2013, 07:49:05 pm
very nice brother.love it.
Title: Re: Asymmetrical vine maple bow
Post by: bubby on December 16, 2013, 08:09:00 pm
that came out great Gordon, thanks for sharing, bub
Title: Re: Asymmetrical vine maple bow
Post by: bushboy on December 16, 2013, 10:38:39 pm
another fine example! 8)
Title: Re: Asymmetrical vine maple bow
Post by: Gordon on December 17, 2013, 02:01:46 am
Thank you Nathan. I used a lot of heat to try to even the limbs out, but to no avail. I couldn't even get the string to align where I wanted it. This stick seemed to have a mind of its own.

Thank you Pappy.

Thank you Pearl. I appreciate the nice words.

Thank you Donald. I think I got everything bending about right - all things considered...

Thank you Parnell. The tiller does look kind of odd, but it shoots just fine.

Thank you Knapper. The back is stained. Vine maple is naturally very white.

Thank you SeaBass.

Thank you for the compliment bubby.

Thank you BushBoy.



Title: Re: Asymmetrical vine maple bow
Post by: mikekeswick on December 17, 2013, 04:28:21 am
Now that's a proper bow!
Title: Re: Asymmetrical vine maple bow
Post by: SLIMBOB on December 17, 2013, 08:52:44 am
Took skills to wrestle that one into shape.  Nice work as always.  Weylin's help looks to have been invaluable.
Title: Re: Asymmetrical vine maple bow
Post by: ohma2 on December 17, 2013, 10:17:13 am
always a pleasure to see your talents Gordon, realy like the color of that bow.
Title: Re: Asymmetrical vine maple bow
Post by: Sidewinder on December 18, 2013, 03:24:29 am
Gordon I love your bows. Your tiller is always so spot on and your finish work is excellent.  Danny
Title: Re: Asymmetrical vine maple bow
Post by: Bryce on December 18, 2013, 04:45:02 am
Gordon, I keep coming back to look at this beauty!
What's the width on that bad boy?
Title: Re: Asymmetrical vine maple bow
Post by: Gordon on December 18, 2013, 09:23:13 pm
Thank you Mike.

Thank you Bob. Yeah Weylin's advice was a great help as usual  ;D

Thank you Ohma, I appreciate the compliment.

Thank you for the compliment Danny.

Hey Bryce, I figured you might appreciate a mutt like this. Limb width is 1 1/2".
Title: Re: Asymmetrical vine maple bow
Post by: Blacktail on December 19, 2013, 12:56:18 am
GREAT BOW GORDON...glad to see no bunny ears on dave...OR maybe there where horns...HEHE..
Title: Re: Asymmetrical vine maple bow
Post by: DuBois on December 19, 2013, 01:00:27 am
You again have made an awesome bow. Inspirational Sir!
Title: Re: Asymmetrical vine maple bow
Post by: bowmo on December 19, 2013, 11:42:56 am
Really nice as usual. Glad to see you're still on here Gordon.
Title: Re: Asymmetrical vine maple bow
Post by: missilemaster on December 20, 2013, 05:29:24 pm
Oh man, I missed this one! Way to Go-rdon ;D Love your finish work.
Title: Re: Asymmetrical vine maple bow
Post by: huisme on December 20, 2013, 05:47:58 pm
I love it when a stave throws something like this at you! Good ol' vine maple  :)