Primitive Archer
Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: timber wolfe on December 18, 2007, 09:47:45 pm
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Hi Everyone,
I'm new to bow-building. Live in Port Alberni, Vancouver Island, British Columbia. Would like to hear from bowyers in the Pacific Northwest as to what native woods I could use or find, other than Pacific yew. Has anybody ever used wild cherry? This forum is great ...getting lots of inspiration from bows built by Pappy and the hazelnut bow build-along by Gordon, and also Gordon's vine maple bow. Ordered The Traditional Bowyers Bible Volume 1,2 and 3. Could somebody give me some other suggestions for reading materials for building self-longbows? Thanks and straight shooting!
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Theirs lot's of info out there but the BB's aught to tell ya everything you need to know - killiin trees and makin shavin's are the best teacher. Have to ask about your call sign there, cause my name is spelled the same - is that your name? Wolfe? Welcome aboard - these guys pass along tons of info......
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welcome!!!
isnt there vine maple out there?white oak/red oak?
ironwood too?
sugarmaple, just some suggestions.
jamie
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Dogwood (flowering), vine maple, ocean spray, bigleaf maple, cascara...to name a few...
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Brian,
Have you ever made a bow with our Oregon White Oak?
Keith
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Keith,
No, I have not had access to cut the trees as they grow in specific areas, and are not as wide spread as other species. I would suspect it would be a good bow wood, if you can keep the string follow down...oak tends to follow the string, a damn tough wood though!!
Nice osage bow by the way!!! ;D
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Welcome Timber wolfe you will like it here,wished I could help with the wood thing
but I have no idea what yall have up there,I am sure there will be some chime in that
dose.That is what is so great about the board.As far as reading all you have mentioned
and of course PA magazine is a great source. :) :)
Pappy
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Welcome to PA. From what Ive heard allmost any tree that produces fruit or nuts you can make bows out of. And we have plenty of thoughs here in the NW. Joel
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Welcome to the best dang forum around timber wolfe. As others said TBB 1,2,3 and a subscription to PA are great sources of info.
Also Paul Comstock's The Bent Stick is good. Try this link for lots of great books and videos etc.
Glad ya joined us :)
http://www.horsefeathersranch.com/books.htm
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Welcome aboard. Jim Hamm's Bows and Arrows of the Native Americans is another good book. And Dean Torges' Hunting the Osage Bow. Those TBBs will get you started and a long ways down the road-they're probably the best all-around resource out there except for this forum.
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Hillbillys choices are mine also,but would also recommend Billets to Bow by Glen St.Charles and the Flat Bow book,which I think Horsefeathers carries both so get them for Christmas!
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Welcome, glad to have ya. You will realy like it here. Lots to learn and some great guys to share your passion with.Danny
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Would like to hear from bowyers in the Pacific Northwest as to what native woods I could use or find, other than Pacific yew.
Vine maple, vine maple, and vine maple. BTW, did I mention vine maple ;D
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Does anyone have a photo of some Vine maple both in the wild and in stave form for us to see? I wouldn't mind seeing if we have any around here. I have heard all positive about the vine maple bows guys have made and would like to know what it looks like.Danny
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Danny,
Vine maple only grows naturally in the Pacific NW. It is unlikely you will find any in Kansas.
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Welcome aboard Timber wolfe
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Thank you Gordon. Danny
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Welcome Timberwolfe.
Keith, I believe Ted Fry of Raptor Archery in Hood River OR. has sucessfully made Oregon White Oak Bows. Pat
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Thanks Brian and Pat B. I'll have to go see if there are any staves in the Oregon White Oak that came down in the last storm... I don't think that will help Timberwolfe though, because I think Olympia Washington is about as far North as you'll find that variety of Oak.