Primitive Archer
Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: vinemaplebows on December 28, 2014, 11:02:01 pm
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So I just had a great conversation with Gordon about vine maple, and thought it would be kinda cool to see what others deal with in the woods at harvest time.....what others think is good for their region, and to see what others consider good for their areas. I think this would be great seeing whatever woods you deal with and the harvesting, or just prior too, regardless of wood.....in this thread we would like to keep it to vine maple, but I would encourage others to pick a wood, and compare the species within the home range of whatever wood you prefer. :)
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MORE
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I love finding clusters like that. Too bad I'm all out, gonna be a lot of walking to find another harvest like that.
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Dang VMB, you have some really sweet vine maple up in your parts. Here is what it looks like where I come from.
(http://i793.photobucket.com/albums/yy217/gferlitsch/GV06_Rondi_07.jpg) (http://s793.photobucket.com/user/gferlitsch/media/GV06_Rondi_07.jpg.html)
(http://i793.photobucket.com/albums/yy217/gferlitsch/GV06_Rondi_08.jpg) (http://s793.photobucket.com/user/gferlitsch/media/GV06_Rondi_08.jpg.html)
As you can see it is not nearly as straight as what you have!
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Gordon,
The one you have your hand on is the only nice one I see, but everything is angles in a picture! ;D Well, now maybe not that one off your elbow if it were VM I may look at it..
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Yes, they look straight now, but I guarantee that both of those staves would curl into a hard "C" if split and dry.
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Can't you strap them to a 2x4?
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Personally I let logs dry in whole, then after about 4-6 months I will saw them in half. Gordons vine maple tends to reflex severely, because of the outward leaning vines (tension wood) this is from talking to him. I don't target tension wood, so the wood I cut does not tend to move as much. The pics show how I can find rather straight wood that does not lend itself to tension wood....as there is no tension side that leads to highly reflexed wood and excessive movement.
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This is a cool topic. I was following the first one and wondered what VM looked like in the wild. I'm a freak for that sort of thing. I can see why Gordan has a tuff time. Yours on the other hand shows why you have the handle Vinemaple bows...lol. Those look great. I would probabley cut em too even if I did'nt know what they are. I have a VM stave I got from Scott (Radius) on PP and it has about 4" reflex and double doglegs. Have'nt touched it yet. It just makes my head hurt thinking about trying to tame it. I just end up reaching for another piece of osage. I'm still a wuss when it comes to tacklin an ornery stave. Danny
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This is what I was getting at in the other thread, VMB, that with these "brushy" trees you want to get one that is growing plumb to the world, regardless of the droop, otherwise you might get twist.
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This is what I was getting at in the other thread, VMB, that with these "brushy" trees you want to get one that is growing plumb to the world, regardless of the droop, otherwise you might get twist.
Ya, Steve I would agree...thank goodness I don't have to pick from such slim pickens. Let it dry in log form (watch for spalting) and saw, see if you get better results.
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More pics....
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That has to be some of the nicest vine maple that I have ever seen. Wow, you've got a treasure trove there vmb.
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That's why I get my Vine Maple from Brian. Billets are even straighter.
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Remember Eddie 2 billets are not a stave....... ::) ::)
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Dont forget to snag one for me ;)
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GREAT TREAD BRIAN..i will have to keep up on this...GORDON,who is the old man hidding in the shadows with the hand saw..he looks EVIL...john
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He is the epitome of evil John, and don't you forget it.... >:D Have a Happy New Year