Primitive Archer

Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: wizardgoat on January 01, 2015, 06:13:04 am

Title: Juniper w/ Sturgeon skins
Post by: wizardgoat on January 01, 2015, 06:13:04 am

I got this stave through a trade with Chuck (loefflerchuck).  I asked for a character piece, and I got what i asked for.
Its Utah juniper, and looks like it came from a smaller diameter branch.
Top limb with a crazy reflex into a hump out of the handle, bottom limb with a big overall deflex.
I just flipped the tips a little, but felt I shouldnt push my luck trying to mess with the profile too much.
Top side of the sturgeon used, sinew nocks, and hemp string handle over built up leather.
This is my first sinew string too, will for sure be making more.
Its 50" ntn, and pulls 33# at 25". 1 1/4" wide at the handle, tapering to pretty wide 5/8" tips.
I originally had it at 38#, but it wasnt shooting that great. The bottom limbs deflex was messing with my eyes, and it needed to bend a little more than my eyes would allow.
It sure zips these light cedar arrows though.
Pictures taken in Nanaimo BC


Out of the many photos i took, I forgot an unbraced side profile shot, but I found this photo I took before the tips were flipped.
I didnt measure on this one, but it appears like it took very little set. Juniper doesnt seem to take much set in my experiences, but its only my fourth juniper bow.

(http://i1370.photobucket.com/albums/ag255/wizardgoat/IMG_2475_zps8f91bbf3.jpg) (http://s1370.photobucket.com/user/wizardgoat/media/IMG_2475_zps8f91bbf3.jpg.html)

(http://i1370.photobucket.com/albums/ag255/wizardgoat/IMG_2643_zps1496124d.jpg) (http://s1370.photobucket.com/user/wizardgoat/media/IMG_2643_zps1496124d.jpg.html)

(http://i1370.photobucket.com/albums/ag255/wizardgoat/IMG_2647_zps03e3d0d3.jpg) (http://s1370.photobucket.com/user/wizardgoat/media/IMG_2647_zps03e3d0d3.jpg.html)


(http://i1370.photobucket.com/albums/ag255/wizardgoat/IMG_2656_zps6be3f5c4.jpg) (http://s1370.photobucket.com/user/wizardgoat/media/IMG_2656_zps6be3f5c4.jpg.html)

(http://i1370.photobucket.com/albums/ag255/wizardgoat/IMG_2665_zps67947600.jpg) (http://s1370.photobucket.com/user/wizardgoat/media/IMG_2665_zps67947600.jpg.html)

(http://i1370.photobucket.com/albums/ag255/wizardgoat/IMG_2659_zpsa4521820.jpg) (http://s1370.photobucket.com/user/wizardgoat/media/IMG_2659_zpsa4521820.jpg.html)

(http://i1370.photobucket.com/albums/ag255/wizardgoat/IMG_2692_zps0bfb27e4.png) (http://s1370.photobucket.com/user/wizardgoat/media/IMG_2692_zps0bfb27e4.png.html)

(http://i1370.photobucket.com/albums/ag255/wizardgoat/IMG_2669_zps4a8f07cb.jpg) (http://s1370.photobucket.com/user/wizardgoat/media/IMG_2669_zps4a8f07cb.jpg.html)

(http://i1370.photobucket.com/albums/ag255/wizardgoat/IMG_2667_zps8c4064e0.jpg) (http://s1370.photobucket.com/user/wizardgoat/media/IMG_2667_zps8c4064e0.jpg.html)

(http://i1370.photobucket.com/albums/ag255/wizardgoat/IMG_2691_zps4500c19e.png) (http://s1370.photobucket.com/user/wizardgoat/media/IMG_2691_zps4500c19e.png.html)

(http://i1370.photobucket.com/albums/ag255/wizardgoat/IMG_2759_zpsdb17761b.png) (http://s1370.photobucket.com/user/wizardgoat/media/IMG_2759_zpsdb17761b.png.html)

(http://i1370.photobucket.com/albums/ag255/wizardgoat/IMG_2683_zps39abccd7.jpg) (http://s1370.photobucket.com/user/wizardgoat/media/IMG_2683_zps39abccd7.jpg.html)

thanks for looking guys
Title: Re: Juniper w/ Sturgeon skins
Post by: rps3 on January 01, 2015, 08:31:20 am
pretty cool
Title: Re: Juniper w/ Sturgeon skins
Post by: burchett.donald on January 01, 2015, 08:39:44 am
The skins are beautiful, nice bow man...Sinew string is a bonus 8)
                                                                                                         Don
Title: Re: Juniper w/ Sturgeon skins
Post by: Will H on January 01, 2015, 09:09:16 am
Really awesome bow right there! Love the pics!
Title: Re: Juniper w/ Sturgeon skins
Post by: johnfolchetti on January 01, 2015, 09:16:19 am
Nice work on a very challenging stave.
Title: Re: Juniper w/ Sturgeon skins
Post by: H Rhodes on January 01, 2015, 09:32:49 am
Beautiful workmanship.  Your photos are awesome as well.  That is quite a bend on that bow.
Title: Re: Juniper w/ Sturgeon skins
Post by: mwosborn on January 01, 2015, 09:39:24 am
A tillering challenge well done!
Title: Re: Juniper w/ Sturgeon skins
Post by: osage outlaw on January 01, 2015, 09:45:15 am
Nice work!  I like those sturgeon skins.  That kink looks like it was a challenge to tiller around.
Title: Re: Juniper w/ Sturgeon skins
Post by: Ken S on January 01, 2015, 09:47:59 am
Nice job on  a crazy stave! :o
Title: Re: Juniper w/ Sturgeon skins
Post by: bubby on January 01, 2015, 09:55:42 am
Cool bow, had to be quite a challenge
Title: Re: Juniper w/ Sturgeon skins
Post by: Badly Bent on January 01, 2015, 10:38:11 am
Pretty cool looking bow WG, with those kinks it had to be one of those tiller by feeler bows.
Title: Re: Juniper w/ Sturgeon skins
Post by: ajbruggink on January 01, 2015, 01:27:39 pm
Nice work!
Title: Re: Juniper w/ Sturgeon skins
Post by: missilemaster on January 01, 2015, 01:30:42 pm
Wow, what a wild looking bow!
Title: Re: Juniper w/ Sturgeon skins
Post by: Carson (CMB) on January 01, 2015, 01:52:32 pm
Sweet bow. That is a beautiful backdrop for some bow photos. Nice challenging stave. Way to turn a beauty out of it. Nice String!!
Title: Re: Juniper w/ Sturgeon skins
Post by: adams89 on January 01, 2015, 02:08:47 pm
great work, I like the bow a lot, character bows are the sweetest and this one really has some character!
Title: Re: Juniper w/ Sturgeon skins
Post by: swamp monkey on January 01, 2015, 02:50:28 pm
I love seeing folks successfully pull off a character stave.  Job well done and great craftsmanship to boot.

Aj
Title: Re: Juniper w/ Sturgeon skins
Post by: bradsmith2010 on January 01, 2015, 03:38:14 pm
really nice,,, really like the sinew wraps on the nocks,, congrats
Title: Re: Juniper w/ Sturgeon skins
Post by: Scottski on January 01, 2015, 03:58:34 pm
Kool bow you made there.
Title: Re: Juniper w/ Sturgeon skins
Post by: Billinthedesert on January 01, 2015, 04:03:40 pm
Brilliant build! Wow I like the look of that sturgeon skin.
Nanaimo -- gateway to the Oyster River pink salmon in early August!
Title: Re: Juniper w/ Sturgeon skins
Post by: bowmo on January 01, 2015, 05:01:35 pm
Great looking bow from some squirrelly wood. Reminds me so much of the bows Keenan use to make and post on here years ago. Really nice work.
Title: Re: Juniper w/ Sturgeon skins
Post by: burn em up chuck on January 01, 2015, 06:47:47 pm
   well done, love those you get what you get, bows. with little rework

                                                                     chuck
Title: Re: Juniper w/ Sturgeon skins
Post by: George Tsoukalas on January 01, 2015, 07:03:42 pm
That came out great! That's quite a character bow. Jawge
Title: Re: Juniper w/ Sturgeon skins
Post by: loefflerchuck on January 01, 2015, 07:35:31 pm
You did that stave justice! If you asked for help with that tiller I'm not sure you would get two of the same answers from 20 people. Good work!
Title: Re: Juniper w/ Sturgeon skins
Post by: Danzn Bar on January 01, 2015, 07:43:01 pm
That nightmare turned into a sweet dream.  8)
DBar
Title: Re: Juniper w/ Sturgeon skins
Post by: DC on January 01, 2015, 08:19:34 pm
Brilliant build! Wow I like the look of that sturgeon skin.
Nanaimo -- gateway to the Oyster River pink salmon in early August!

About 5 miles south of me :D I'm going to have to get back into salmon fishing.
Title: Re: Juniper w/ Sturgeon skins
Post by: JackCrafty on January 01, 2015, 08:20:49 pm
 8)
Title: Re: Juniper w/ Sturgeon skins
Post by: RyanR on January 01, 2015, 10:30:35 pm
Looks good. I bet it was hard to tiller.
Title: Re: Juniper w/ Sturgeon skins
Post by: IdahoMatt on January 01, 2015, 10:34:58 pm
Nice work on that one
Title: Re: Juniper w/ Sturgeon skins
Post by: Sidewinder on January 02, 2015, 12:47:37 am
Yeah really nice work on a tough piece.
Title: Re: Juniper w/ Sturgeon skins
Post by: wizardgoat on January 02, 2015, 04:07:31 am
thanks alot guys! it was a fun and challenging bow to build.

chuck- yes, its tough to make tiller choices on such a stave, really gotta use finger calipers and just see how it pulls and shoots.

billinthedesert - can't wait for the pinks this year! would probably need 7 or 8 to back a bow though!
Title: Re: Juniper w/ Sturgeon skins
Post by: Jesse on January 02, 2015, 09:46:24 am
Very cool looking 8)
Title: Re: Juniper w/ Sturgeon skins
Post by: WestCoastWilly on January 02, 2015, 04:08:20 pm
 Stunning bow for sure !   8)
Love the scenery too  ;)
Title: Re: Juniper w/ Sturgeon skins
Post by: bow101 on January 02, 2015, 07:20:12 pm
Nice shorty there Goat. A very challenging stick to work with, you have proved that no piece will have you beat.
Title: Re: Juniper w/ Sturgeon skins
Post by: Aaron H on January 02, 2015, 08:29:22 pm
Anther great bow wizard, sweet sinew string
Title: Re: Juniper w/ Sturgeon skins
Post by: Blacktail on January 03, 2015, 11:43:50 am
NOW THAT IS A GREAT DESERT BOW...i have allways wondered how narrow you could go on the limbs..i have  gone 1 3/4 wide just because the wood is soft and have over built the limbs....BUT NOW,,i am thinking i could do maybe 1 5/8 on limbs with sinew backing...thanks for sharing..john
Title: Re: Juniper w/ Sturgeon skins
Post by: simson on January 03, 2015, 02:38:27 pm
That tiller pic looks wild ...
The hide is super cool, photography is beautiful.
Title: Re: Juniper w/ Sturgeon skins
Post by: wizardgoat on January 04, 2015, 12:28:06 am
thanks guys!

blacktail- its quite narrow for juniper, im sure a couple latyers of sinew would of gotten it up to hunting weight, but the bow was for a friend anyways.
               it did seem to be a solid piece of juniper though, not as light as other staves ive handled.
Title: Re: Juniper w/ Sturgeon skins
Post by: Peacebow_Coos on January 04, 2015, 02:28:53 pm
Wow, that's character for sure, and those skins really contrast the juniper nicely.  Keep 'em com in wizardgoat
Title: Re: Juniper w/ Sturgeon skins
Post by: Weylin on January 04, 2015, 04:25:32 pm
Nice bow! You've got a big hinge in the top limb though!  >:D >:D Just kidding. That's a tricky tiller job, you did a good job on it. I'm just finishing up a sturgeon backed bow too. It's cool stuff.
Title: Re: Juniper w/ Sturgeon skins
Post by: wizardgoat on January 04, 2015, 07:49:09 pm
It was scary to tiller from the get go.
Sturgeon is my favorite backing!
Stoked I have a slow but steady supply.
They are farmed fish here, we can't legally fish them
Title: Re: Juniper w/ Sturgeon skins
Post by: Shaneisneato on January 05, 2015, 03:42:40 pm
I always really enjoy your pictures of the bows out in the wild.  8)

Do you live near the beach?
Title: Re: Juniper w/ Sturgeon skins
Post by: wizardgoat on January 05, 2015, 03:56:36 pm
shaneisneato - in vancouver a beach is never far! neither are the mountains, lakes, rivers, and yew trees  ;)
Title: Re: Juniper w/ Sturgeon skins
Post by: Shaneisneato on January 05, 2015, 04:53:02 pm
 Never been out to the Pacific northwest, always wanted to. We have friends in Seattle, maybe its time to make a trip out there haha
Title: Re: Juniper w/ Sturgeon skins
Post by: Pappy on January 06, 2015, 05:03:18 am
Beautiful bow, very nice job with a challenging stave. :)
  Pappy
Title: Re: Juniper w/ Sturgeon skins
Post by: Hutchie on March 12, 2015, 07:48:46 pm
That bow is ridiculous, I love it.
Title: Re: Juniper w/ Sturgeon skins
Post by: PAHunter on March 16, 2015, 08:54:03 pm
Very cool man, well done!