Primitive Archer

Main Discussion Area => Around the Campfire => Topic started by: JacksonCash on April 06, 2015, 11:46:55 am

Title: How best to prepare
Post by: JacksonCash on April 06, 2015, 11:46:55 am: I've got some material now, and I'm wondering if I should saw all this in half, quarters, or whatever, or if I should try to split it. Have a look below:
(http://i.imgur.com/EQSaZkd.jpg)
(http://i.imgur.com/9rQqlPf.jpg)
(http://i.imgur.com/zIkjr2O.jpg)
(http://i.imgur.com/TT3JtlK.jpg)
(http://i.imgur.com/ge5sQHU.jpg)

I realize I may not get full staves out of much of this, but there's some billets hidden in there at the very least.
Title: Re: How best to prepare
Post by: Pat B on April 06, 2015, 11:53:36 am: Ideally, splitting is more appropriate for selfbows but some of these logs have too many limbs for good splitting. I'd split the ones I could, or the section of each that will split clean and maybe saw the others for lams or riser blocks.
Title: Re: How best to prepare
Post by: PEARL DRUMS on April 06, 2015, 12:46:11 pm: You'll want 36" billets. You don't need all that to build a bow, but odds are the ends will check a bit and you'll have to snip length off. The splice needs 4" as well.

What is that pine looking wood?
Title: Re: How best to prepare
Post by: JacksonCash on April 06, 2015, 12:57:15 pm: I thought it was yew, but your comment makes me unsure...
Title: Re: How best to prepare
Post by: PEARL DRUMS on April 06, 2015, 01:01:55 pm: I suppose it could be ornamental yew up here.
Title: Re: How best to prepare
Post by: Blaflair2 on April 06, 2015, 03:26:57 pm: Looks like ornamental to me
Title: Re: How best to prepare
Post by: JacksonCash on April 06, 2015, 04:48:44 pm: Ornimental still good for bows? We've got a lot of that, if it isn't very good I'll make sure he doesn't get any more.
Title: Re: How best to prepare
Post by: Blaflair2 on April 06, 2015, 05:18:35 pm: From my understanding yew is yew. Won't have as high of a ring count. I got a blank roughed out of Japanese yew.
Title: Re: How best to prepare
Post by: JacksonCash on April 06, 2015, 05:36:35 pm: I figure the best bet I have is to try it. Worst case is I break a bit of it, right? I think I've decided to try to split what I can - the big osage piece definitely has some 36" sections in there, and possibly some 50"+ on the underside. The smaller osage piece is like, 30" to the Y, which may not do me much good. I'm just worried about doing something stupid and wasting the best parts of what I have, I'm sure you guys understand.
Title: Re: How best to prepare
Post by: Blaflair2 on April 06, 2015, 05:38:16 pm: I would split the yeller wood and cut the yew, yew doesn't matter if u violate the grain lengthwise
Title: Re: How best to prepare
Post by: PEARL DRUMS on April 07, 2015, 08:48:23 am: Give it a try. Good yew and bad yew are separated by about 2500 miles. The difference between so-so PNW yew and ornamental yew is huge. Not even the same wood really, just the same color. Kind of like mulberry and osage. Looks like the branch on the right has a clean side and length to it.
Title: Re: How best to prepare
Post by: JacksonCash on April 07, 2015, 07:44:26 pm: Yes, I'm excited for that one. It's probably the only full length stave I've got in the lot.
Title: Re: How best to prepare
Post by: PEARL DRUMS on April 07, 2015, 07:57:04 pm: Id suggest keeping a good width and length and adding a rawhide or silk backing. I think it could fly.