Primitive Archer
Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: Easternarcher on February 04, 2008, 10:16:21 pm
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Maybe some of you remember this Hornbeam log that I acquired last fall.
Well, tonite I decided to split the thing to see what I had. Now, even tho I pay close attention to the self-bow build alongs etc, I don't know what I should do with this thing. The other half was riddled with large live knots so I'm pretty sure it's firewood.
But I took my spokeshave to this one and cleaned up the split just abit so I could get soem good picks.
What's your opinions? Should I look for a better stave?
(http://i179.photobucket.com/albums/w301/Easternarcher/12-30-2007%20HHB%20SELFBOW/HHB1.jpg)
(http://i179.photobucket.com/albums/w301/Easternarcher/12-30-2007%20HHB%20SELFBOW/HHB13.jpg)
(http://i179.photobucket.com/albums/w301/Easternarcher/12-30-2007%20HHB%20SELFBOW/HHB8.jpg)
(http://i179.photobucket.com/albums/w301/Easternarcher/12-30-2007%20HHB%20SELFBOW/HHB11.jpg)
(http://i179.photobucket.com/albums/w301/Easternarcher/12-30-2007%20HHB%20SELFBOW/HHB7.jpg)
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Split it again, and lay your bows out. Try the split with out the knot first. Then when youre done with that one start on the other. That limb knot might dissapear when you get to roughing your bow out.
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I think you should be able to get a bow out of that stave. I would lay the bow out as far on the stave away from that knot as possible. Other then that the stave looks pretty clean. You'll need to heat the roughed-in bow and remove propellor which it looks like it will have. A form would be very useful for this if you've got one. You can remove propellor and add some reflex at the same time. I'd apply some cooking oil on the belly side of the bow prior to applying heat. :)
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By all means go for it even if in the end ya fail you will learn so much.
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Not sure, send it on over and I'll let you know ;) ;D
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Hi
If you are going to make a flat bow I would use a string line to get an idea of where to position the handle and mark the bow out on the stave as it is. I would not worry about the limbs if the twist is not to great. If you neck the wood out at the handle and steam it, you could introduce some reflex, be careful if you do this as to much can make tillering difficult.
Peter (UK)
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Looks good enough for a bow to me. Make sure you are carefull when removing the cambium. Ironwood has very thin rings and you can go through the outer ring easily.
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There is a bow in there if the bowyer can coax it out. Actually, am I missing something? That looks like a pretty good stave. Easternarcher, what are you looking at that seems daunting to you? Jawge
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I can see one :),like Marc said be careful when debarking.Never had to chase a ring on IW.
It could be tough.
Pappy
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There is a bow in there if the bowyer can coax it out. Actually, am I missing something? That looks like a pretty good stave. Easternarcher, what are you looking at that seems daunting to you? Jawge
lol...George, everything. I've never built a selfie before so I'm imtimidated by what to start with.. And as I understand I should use the natural back for the backing. humps-bumps and all. I've already de-barked it as you can see. The split went very well I think. The other side has a lot of knots, so I'll likely toss that side.
Use heat to remove twist and induce reflex....all that is new to me I'm afraid. Also afraid that without a glued down backing, this thing will explode and crack my noggin.
Should I leave the whoops and doglegs in the bow or try to straighen it laterally?
Dimensions for layout of HHB would maybe help me.
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Whoa now, easy there. Never toss a stave. As you grow in your abilities and confidence you may find this to be an exhilerating challenge later.
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Looks like there's a blank running right down the middle of that stave.
You can try and straighten it, doglegs tend to be corrected better than whoops. I'd get it down to near dimensions before doing any straightening.
I am pretty picky when it comes to wood, I don't see a bow in every stave. Some pieces are meant for the fireplace or the smoker.
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Whoa now, easy there. Never toss a stave. As you grow in your abilities and confidence you may find this to be an exhilerating challenge later.
This was the other side before the split.....
(http://i179.photobucket.com/albums/w301/Easternarcher/12-30-2007%20HHB%20SELFBOW/CopyofIMG_0872.jpg)
(http://i179.photobucket.com/albums/w301/Easternarcher/12-30-2007%20HHB%20SELFBOW/CopyofIMG_0869.jpg)
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Maybe a pair of billets from the clean end, if they don't warp in drying.
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Maybe a pair of billets from the clean end, if they don't warp in drying.
No worries about drying....this thing sat in a barn for the past 3-4 years.
Well now, I did not consider cutting it up for billets!
See, we all learn something new and see things thru other bowyer's eyes...it's great!
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Heck I will trade ya for the IW I have drying, yours is so clean and straight compared to mine :(
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Heck I will trade ya for the IW I have drying, yours is so clean and straight compared to mine :(
Sorry...what is IW? (I'm so dumb....)
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Ironwood or hophornbeam ;)
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Ironwood or hophornbeam ;)
I told ya I was dumb! sheesh! ::)
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Looks like a beaut. I am working on a hornbeam stave now that was really wiggly. I wouldnt make it into billets
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OK guys any suggestions for limb width and bow length? I'm thinking about 66" ntn, and I'm looking for 50+lbs at 27"
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LOL, EA. I can see why you had some concerns. I didn't catch that you are a beginner. That is the way I learned. Knots, humps, bumps, etc. But I had learning wood in my back yard so I didn't care. I learned a lot from each failure. You may want to get a pristine stave. Tell the wood cutter you are a beginner. The other option is to learn on boards. Your call. Here's me site for plenty on each of the options. Jawge
http://mysite.verizon.net/georgeandjoni/archer.html
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Take a look at GregB's HHB bow.
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LOL, EA. I can see why you had some concerns. I didn't catch that you are a beginner. That is the way I learned. Knots, humps, bumps, etc. But I had learning wood in my back yard so I didn't care. I learned a lot from each failure. You may want to get a pristine stave. Tell the wood cutter you are a beginner. The other option is to learn on boards. Your call. Here's me site for plenty on each of the options. Jawge
http://mysite.verizon.net/georgeandjoni/archer.html
Jawge, yea I'm a beginner.I've got 3 bows under my belt now. All board and backed....
But, I think I'll give this a go. It may fail, but that's how we learn.
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OK, here's what I did tonite...
After looking over that half log of HHB, I decided that I would split it again. So I started at a check in the end and figured I'd let the wood tell me where it wants to go. Sounds cheesy I know, but it was cool to watch that split run down the log and then vear(spelling) out around the doudy knot on one side, then come right back in to a 2 in. split all the way to the other end! :o Now this stave varied from 1.5 to 2.25 in.wide and wouldn't ya know....that doudy knot ended up being within 3/8th inch from exact center of this blankand just off center in width.! also cool, now I can work that into my grip area. The stave is rather thin, I can't make many mistakes with this one, but being HHB, I think there's enough meat to amke a good limb. May have to add a grip section tho. It does have some propellor twist, and I'll see what I can do with that.
(http://i179.photobucket.com/albums/w301/Easternarcher/12-30-2007%20HHB%20SELFBOW/HHB60.jpg)
(http://i179.photobucket.com/albums/w301/Easternarcher/12-30-2007%20HHB%20SELFBOW/HHB61.jpg)
(http://i179.photobucket.com/albums/w301/Easternarcher/12-30-2007%20HHB%20SELFBOW/HHB62.jpg)
Now I turn attention to the other side with the live knot. I thought about starting on the end again to let the wood decide, but I decided to start the surgical split right at the knot, run to the near end, then finish off to the other side. Again sounds corny, but it worked like a dream as far as I know.....I only lost about 3/4in. off the short side and it ran out before getting to the long end.
It's gonna be a bit snakey with twist so this should also be a challenge, but I'm gonna give'er all I got!
(http://i179.photobucket.com/albums/w301/Easternarcher/12-30-2007%20HHB%20SELFBOW/HHB63.jpg)
(http://i179.photobucket.com/albums/w301/Easternarcher/12-30-2007%20HHB%20SELFBOW/HHB66.jpg)
(http://i179.photobucket.com/albums/w301/Easternarcher/12-30-2007%20HHB%20SELFBOW/HHB65.jpg)
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That looks pretty good now. See you'll figure it out, no problem. ;)
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Thanks Ryano. I tend to not take no for an answer. So we'll see how it goes.
After checking out the other half(the one I thought was firewood) I think I may just work at that one too, just to say I tried it.
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Looking good so far,You could try the worst piece first,if it make a bow great if not you will
learn a lot for the better piece.By the way I love your wedges.Thats what you call using what you have available.I work twisted knotty pieces all the time just for the practice,if they make a bow
great but if not you learn.Then when you get a really good straight clean piece it's a piece of cake,well almost. ;D
Pappy