Primitive Archer
Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: jandersson on January 02, 2016, 02:40:21 pm
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Hello there,
Some time ago I finished an ash sapling bow, my 4th bow, first non board bow. I found it growing through the fence at the dog park so they had to cut it anyways. It was 1" in one end and 1 1/2 in he other before I took he bark off. 68", around 50#@ 27. It had a little bit of natural R/D going on and I added about an inch of set. I honestly had no idea what I was doing with all the knots and twists, I had to straighten it a bit but I think it turned out ok after all. I'm not sure about the final tiller and we'll see how long it lasts. Sorry no FD, I'll add it when wifey comes home and take the picture. Taking good pictures btw was a pain, kudos to all you skilled camera operators! Mine kinda blows.
Also I cut another sapling yesterday but it had no leaves so I don't know what it is but i was hoping with your guys experience could figure it out. So I live in Minneapolis and there's a lot of Hackberry, Ash and Maples where I cut it. The wood was a little stringy, some sticky sap dripped out on the floor as it thawed and my dog chewed on some and it turned reddish (not blood, I checked). I was thinking maybe a soft maple?
Thanks for looking!
(http://i1104.photobucket.com/albums/h330/geek_usa80/IMG_8216.jpg) (http://s1104.photobucket.com/user/geek_usa80/media/IMG_8216.jpg.html)
(http://i1104.photobucket.com/albums/h330/geek_usa80/IMG_8218.jpg) (http://s1104.photobucket.com/user/geek_usa80/media/IMG_8218.jpg.html)
(http://i1104.photobucket.com/albums/h330/geek_usa80/IMG_8219.jpg) (http://s1104.photobucket.com/user/geek_usa80/media/IMG_8219.jpg.html)
(http://i1104.photobucket.com/albums/h330/geek_usa80/IMG_8221.jpg) (http://s1104.photobucket.com/user/geek_usa80/media/IMG_8221.jpg.html)
(http://i1104.photobucket.com/albums/h330/geek_usa80/IMG_8223.jpg) (http://s1104.photobucket.com/user/geek_usa80/media/IMG_8223.jpg.html)
(http://i1104.photobucket.com/albums/h330/geek_usa80/IMGP1960.jpg) (http://s1104.photobucket.com/user/geek_usa80/media/IMGP1960.jpg.html)
(http://i1104.photobucket.com/albums/h330/geek_usa80/IMG_8215.jpg) (http://s1104.photobucket.com/user/geek_usa80/media/IMG_8215.jpg.html)
(http://i1104.photobucket.com/albums/h330/geek_usa80/IMG_8208_1.jpg) (http://s1104.photobucket.com/user/geek_usa80/media/IMG_8208_1.jpg.html)
(http://i1104.photobucket.com/albums/h330/geek_usa80/IMG_8203.jpg) (http://s1104.photobucket.com/user/geek_usa80/media/IMG_8203.jpg.html)
(http://i1104.photobucket.com/albums/h330/geek_usa80/IMGP1976.jpg) (http://s1104.photobucket.com/user/geek_usa80/media/IMGP1976.jpg.html)
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I really like how you made that bow. And for you 1st non board bow it looks pretty darn good to me. I'm still a sucker for sapling bows and always have my eyes out for a new potential bow. Again great job.
Not sure I can i'd the bark on your new stave. Hopefully others with better eyes than me will chime in.
(It may be a type of oak)
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Your tree ID is tough, whter it had opposite or alternate branching and a twig/bud shot would help. My guess would be it might be buckthorn, looks like it has a pith to me and the grain is similar to ash.
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im not buying any of that " i had no idea of what i was doing" stuff. lol thats a fine bow.ill check out the tiller later when you post that full draw pic. but otherwise thats a nice bow.Tony
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I've seen alder bruise orange, so that might be a possiblity too
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nice bow,, I dont know what the other wood is,, :)
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Oh, wow, when you said "sapling bow" you meant it! That is a great bow. Super cool.
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TimPotter: Thank you Sir! I like them too and also you don't have to split and dry big trunks!
wapiti1997: Branches are opposite. I checked Alder out and I think you might be right. Grain is very similar also it's kinda soft.
riverrat: Thanks Tony! Yeah I had some headaches working on it and went with what seemed to be the most reasonable at the time and also got some help from PA. Tillering was tricky with knots and bends, you get to judge it later.
bradsmith2010: Thanks! I'm leaning towards Alder now.
Springbuck: Thanks buck! Shoots better then my board ones. But I never shot any other bows ever so I wouldn't know if it's really that good at all!
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Looks like a sweeet bow to me !
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You got a nice amount of poundage out of that stick.Nice job.There are more ash bows out there under 50# than 50# and over.
Your mystery woods' bark looks like black cherry to me but there is no heartwood so that's out.
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That is a sweet looking sapling. Can't wait for full draw. Minneapolis you say? I am a little south of you in Wabasha. Mike
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A fine looking bow!
I have no idea on the other sapling though, but the bark doesn't look like the hackberry we have the n the southern US nor does it look like any maple I've seen but then again, no sugar maple grows down here.
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Nice sapling bow!!! Well done, J.Andersson!
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Beautiful bow! I also thought the bark could be black cherry but the grain looks a lot more like ash. We sawed up some gray elm today with a suspiciously similar look to the Cambrian layer, put my money on ash, though I've never seen ash ooze sap.. How many hours went into the bow this far?
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I'm pretty sure that is an ash, ash can have x pattern or blocky alligator type bark. Also the all white straight grain suggests ash.
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Nice tiller on full draw pic.
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NICE TILLER ! to me, thats the sweetest part of a bow...the way it bends. kind of like a girl...the way she walks lol Tony
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That's a mighty fine bow. Yes sir, saplings bows can get it done. :) Jawge
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Fantastic bow man. 8)
To get that draw weight out of a twig is very impressive and the primitive look is surely what its all about! :)
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Beautiful bow! I like it ALOT. Great job.
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You did a really nice job on that stick.
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Thanks everybody for your kind words! The bow would't be here if it wasn't for all the really skilled people on this forum.
Beadman: My scale is broken so I just comparing it to my other 50#'er. I can't take credit for an above 50 yet ;)
Swampman: Thanks and good to see more MN rep's around!
dantolin: I like that Laurel sapling bow you did! It gave me some confidence in this one that I was working on at the time.
Hrothgar and Lumber man: Two bids for Ash huh? Could very well be, there's a lot of that growing around where I cut it. This is the first time I work with Ash and it seems to be a big difference in hardness to it. I put a couple of hours in to it and I think I'll try to make a bow out of it . If it doesn't turn out I'm sure I'll learn something anyways.
riverrat: Lol! Your mind was going XXX there for a second and then you caught yourself ? ;D
Work is callin'.Talk to you later guys!
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Nice job!
That a tough ID, especially how dark it is, almost looks burned.
I live in Eden Prairie, this thread is bringing out the Minnesotans!
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Ha! When I saw you name I thought it had to be a neighbor!
The bark looks a little darker in the pic but the wood is spot on.
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I vote ash as wel.