Primitive Archer

Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: DC on February 07, 2017, 01:55:45 pm

Title: Pacific Crabapple
Post by: DC on February 07, 2017, 01:55:45 pm
This is my second Pacific Crabapple bow. It's 66" NTN, 43#@28". Chew hoof tip overlays. The handle is a pigskin(I think) leather jacket piece that I put on inside out so it looks like suede. I wrapped the ends with upholstery thread. Finish is  3 coats of Varathane Plastic Oil. I heat treated it but then tillered most of the brown off. Not sure how much treating is left but it returns to dead straight almost immediately. Shoots around 165 with 10gpp arrows. I seem to be stuck on 165, I'm having trouble getting by that. I walked by a lot of Crab when I was collecting OS but I won't any more. It's real nice wood. It has a ripply back, sort of like HBB but not high enough to cause any problems.
Title: Re: Pacific Crabapple
Post by: DC on February 07, 2017, 01:57:08 pm
More
Title: Re: Pacific Crabapple
Post by: DC on February 07, 2017, 01:58:57 pm
And the full draw taken a few days ago before the snow.
Title: Re: Pacific Crabapple
Post by: Stick Bender on February 07, 2017, 02:04:30 pm
That is one sexy looking bow there , nice speed & bend cant beat that thanks for publishing speed numbers.
Title: Re: Pacific Crabapple
Post by: Springbuck on February 07, 2017, 02:08:47 pm
Hey, nice!  I think apple is fantastic stuff, if you can find a piece without wildly twisted grain.  Most I tried had tight barber-poles all the way up.  If that specie does less of that, you are on to something.
Title: Re: Pacific Crabapple
Post by: DC on February 07, 2017, 02:12:54 pm
About half of it is twisted but the bark shows it quite plainly.Where I collect it is second growth fir and balsam so it has to grow up. There is quite a bit of it here.
Title: Re: Pacific Crabapple
Post by: selfbow joe on February 07, 2017, 02:14:59 pm
Very nice looking bow.
Title: Re: Pacific Crabapple
Post by: osage outlaw on February 07, 2017, 02:16:45 pm
That's a nice bow.  Great job on it
Title: Re: Pacific Crabapple
Post by: Ghost Dog on February 07, 2017, 02:26:06 pm
Now that's a selfbow. Simple, elegant, well conceived and to the point.
Title: Re: Pacific Crabapple
Post by: bjrogg on February 07, 2017, 03:22:17 pm
Nice bow D.C. That full draw looks real sweet. Crab apple is definitely on my list to harvest staves of this summer.
Bjrogg
Title: Re: Pacific Crabapple
Post by: wizardgoat on February 07, 2017, 04:37:19 pm
Nice job Don. I need to try some of my apple soon, sounds like another good local bow wood
Title: Re: Pacific Crabapple
Post by: bradsmith2010 on February 07, 2017, 05:13:04 pm
nice bow,, congrats,, 165 is really great,,
you could get past it with a smaller fast flight string,,and maybe a bit more practice on your release:) 
Title: Re: Pacific Crabapple
Post by: Aaron H on February 07, 2017, 06:27:27 pm
Great looking bow DC
Title: Re: Pacific Crabapple
Post by: DC on February 07, 2017, 06:33:37 pm
I use 10 strands of FF now. I thought of going to 6 but then all my arrow nocks would be to big. I guess I could beef up the center with 4 strands before I serve it. I tried drawing about 3/4 full draw and then quickly going to full draw and releasing. That got me  bit more speed but my consistency stunk. I decided that I would just shoot with my normal draw and release and get more consistent results.
Title: Re: Pacific Crabapple
Post by: Stick Bender on February 07, 2017, 06:49:05 pm
165 fps @ 43 lb is wicked speed for that light of weight bow seems to me. If that was my bow I would be ecstatic @ 165 fps with hunting weight arrows , awesome job on that one. Impressive DC
Title: Re: Pacific Crabapple
Post by: DC on February 07, 2017, 07:14:07 pm
Thanks for all the nice comments! Really appreciate it. It would be interesting to see if "back east" crabapple was as nice a wood. Having made only two Crab bows it's hard the generalise but it really seems to like heat treating. When I treated it it went from something like 40@22 to 40@18. It was like starting over :D
Title: Re: Pacific Crabapple
Post by: BowEd on February 07, 2017, 07:15:50 pm
That's very nice work with very nice lines to it.That bow will kill.No doubt about that.Main thing is to hit the mark as with most.Our crab apple trees are for more landscape highlights flowering in the spring on lawns around here.Usually very short trees.Billets would be the only option.
Your heat treating put on a good 4#'s of draw weight for sure.
Title: Re: Pacific Crabapple
Post by: DC on February 07, 2017, 07:22:58 pm
I googled Native crab apple and Pacific Crab is a much bigger tree. 40' compared to 25" for other native Crabs. You can look here http://ww w.actforlibraries.org/crab-apple-trees-native-to-north-america/
Title: Re: Pacific Crabapple
Post by: upstatenybowyer on February 07, 2017, 08:00:57 pm
Hey alright DC, she's a beaut! I love the tips. I've got an eastern crabapple bow roughed out and drying right now. I plan on heat treating, so if I don't destroy it, I'll let you know how the "back east" variety holds up.  :)
Title: Re: Pacific Crabapple
Post by: Bryce on February 08, 2017, 03:19:44 am
Nice job Don. I need to try some of my apple soon, sounds like another good local bow wood

It's good stuff!
Title: Re: Pacific Crabapple
Post by: Hans H on February 08, 2017, 04:38:17 am
yes, she`s a really Beauty, congrats.
Hans
Title: Re: Pacific Crabapple
Post by: Stick Bender on February 08, 2017, 06:53:54 am
Mr DC did you weight that bow mass wise ? just out of curiosity ?
Title: Re: Pacific Crabapple
Post by: Marc St Louis on February 08, 2017, 08:54:55 am
That is a good looking bow and the tiller looks good too
Title: Re: Pacific Crabapple
Post by: Stringman on February 08, 2017, 09:39:40 am
Simply made, finely executed!
Title: Re: Pacific Crabapple
Post by: MulchMaker on February 08, 2017, 10:15:35 am
I'm glad I looked at this one!! That looks like a beauty. nice tips. great bendy stick you have there. Make me want to raid the abandon orchard across the street. Sound like you've got a fast shooter.
Title: Re: Pacific Crabapple
Post by: DC on February 08, 2017, 11:28:52 am
Mr DC did you weight that bow mass wise ? just out of curiosity ?

Just did ;D  20.85 oz. That's with the string and keeper. A bit heavy I think.
Title: Re: Pacific Crabapple
Post by: Stick Bender on February 08, 2017, 11:50:38 am
Im not sure handle fade length , reflex etc but doesent sound to far off , I was just curious just been following the mass principle these days & seem to be getting nicer bows , thanks for the info & bother !
Title: Re: Pacific Crabapple
Post by: bow101 on February 08, 2017, 03:07:50 pm
I remember eating Crab apples 55 years ago.  This is a nostalgic bow in my books.  Nice job.  :)
Title: Re: Pacific Crabapple
Post by: DC on February 08, 2017, 03:13:23 pm
I ate a few while I was harvesting a stave this last fall. They are small, like a small cherry. Sour, but very appley. You bite into one and the is no question that it's an apple.
Title: Re: Pacific Crabapple
Post by: Redhand on February 08, 2017, 05:05:21 pm
Nice job on that bow. Apple seems to be great bow wood.
Title: Re: Pacific Crabapple
Post by: rps3 on February 08, 2017, 05:42:32 pm
Great looking bow. I particularly like the looks of the tip overlays, I am going to try that. I have made 1 crabapple bow from pa and liked it.
Title: Re: Pacific Crabapple
Post by: DC on February 08, 2017, 05:55:51 pm
When you buy pet store chew hooves ask to look though their box of them. Some are multi coloured and look really nice. They look like opal or agate when they're buffed up. Some have thick enough bottoms and some you have to kind of angle your cut to get a thick enough piece.
Title: Re: Pacific Crabapple
Post by: rps3 on February 09, 2017, 03:00:05 am
Will do, thanks for the tip.
Title: Re: Pacific Crabapple
Post by: Pappy on February 09, 2017, 07:26:43 am
Very nice, good looking bow. :)
 Pappy
Title: Re: Pacific Crabapple
Post by: neuse on February 09, 2017, 07:29:43 am
Really beautiful bow, great job.
Title: Re: Pacific Crabapple
Post by: vinemaplebows on February 10, 2017, 07:39:31 pm
Very nice. Seems like good speed to me.  Just cut a huge domestic apple tree myself, beautiful heavy wood.
Title: Re: Pacific Crabapple
Post by: Stixnstones on February 11, 2017, 10:26:10 am
great lookin bow, fine job
Title: Re: Pacific Crabapple
Post by: Dvshunter on February 12, 2017, 11:22:24 am
That's a sharp looking bow. Well done!
Title: Re: Pacific Crabapple
Post by: Whiskeyjet on February 12, 2017, 03:44:49 pm
That looks really cool!
Title: Re: Pacific Crabapple
Post by: TSA on February 12, 2017, 09:34:52 pm
awesome bow, i have a crabapple stave sitting awaiting my attention, we are just the next set of islands north of you. fair amount of it here too!
how big around do you find your suitable pieces in your area?

those tips look awesome!!!
Title: Re: Pacific Crabapple
Post by: Blayne on February 12, 2017, 10:08:28 pm
Another great bow Don! I really love the character of that wood(at least the first one you built) when we go out collecting some wood, maybe we will spy some crab for my collection!