Primitive Archer
Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: david w. on May 27, 2008, 11:57:02 pm
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I love to make arrows from this and i might try to make a bow if i can find a long enough piece in the small patch woods behined my house i might try to make a bow.
What do you think of this? i love to try new things.
Should i season it like i season my arrows?
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David, sounds interesting. Try different ways to see what will work best for spice bush. I think I will try some too. Did you dry your a shafts with the bark on of off? I may try both ways and see. Keep us posted and I will do the same. Pat
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i seasoned it with bark on just because i dint feel like debarking it at the time :D
i usually season shoots (any kind) bark off except for the last 3"
i will try a few different designs d bow, flat bow, hopefull i will have one done by the end of summer. I cant wait to see yours ;D
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I'll try drying one with bark on, one with it off and one with bark only on the ends. That ought to tell us something. Three different simple designs should be in order also. Sounds like a spice bush challenge! Maybe we can get Hillbilly and others to join in. 8) Pat
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Ya a spice bush challenge! :) This should be fun! If i cant find any by my house i will get some this weekend at the trap and skeet range. The only problem is putting logs in my dads car ;D
I think it would be alot easier to splice billets but im looking for hopefully a full length stave.
I hope more people do this
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I was thinking about a pole bow...2" to 3" dia shoot. The stuff around here don't get to long or big around. Pat
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2 and 3" seems like what it is by me hopefull i can get a longer piece i have seen some long ones
ithink i will leave it crowned instead of trying to chase a ring. If i do decrown it i will back it
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im going lookin for some today. I dont think i will find any where im lookin but i do know another place where its loaded
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it got about a 66 +/- piece of it today. It is nicely reflexed but it has a few knots to work around but it shouldnt be a problem. I would post pics but i let the stave at the edge of the woods where i got it but i will post pics this weekend for sure
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David, I'll see what I can find this weekend. Pat
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Great! i am excited to see it.
im suprized no on else is doing it.
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Most probably wouldn't know spice bush if it hit them up side the head. ;) Pat
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;D
cut into one and youll definatley know :)
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sounds interesting, but i'm one of the guys who wouldn't know it if you smacked me with it! Does it grow in Canada? Does it have any other names?
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its sientific name is Lindera benzoin
It grows in ontario and im sure it spread in eastern manitoba
if you want a picture iw ill post one
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i'm on the very west coast of bc...i wouldn't see any here anyway...
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Just found this thread-I've got plenty of spicebush here, I'll be on the lookout for a stave. David, have you ever tried spicebush tea? It's good stuff.
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I did a quick look yesterday but found very little with stems big enough for a bow. I will do a better search this weekend and hopefully I'll find a candidate. Pat
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According to the USDA maps it grows up here but I can't say I have a clue whether it does or not ???
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Cool HIllbilly i hope you find one. I found a pretty nice one and it should work good i will post pics soon No i have never tried spicebush tea. How would i make it? It sounds good
Pat i had a hard time finding one but i eventually did. I was searching in a lowand swamp sort of area with out boots. Im never doing that again :)
Dana im sure you have it. It is a shrub with spotted twigs and shoots. And if you ever cut one you will definately know
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David, just break off a handful of twigs, remove the leaves, and boil the twigs for a few minutes in a small pot of water. turn off the heat and let it steep for awhile, then pour you a cup, and stir a little honey in it if you want. It's great stuff.
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Awesome im gonna make some sometime.
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thats an interesting idea. i wonder about sourwood?
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Someone made a nice sourwood bow a few years ago. I cut some staves and still have one left but never built a bow with sourwood.
We could also try an "arrow wood" bow contest. Make a bow out of what you cut for arrows; sourwood, maple, salt cedar, viburnum, hazel(Gordon and BryanB can't use hazel! ;D), etc...even cane.
Pat
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thats a great idea. im in!
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Pat, come to think of it, I've got a sourwood stave that you gave me years ago. We need to drag out some of that wierd wood that we've been swapping each other. :)
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The stave I have is a sister to your's Steve. How bout viburnum or buffalo nut. Pat
ps, David I'm still looking for spice bush. ;)
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this thread has gotten much better. we should try new unusual woods and who knows maybe well find the next osage ::)
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wow pat it must be pretty elusive. Maybe you forgot to sneak up on it? ??? ;D that was pretty bad
wow i had the camera out and forgot to take pictures of the stave i might do it later but the picturees take so long to load onto the computer. i hate doing it.
Right now my mom, sister and sister's friend are watching pride and prejudice so i have nothing else better to do. They aer only watching it for the actor. if i watched a movie only for the actress i would be slapped >:( well maybe not slaped but you have the idea.
wow way off topic ;D
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David, I can find in arrow diameter and up to about 1"...maybe a bit larger. There is only one place near me that it grows...along my driveway but on my neighbors property...in a boggy area. I'm sure there is one in there(maybe a set of billets at least). ;D Pat
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i could get you billets. i couldnt find any other full lenght staves but i could find billets
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I found a stave today. It is 51 1/2" long and about 2" in diameter. Has some character to it, also. Here are a few pics of the stave...and a maple sapling that honeysuckle got to. This will make a nice walking stick. Pat
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Thatsa awesome! im happy someone else found one. And that walikng stich is really cool :)
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here it is roughed out it is 58" long i cut it down a few inches. i may leave the bark on the back. i havent decided yet
its roughed out and it looking good and it has an 1" or 2 of reflex
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Is the reflex natural or did it pull into reflex after you reduced it? Do a test with another piece of wood with the bark left on and see if the bark doesn't break or crack after it is dried and is pulled into tension. Some barks will split or crack and others will hold up. Pat
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the reflex is natural it was like that way when i cut it.
I debarked the whole thing. I didnt take all the cambium off so it looks like i violated all the rings ;D
the wood has a light yellow tint and the heeart wood is a really pretty light brown maybe even a little purpleish.
i will be be shooting for 40-45# @ 26"
i thnk spicebush kills off the bigger pieces so in one place it is dark brown i could get rid of it but i would violate a ring
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cool. is that sour wood or spice bush?
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Recurve, The staves David and I have are spice bush(Lindera benzoin). The twisted stick is maple that was attacked by Japanese honeysuckle. Pat