Good ol' manual labor.

[IdahoMatt]

Got some wood today.  Is was some hard work with a hand saw till I got back to the shop, where the band saw is.  Total of 24 staves.  1 piss elm (Dutch) I believe and 23 mountain maple 6 of witch is the compression side for expierimenting.  All of the others are tension side staves sawn in half.  Hope to make some good stuff here.  Thanks for lookin. 

[bubbles]

Wow.  Some of those look like quite the challenge. 

[wizardgoat]

Is mountain maple Douglas maple? I have some and it looks very similar.
Some cool snaky ones in there!

[IdahoMatt]

I believe it is Douglas maple.

[blackhawk]

Looks like maple madness there matt  ...next time drive a lil further north for some of that yew

[IdahoMatt]

The nape is in my back yard and I'm way down south.  I would have to drive about nine hours to get some yew. 

[IdahoMatt]

Would any of you vine maple guys keep the compression side of the stave.  Or should I cut for fire wood.  I know it doesn't make a fantastic bow but would it make a decent bow?  I know this isn't vine maple but I have heard its close.  Thanks

[blackhawk]

I'd drive nine hours for yew matt ..road trip and camping/hiking etc time..sounds fun to me...can't go wrong any which way regardless in northern idaho I bet your closer than 9 hours as well...I say 7,and that's 23 hours closer than I am...lol  ...but maybe your not as adventurous as me 

[IdahoMatt]

True Chris.  Mabe after hunting season I née to take a trip.  Excuses are just so easy.  My wife and I are tearing down a couple of houses right now I our spare time.  So spare spare time is a hard thing to find .  There I go again with excuses.

[wizardgoat]

I live in yew country and still drive 5-6 hours to the good spots.
Ive saved a few compression staves, but haven't used them yet .
kurt from brisky bows told me he has, but 40# or less.
Does Douglas wander as bad as vine when split green?

[jeffp51]

Mine did.  Thought I had a straight log, but when I quartered it, they were all over the place.  Pretty wood, though.  Matt, It would be interesting and maybe helpful to compare notes.  I am new and still working on my first maple staves (in Utah).  I am curious to see if I can make a bow at all out of the stuff.  I will look forward to seeing how yours turn out.  Keep us posted

[John D]

That'll keep you out of trouble for a bit.  Sounds like you earned it!

[IdahoMatt]

It moves quite a bit while drying but nothing too bad yet.  Some of these look like they might go pretty far.  But I am still experimenting with this wood.  I posted a while back on another haul that I didn't seal the ends or the backs.  In hind sight I should have listened to my pears and now I will they didn't check too bad and some didn't at all.  But some did and I don't want to lose any to laziness or stubbornness. 

Jeff mt. Maple dose make a good bow here is one that I made that won BOM.  It still shoots great and the early tension is great.  Feal free to PM me any time 

[IdahoMatt]

Oops here is the link.  Sorry

http://www.primitivearcher.com/smf/index.php/topic,43593.msg586087.html#msg586087

[PatM]

I'm always amazed that you guys will go into the woods and apparently cut the first 15 trees you see. I guess if that's your thing.