Managed to score a 4' log a couple of weeks back. Have never tried to make an elm bow nor a bow made from billets so it's all new ground.
Had been lying for a few weeks and dried enough for a single split to form. A nice straight handy one.
Opened it by knocking in a hatchet then went at it with a couple of hazel wedges(just what was lying around handy).
Looking good.
Right down the middle, nice one.
Quartered and paired. 2' longer than I need. They should be quite an interesting shape. Although they wander around a bit there's no twist.
Tidied up a bit.
Next step is going at them with the draw knife and taking off the last five or six years growth. You can see on the second pic how wide and varying those rings are. I'll take it down and look to make the bows out of the more even section and hopefully work a bit of the heartwood into the handle and fades for prettiness sake.
Still to dry too of course.
Josh
Had been lying for a few weeks and dried enough for a single split to form. A nice straight handy one.
Opened it by knocking in a hatchet then went at it with a couple of hazel wedges(just what was lying around handy).
Looking good.
Right down the middle, nice one.
Quartered and paired. 2' longer than I need. They should be quite an interesting shape. Although they wander around a bit there's no twist.
Tidied up a bit.
Next step is going at them with the draw knife and taking off the last five or six years growth. You can see on the second pic how wide and varying those rings are. I'll take it down and look to make the bows out of the more even section and hopefully work a bit of the heartwood into the handle and fades for prettiness sake.
Still to dry too of course.
Josh
