ok then no answer , I'll just use beeswax it can't do any harm. I am a bit disappointed though, I thought someone would give advice on this as everyone else gets an answer.
Bow Making
- Thread starter Bushcraftsman
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yea youll definitely want to coat it. beeswax works but it could be a pain melting it and getting good coverage everywhere. i dont know if they have it in britain but ive used minwax polyeurethane, theres many different colors you can choose from to stain it or you can just use a clear coat. im also fond of raw linseed oil, non-boiled. happy bowmaking
Would it be possible to make a bow (decent) from willow....
I ask as I have a willow in the garden, which I am gradually reducing (to a pollard) and usually just burn what ever I lop....but there are some substantial straight notless limbs which could provide some nice split wood for a bow. But not much point if willow is unsuitable.
Smoggy
I ask as I have a willow in the garden, which I am gradually reducing (to a pollard) and usually just burn what ever I lop....but there are some substantial straight notless limbs which could provide some nice split wood for a bow. But not much point if willow is unsuitable.
Smoggy
willow is one of the few woods that does not make a good bow. but if you want to makes ome arrows out of it, willow is great for that.
Thanks shawn, I knew it had to be good for something......haha....
I take it arrows are made from smaller whips rather than splitting main branches.....
Nigel.
I take it arrows are made from smaller whips rather than splitting main branches.....
Nigel.
Don't be disapointed Clip, people aren't always around. A simple finish is light tan shoe polish. Buffs up lovely...
I just use lots of coats of boiled linseed oil, cut it with white spirits to thin it down and help it soak in faster.
Salix caprea aka goat willow is good for making bows, well atleast i have made 2 from it and it works great. The wood is easy to work and take a nice finish. I usually giev all my bows away but ill ask the guy i gave it too for a picture.
Dwardo, I think mine is a crack willow or maybe a hybrid....but defo not goat....
I may have a "play with it" just by way of an excersize, after all, even if it is a total failure I can still burn what's left so no loss!
Nigel.
I may have a "play with it" just by way of an excersize, after all, even if it is a total failure I can still burn what's left so no loss!
Nigel.
"Crack" willow doesnt sound like a good start
Who knows though, only tried goat willow my self.
"Crack" willow doesnt sound like a good start
Who knows though, only tried goat willow my self.
In my experience, willow is good for cricket bats (and arrows) but not bows...for what its worth....
In my experience, willow is good for cricket bats (and arrows) but not bows...for what its worth....
Give goat willow a go mate, wont be a waste of your time i promise
Plenty of it about too, plus it grows straight and is very easy to work. This is a test bow that i gave to a friend who finished it and sent me some pics.
I would like to try a half heart wood and half sapwood version next time. The heart wood is a nice pink colour.
That looks good dwardo. How much set, what poundage/drawlength, and is there a full draw picture...ooo, and while we're at it, brace height?...
Earlier this year i had to cut some sycamore and some goat willow from outside my families business. It was scrub land so everything had grown fast and pretty straight
One of the goat willows i cut was about fist thick, possibly more. I de-barked it straight away, split it when i got home where i left it in a spare room for a week or two. I really did just hack away at it after that.. i even finished the tiller using a spoke shave on it whilst braced :sad6:
After all this and a really quick rubbish tiller with obvious hinges it worked out pretty well. The bow was about my height 5ft 10", about 2-1/2" at the widest limb down to about about thumb width max tips. Pulled around 40-45lbs at about 27" draw and only took about 1,3/4" of set. (I didnt even try to heat treat it either
) I will get some more specs next time i see it.John the guy i gave it to is a lovely fella and a great archer. He finished it with oil and made a proper wrap for the handle. Lovely job he did too
I will be trying goat willow as soon as i finish this ash bow.
Pine isnt so hot as a bow wood. It probably wouldnt even be worth the practice.
Like most woods people have made bows from pine but they have to be pretty long and wide.
Ash is a great wood to start with so keep a pocket saw handy and your eyes open
Like most woods people have made bows from pine but they have to be pretty long and wide.
Ash is a great wood to start with so keep a pocket saw handy and your eyes open
