New birch bow. Lots of poor pictures x posted
- Thread starter dwardo
- Start date
Like many people here id love to have a go at making a bow, it seems that there are a good few people who are the same, and quite a few who have made quite a lot.
So.. the thought occurs would people be interested in a workshop? I know there are bow making courses out there but for my palat they can be expensive and i would far prefer to meet and have a go with some people that know a bit - but need not be experts? Of course it needn't be limited to just bows...
Just a thought, i know finding a venue etc can be tricky but if enough people were interested i could be persuaded to try to arrange.
As another thought - how long can wood stay in the round before being used for bows - im thinking ash from a plantation - i may be able to get hold of some. Or would it be better to halve it immediately?
Cheers
So.. the thought occurs would people be interested in a workshop? I know there are bow making courses out there but for my palat they can be expensive and i would far prefer to meet and have a go with some people that know a bit - but need not be experts? Of course it needn't be limited to just bows...
Just a thought, i know finding a venue etc can be tricky but if enough people were interested i could be persuaded to try to arrange.
As another thought - how long can wood stay in the round before being used for bows - im thinking ash from a plantation - i may be able to get hold of some. Or would it be better to halve it immediately?
Cheers
I have thought about doing something similar in regards to a kind of "bow meet" as you say bow making courses can be very expensive. In regards to the wood ash has a very low MC to start so is a good choice for drying quickly and knocking out bows.
When i use ash for bows i cut it, split it, de-bark it and leave it for a week or so indoors. After about a week i rough out the bow shape leaving plent of room for error then its left for about anopther week indoors. So i guess after about 2 weeks from cutting i start to tiller if the wood says its ok.
I think the problem with a bow making meet would be tools. Sharpes are not too tricky as we all seem to have enough hatchets and blades
etc, not so sure about spoke shaves and draw knives though. I think the problem would be tiller trees/vice or shave horse.The wood would have to be split into pretty close stave dimensions and de-barked. At this stage i think ash should dry out enough inside a month stored indoors. The rule of thumb is the mroe wood you have the longer it takes to season.
Unfortunately i would need the wood to be kept at least partially in the round - i dont have the luxury of space to be able to do part of the work nor is it likely to be stored close to my pad it - hence that question. The (perhapse wishfull) idea was to use some ash that has been felled recently (30 year 8", any good?) and take the log to a meet and go from there. If in the round it doesnt last more than a couple of weeks for byering purposes then its a non starter. Id like to make a bow from something that resembles a tree not a board. But i guesse that would be up for discussion should enough interested parties appear? Also i dont supose i know what to look for in a tree to make it a good bow i suppose around 6 ft and no knots? Am presuming the flar is along a grain and not across (ie not perpendicular to the bark?)
As for tools - good point, I have a shave horse i would happily bring, and a draw knife which might be loaned out (as long as people dont mind me watching them like a hawk with my favorite thing). Id happily buy a spoke shave or two as long as the reasonably priced cast ones are decent (advice here would be appreciated). Id also be quite happy to make up some bits and pieces if required - and someone could make sure i know what i was making!
Thinking now it sounds like a two stage process - splitting roughing shaping and allowing to dry then a significant gap (1 month?) untill shaping and tillering (forgive the terminology im sure its not 100%. That being the case would there need to be 2 meets or which 'end' of the process is most beneficial to do in a group.
Does any of the process require power tools - as i am thinking of locations without power.
Any more for any more?
As for tools - good point, I have a shave horse i would happily bring, and a draw knife which might be loaned out (as long as people dont mind me watching them like a hawk with my favorite thing). Id happily buy a spoke shave or two as long as the reasonably priced cast ones are decent (advice here would be appreciated). Id also be quite happy to make up some bits and pieces if required - and someone could make sure i know what i was making!
Thinking now it sounds like a two stage process - splitting roughing shaping and allowing to dry then a significant gap (1 month?) untill shaping and tillering (forgive the terminology im sure its not 100%
. That being the case would there need to be 2 meets or which 'end' of the process is most beneficial to do in a group.Does any of the process require power tools - as i am thinking of locations without power.
Any more for any more?
Ash that is 8 diameter should be good for quaters being on the safe side. The problem with any wood is once its felled the bugs and fungi start eyeing it up pretty quickly. White woods especially. It is possible to "chase a ring" if the wood is a little iffy but for beginners its tough, frustraiting and boring. The usual idea is once the bark is removed you use the wood right under the bark as the "back" of the bow. (the back of the bow is the side that faces the target whilst in a shooting position)
I think that for most people the dedication to two meets could be a problem but i am unsure.
I could possibly arrange the staves and the location but it would be a hell of a lot of work to split and de-bark all of the staves then put them in a dry place to season, the cost of the site and materials would have to be factored in.
Its very kind of you to offer your tools but like your self i would also be hovering hawk like as it took me a year to find this draw old knife
I think it may be possible if the people interested have atleast a draw knife and some very rough wood working skills i.e. not going to chop of their thumb on the first day. Also be able to turn up and look after them selves in regards to food and sleeping.
thoughts...
I think that for most people the dedication to two meets could be a problem but i am unsure.
I could possibly arrange the staves and the location but it would be a hell of a lot of work to split and de-bark all of the staves then put them in a dry place to season, the cost of the site and materials would have to be factored in.
Its very kind of you to offer your tools but like your self i would also be hovering hawk like as it took me a year to find this draw old knife
I think it may be possible if the people interested have atleast a draw knife and some very rough wood working skills i.e. not going to chop of their thumb on the first day. Also be able to turn up and look after them selves in regards to food and sleeping.
thoughts...
I think I agree whole heartedley re the sharp things and sorting selves out,
But Id willingly do some of the background work too, especially if you were interesting in being one of the more knowlagable people present. It hardly seems fair to expect you to do it, plus then it all starts to become a bit like a course and not to mention that its all important stuff to know how to do in my book - but ok that might not be practical.
Having said that unless someone else pipes up it could well be you and me and we have our own tools!
But to return to my original question - if i get my hands on stuff a rule of thumb would be to quater it immediately and then come back and pester you lots more to work out whats next, right, right...?
;-)
Being serious i do sometimes get the chance to salvage trees that are being taken down anyhow, but ony have a limited space etc and small car so for me perhapse knowing the roughing first stages are important 'cos if i can salvage them and people can use them id be happy!
I might be comming across a Yew sometime soon about 4inch (btw with dimensions i am talking x section not DBH).
it would be nice to be able to do something with that, theres always knife handles i suppose...
But Id willingly do some of the background work too, especially if you were interesting in being one of the more knowlagable people present. It hardly seems fair to expect you to do it, plus then it all starts to become a bit like a course and not to mention that its all important stuff to know how to do in my book - but ok that might not be practical.
Having said that unless someone else pipes up it could well be you and me and we have our own tools!
But to return to my original question - if i get my hands on stuff a rule of thumb would be to quater it immediately and then come back and pester you lots more to work out whats next, right, right...?
;-)
Being serious i do sometimes get the chance to salvage trees that are being taken down anyhow, but ony have a limited space etc and small car so for me perhapse knowing the roughing first stages are important 'cos if i can salvage them and people can use them id be happy!
I might be comming across a Yew sometime soon about 4inch (btw with dimensions i am talking x section not DBH).
it would be nice to be able to do something with that, theres always knife handles i suppose...
In regards to the wood its best to fell, debark and split at least into halves depending on size. This is for a few reasons, if the wood is left felled then bugs and fungi get in, if you dont de-bark early it can be a bugger to get off later without damaging the back, the larger the splits the more chance there is of them pulliing them selves apart whilst drying.
Once split its best to get them indoors, if you have left some of the split a lot larger such as big halves then put them somewhere less dry like a garage. Its also good to tie the splits back together to stop them warping or strap them to a straight bit of wood. The loft is a good place as you can strap them to the rafters.
A few weeks back i managed to fit an eight foot long 11inch round log in my works little cleo where there is a will
The yew would make a lovely bow or possibly two ELB`s at that size . I have made a working longbow from an awful branch that looked like a twiglet.
Once split its best to get them indoors, if you have left some of the split a lot larger such as big halves then put them somewhere less dry like a garage. Its also good to tie the splits back together to stop them warping or strap them to a straight bit of wood. The loft is a good place as you can strap them to the rafters.
A few weeks back i managed to fit an eight foot long 11inch round log in my works little cleo
where there is a will The yew would make a lovely bow or possibly two ELB`s at that size . I have made a working longbow from an awful branch that looked like a twiglet.
ELB?
English long bow?
my main problem with storage is living in a flat with no garage (rafters or loft)
:-(
yeah i know a tiny fiddle to play at me. But it is a bit of a pain - if i got something good i might have to find someplace to store it short term, neighbours garage, friends garden...
hmm
English long bow?
my main problem with storage is living in a flat with no garage (rafters or loft)
:-(
yeah i know a tiny fiddle to play at me. But it is a bit of a pain - if i got something good i might have to find someplace to store it short term, neighbours garage, friends garden...
hmm
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