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Barberry Self Bow (Berberis vulgaris)

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rockynz:
Hi all,

i'm new to PA and this will be my first bow! I have to say that these are the best forums I've ever been a member of. So much talent on here I've hardly been able to stop reading since I joined!

I'd like to make a longbow from a log of Barberry I cut about a month ago. I was going to let it season for a lot longer but have noticed it has started splitting along its length. I'm thinking I should maybe split it now and rough out the staves to relive the stress as it drys? Here are a few pics of the log, any help about how I should go about it would be much appreciated. The log is 69" long by approx. 5" diam.

Cheers
rocky

Crogacht:
Where's your bow?! Have you got the finish on it yet? How does it shoot?  ;)

rockynz:
 :laugh: LOL, I learnt a lesson there man! First off the log did not split as I wanted it to so ended up with only one real good stave. I debarked it and roughed it out with the axe and sealed the back and ends. Maybe did not use enough sealer as there are cracks all along the back now!! :'( Anyway I had a look at the other bit I split off and may be able to get something out of it. Have split it again into two small staves and left the bark on. So far they look ok, so fingers crossed!

I'm going to split up my Lanewood log tonight so that will dry a bit quicker so hope i don't have the same problems there. Its a huge log 85"long and almost 7" diam. so hope I don't wreck it. You don't find Lancewood like that everyday!

Anyway will post here again as soon as I get to do some more with the Barberry! How's your bow coming along?

Crogacht:
Yeah, I prefer to leave the bark on :D It's risky otherwise.

Man that is a MASSIVE lancewood, nearly twice the size of anything I've seen, but we are sort of on the transition from the podocarp/mixed forest into the southern beech forest, so they don't do as well down here I don't think.

What are the ridges like on a piece that big? If they're a lot smoother than the small bits I've worked, then you might not have to decrown it, which would be ideal.

All my spare time is spent on work and harvesting a couple of big black locust trees the past few weeks, but I should be done with those this weekend, so I might get them on the tiller tree I hope. I'm also looking at getting a lathe, so trying to figure out where I'll put that and how I'll set it up. Should be fun.

rockynz:
Yeah its a huge log alright. I'll put a pic up for you at the weekend. I don't think the ridges will be like the smaller trees. I'll post the pics on that NZ thread and leave this one for the Barberry! Black Locust sounds good!!

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