Plum advice please

[Rākau]

Kia ora guys, I am after some recommendations.

Pictured below is a fresh cut, soon to be sealed domestic plum branch (90% certain it is plum).

thick end is about 2.5" diameter thin end is a little over 2".
total length of stave is 67" As you can see she is a bit bent, but the bend is somewhat even, however the last 7" of thick end has a bit more of a kick to it.

my question is this. How would you experienced guys go about this stave?

Cheers,
Zach
(ps I have also change my handle due to NZnuka sounding to much like bazooka or a nuke or some other silly thing, when it was actually a reference to two common wood species over here, Kanuka and Manuka. Anyways, rākau is a Maori word for a stick or a tree, but is also used to refer to weapons, such as the taiaha. For example the Maori martial art that uses wooden weapons is called mau rākau.)

20190410_174550 by Zachary Press, on Flickr

20190410_174557 by Zachary Press, on Flickr

20190410_174608 by Zachary Press, on Flickr

20190410_174612 by Zachary Press, on Flickr

20190410_174723 by Zachary Press, on Flickr

20190410_174731 by Zachary Press, on Flickr

[Rākau]

I should add that I have read about every plum related post on here and it sure does sound like a mighty fine wood, as soon as I know what profile to go with I will reduce it to rough shape, cover the cut side in glue, wrap it in cling film and just generally follow the advice of rossfactor from this thread: (http://www.primitivearcher.com/smf/index.php/topic,44857.msg606290.html#msg606290)

Also, my draw length is 26" and I have a wee bendy handle bush bow in mind. I am just in need of advice as to how to get the most from this stave.

[Limbit]

The colour of the wood doesn't much look like plum to me, but it is small diameter, so it might be since the heartwood wouldn't be apparent in something that size yet. I always found it weird in NZ that the Maori never developed bows, but to make up for it, developed trench warfare and actually changed the landscape to give them the advantage in a siege. They made some pretty crazy weaponry too. When I was there I didn't know any bow making yet, but looking back on it, I would have loved to try making a Manuka bow. There is also so much invasive scotchbroom growing there now that that would certainly be a good option. I worked on an oldtimers heritage plum orchard that had fallen into neglect for some time just north or Auckland. I pruned back over a hundred old plum trees. Looking back on it, I feel like punching myself in the nuts I missed out on so much wood that just got turned into firewood. I loved NZ and regretted having to leave. Amazing place. You can try the nephrite jade you've got there for arrowheads as well. We have the same kind of jade all over here in Taiwan and I normally go collect it after a typhoon to turn into arrow heads. Can't knap it, so you need to use a wet wheel, but it makes a durable arrow head.

[Rākau]

Thanks Limbit, the leaves look like plum, but the wood colour is why I am only 90% sure it is plum.

Funnily enough they made bows as kids toys, but just never developed them further into adult weapons/tools. Perhaps it was due to their being no need to use bows for hunting as all the large land animals were flightless birds that were unafraid of people and the other birds could be efficiently trapped and speared using very long (12ft) bird spears. their warfare was very advanced by the time Europeans got here, but there is a thought that the fighting only started once the natural resources started to get more scarce (last 200 yrs before European arrival) which was not enough time to develop bows as weapons when they hadn't previously been developed for hunting.

I have recently found an excellent source of obsidian, so I can leave the pounamu (which is generally protected/on Maori land) where it lies.

you are right there is a heap of broom around. finding a strait bit is the only problem. sad to hear about the pruning job mate!!!
you are right though, we are damn lucky to live in this country, she's a beaut!

Zach

[meanewood]

I recently finished a Plum longbow and I remember when I cut it, the ends had the same colour as yours.

I thought the seasoned wood would be that colour but it's not, it's much whiter a bit like Maple!

Its just the sap giving that honey colour.

[DC]

If you wrap it in plastic make sure you check it every day for condensation. I would make a reflexed bow out of that. The picture of the butt end(I think) looks like it may have a lot of twist but I'm not there. If you leave the handle area thick there is a real good chance it will split there but I've just filled the splits with epoxy/sawdust or something. Cut the limbs to the pith if you have the thickness. If you don't cut all the way to the pith it will split to there anyway.

[Rākau]

 Thanks for your replies DC and meanewood.

spot on meanewood, it was white when cut, then went honey coloured within 10 minutes.

Roger that DC I will check it for condensation. Also, you are right regarding the twist on the thick end. Should I cut the last 7" off and make a 60" bendy handle? that would get rid of the extra reflex on that end too.

I have a question about how much of a crown plum can handle.  If I use the reflex as you suggest DC then I will be using the narrowest/highest crown section of the log as the back, will that be ok without backing?

[DC]

If the bottom is twisted I would be suspicious of the whole thing. Make it as long as you can. I've never worried about crown. You have to play the hand you were dealt and it's reflexed, deflexed or bent sideways. Make your choice. Hint, bent sideways doesn't work

[Rākau]

haha oath to that DC. 60" reflex, bendy. . .waaay above my head, but lets go!
be prepared for a few post begging for tiller advice in the next couple months

[DC]

Let it dry longer than that. Plum wants slow drying apparently. Mines been drying a year and I'm making the first from this batch now. I made two others and that wood dried for two years I think.

[meanewood]

If It was me, I would go for a deflexed bow, Just use the natural shape to your advantage.

There is nothing wrong with that , just tiller as normal and even up the bend.

Remember, it's not set or 'string follow'! Don't fight nature but follow it's lead.

[Rākau]

It might be next year then DC, I will rough it out and weigh it to monitor moisture levels but I won't stress about getting it dry in a hurry.

meanewood, haha I already have enough bows with 3 inches of deflex  , I don't need to start one off like that!

[DC]

Here's some examples of the kind of cracking you may get it the handle.

[DC]

Look carefully at the first one and you can see how it cracks down to the pith. The last one is a bow I did last year and the crack filled with sawdust/epoxy.

[SLIMBOB]

All of I have cut, which is a small sample size, cracked horribly.