Main Discussion Area > Bows

First time making a Bow: Vine Maple

<< < (3/4) > >>

bjrogg:
Also Sections for Arrows , around the campfire for visiting. Shooting and hunting section for help with shooting and hunting stories.

Also a trade section that we can trade. So far trade only, no sales allowed.

Even have a forge section.

It’s a good place with a few simple rules

Bjrogg

sleek:

--- Quote from: bjrogg on January 12, 2026, 04:59:21 pm ---Also Sections for Arrows , around the campfire for visiting. Shooting and hunting section for help with shooting and hunting stories.

Also a trade section that we can trade. So far trade only, no sales allowed.

Even have a forge section.

It’s a good place with a few simple rules

Bjrogg

--- End quote ---

For now its trade only, but selling for members will be in the future. I just want to make sure nobody gets scammed, so until I can work out a verification process, I dont want to have open money dealing here.

Pat B:
Welcome to PA, Dillon. I've never made a vine maple bow but I've seen quite a few and some with amazing character. Looking forward to seeing some of your work in the future.  :OK

jameswoodmot:
Welcome to the forum

Never worked vine maple but the advice above is consistent with what works for me with other white woods.

I would recommend only harvesting what you can debark and split, I have taken more wood than I can deal with in the past (side of the road, liable to clearance). Harvested in the spring I have just slipped the bark off and left it but in the late summer or winter the wood can start to spalt or decompose as it doesn’t loose it’s moisture fast enough. Splitting seems to stop or at least slow this.

There are lots of woods that you can force dry but I often find if I dry them too fast they don’t crack or split but can warp into crazy shapes if they are left too thick. Clamping to a form can help prevent this but I then worry that the tensions can build up inside and then be released as you shape them.

I generally split, alllow to dry slowly for a few weeks, then bring into the coolest part of the house and then Steadily move to the warmer part of the house, then I rough out my bow blank to be perhaps twice my final limb thickness, the I put them on top of a radiator until they stop loosing weight

willie:
welcome to the forum.

http://www.primitivearcher.com/smf/index.php/topic,52236.msg707475.html#msg707475

you might do an advanced search for other posts by vinemaplebows

Navigation

[0] Message Index

[#] Next page

[*] Previous page