First time making a Bow: Vine Maple

[TheDeerHunter]

Hey guys,

This is my first post, just joined yesterday glad I found this place!

I'm all set to make my first bow, picking up some tools today and have some coming in the mail. I've watched lots of videos on making selfbows, and I am reading a book right now. I haven't found much info on seasoning Vine Maple. This is what I have chosen because I have access to a lot of it, I hear it is a good bow wood, but challenging for a beginner. I can't get a lot so I can afford to make some mistakes and am up for a challenge. I may also be able to get my hands on some Pacific Yew as well. I am on the southern coast of British Columbia.

I haven't been able to find much of any information on the best way to season Vine Maple. Actually the book I am reading I am not sure there is any information on seasoning any wood at all, that being said I just started it but skimmed through the whole thing and didn't see anything and there are no chapters on it.

If anyone has worked with Vine Maple and can let me know your steps to the best seasoning you have had I would appreciate it. Also any general information and tips are very much welcomed, especially pertaining to Vine Maple or Pacific Yew.

Cheers,

Dillon

[sleek]

Welcome aboard and we are glad you found this place too! Ive seen bows made of vine maple, but never tried it myself.  I remember they need to be wide and long. Seasoning is likely the same as any other wood, paint the ends to stop them from cracking, and wait a year or two. I think if you split it to dry faster it may warp but thats a faint memory, not certain,  so if you try that anchor it down to a post to stop it from warping.

[Burnsie]

Here's a recent post where they used sugar maple.

http://www.primitivearcher.com/smf/index.php/topic,73435.0.html

[TheDeerHunter]

There is a very short part in the book I am reading in the first few chapters on them and mentioned they like to be wide.

From the information i've gathered, which is very little still, it recommends when you cut the tree down to take it back to the house and get the bark off and shape it down to roughly the size of the bow, then let dry/season. Is it better to leave the bark on and log whole to dry with the ends painted?

[CCopland]

Hi Dillon;
I live in south west British Columbia as well; actually in Abbotsford. I have made five vine maple bows and found it to be a very good bow wood.

I wait until May or June to cut the tree. The bark then slips right off very easily and will give you a nice clean back. I then chop it out to rough bow dimensions and immediately seal the back and the ends. I have used glue (Titebond III) to do this. Then I will strap it to a 2X4  or caul to let it dry. If you do not strap it down the stave will curl badly into an ark as it dries. I found that the staves are resistant to cracking or splitting.

I have also found that the wood loses moisture quite quickly and maybe be ready to work in a couple of months. I heat treat the bow to straighten, bend and add reflex.

I have my eye on two trees on my place that look like they may make a bow. I will cut them in late spring. Send my a private message (see My Messages above) and we can talk on the phone if you wish. Best of luck.

[superdav95]

Great advice from Copeland.  I’ve not made a vine maple yet either but his advise seems sound.  As for yew pacific, you are close to some out there.  Ravenbeak sells them and his stuff is great quality seasoned staves.  I buy from him a lot actually.  I do love yew for bows but if you have access to a lot of vine maple it would be smart to start there and cut your teeth on that.  Welcome to pa!  Good bunch of obsessed Boyers here. 

[bjrogg]

Welcome to Primitive Archery site Dillon. I think you are going to like it here.

Sounds like some good advice already. I don’t have any vine maple but I have seen some beauties posted on here.

While you’re waiting for your stave to dry you might want to make a caul for straightening.

A nice tillering tree. With a scale, rope and pulley. And cut some more staves so if you really get bitten by the bug you never run out of wood. Amazing how much a person can go through.

Don’t be afraid to ask questions. And pictures. We like pictures

Bjrogg

[TheDeerHunter]

Hey CCopland,

Nice! I'm over in Maple Ridge. I have read they are an excellent bow wood just can be a challenge.

Okay good to know thank you for sharing!

That sounds good, to be honest i'm pretty eager to jump in but of course don't want to rush the process.

Hey I really appreciate that thank you! I'll send a PM your way.

[TheDeerHunter]

Great advice from Copeland.  I’ve not made a vine maple yet either but his advise seems sound.  As for yew pacific, you are close to some out there.  Ravenbeak sells them and his stuff is great quality seasoned staves.  I buy from him a lot actually.  I do love yew for bows but if you have access to a lot of vine maple it would be smart to start there and cut your teeth on that.  Welcome to pa!  Good bunch of obsessed Boyers here.

Awesome man i'll have to check out Ravenbeak never heard of him all this stuff is new to me, a lot to learn

[TheDeerHunter]

Welcome to Primitive Archery site Dillon. I think you are going to like it here.

Sounds like some good advice already. I don’t have any vine maple but I have seen some beauties posted on here.

While you’re waiting for your stave to dry you might want to make a caul for straightening.

A nice tillering tree. With a scale, rope and pulley. And cut some more staves so if you really get bitten by the bug you never run out of wood. Amazing how much a person can go through.

Don’t be afraid to ask questions. And pictures. We like pictures

Bjrogg

I think so, I like the oldschool look and feel of the site brings back memories.

Good ideas!

I like posting pictures, i've only taken Blacktails and Mulies with my compound but have started dippin my toes in the traditional world I picked up a take down recurve to start getting a feel for it, shoots pretty well to 20 right now just grabbed it 2 weeks ago. So no animals with the traditional gear yet, but the goal is to eventually start taking game with bows i've made. I also see you guys got some forums about flintknapping and primitive skill which I research pretty extensively and got a lot of projects to complete with that stuff. I am a full blown hunting, scouting and shed hunting addict so i'm sure i'll have some traditional stories to share here in the not so distant future.

[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]

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

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. 

[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