Primitive Archer
Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: jcathunter on November 18, 2011, 02:24:47 am
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I bowhunted for over 20years with compounds and have rifle hunted the past few years but decided I'd like to try my hand at making a bow to use on a cougar and/or bear hunt. I've been trying to research as much as possible and have decided to try Yew and Viney Maple. My first try will be with Viney and possibly a yew if I can find a dead standing that will be workable this winter. I got a permit and cut a little yew today. Here are some pics of what I cut.
(http://i111.photobucket.com/albums/n149/jcathunter/021-3.jpg)
(http://i111.photobucket.com/albums/n149/jcathunter/020-3.jpg)
Packing out a little one
(http://i111.photobucket.com/albums/n149/jcathunter/017-4.jpg)
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yyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeewwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D
can Yew ::) tell i'm a fan of yew ;)
great haul, cant wait to see what you can do with that
and by the way, welcome to what will devour all your free time from now on >:D
noel
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Welcome Jcat. Yew will love it around these parts. Nice haul of yew. Ask all the questions you have. We'll get you hooked and teach you how to build a bow. ;)
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Thanks guys. I've got another dandy tree picked out that I think will be even better than the best I got today. I will be getting it very soon. There is also several dead, standing trees. What should I look for in a dead standing? I'd like to get one and dry it out for a month or two and get started. Is there anything different to look for other than what I would look for in a live tree?
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if it is dead its dead for a reason, i fi were you, i would get a green yew stave and trade it for a seasoned stave of another kind ;)
noel
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That is some fine looking Yew.
I'm off to harvest a piece tommorrow, if it's half as good as that I'll be a happy man.
Del
(BTW if you havn't seen my website yet, there are a few Yew bows on there and I also run my Bowyers Diary which showed me building several Yew English Longbows (ELBs) at the start of this year. Google delsbows to find the site)
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My advice to a new guy is to cut more wood than you can make bow from for the next five years at least. I started two years ago and the wood that when I started is just now making OK bows. I am preparing wood for the next 8 years of bow making. I would put the best wood aside and work the OK wood first. I have made 4 bows per year. I don't know about other bow makers but that is my advice as a new guy myself.
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NIce! I'm starting to feel the call of the bow. Jawge
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That big one there, im sorry to inform you ,is no good...it should be sent to me for proper disposal >:D good luck and welcome
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George, it is getting near bow building season, isn't it? 8)
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Bow building season NEVER ends. Welcome to some good times that lay ahead in your future.
IMHO it takes yew a good while to properly season and be ready for use,a lot longer than two or three months,more like two to threes years+ even if cut into staves now. Maybe a year if done right for speed drying. I wood reduce the vine maple down to near bow dimension and strap it down to a board to quick dry it and if done correctly you could be working on it in a couple months. And remember to seal the wood. So start and learn on the vine maple first...please. ;)
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Glad you made it here jcat. Like Fish said it would not be worthwhile to mess with
dead wood but you can come up with something to work with while that pretty
yew cures. Don't get me wrong, that yew is a fine first step ;D
If you were to purchase a suitable board you could set up your work area and tools
and even build yourself a serviceable bow or two. Would much rather mess up a 6$
board than nice wood and it ain't as much pressure.
Lane
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Yew came to the right place. Welcome to our sport and enjoy the process!
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jcat,
Welcome amigo.. Happy to have you aboard. That looks like a nice haul.
If you don't already have a Primitive Archer Magazine subscription allow me to invite you to get one asap ;) It's an excellent read cover to cover and by getting a subscription you help support this awesome forum and you will be able to enter your bows in the BOM contest.
Cipriano
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Good suggestion Cippy! The PA mag is numeral uno. I get all antsy every time I know a new one is coming. Its cheap entertainment.
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Welcome to PA and yes, great haul of wood. So great, I'd consider letting it take it's time to cure out. Like other's said, there are plenty of ways to learn the process and get a fine shooting bow while letting "the good stuff" cure.
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Don't worry, I have no intentions of messing up the yew without first making mistakes with viney. Fortunately, I spend way too much time in the woods and I know that it won't be hard for me to get decent yew to make bows out of in the future, though. I was hoping to go get another big one today but my wife isn't feeling well and I had to go track a buck for a friend.
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Goin up to get the good one. ;)
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I have an uncle out in the Marysville, WA area that cuts a bit of vine maple and yew for bowmaking. He told me once that you should never cut bow wood downhill from your vehicle. All the best bow wood is uphill from the truck.
Immediately I said, "Ohhh, higherl elevation, right! I get it!!"
He responded, "No. Only an idiot drags wood UP a hill."
Thanks Uncle Myron for the best advice I've ever heard!
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Your uncle is a SMART man. I don't think I'm quite man enough to move those bigger pieces uphill. lol I did get out and grab a few vineys today as well as that one nice piece I was after. I also cut a dead standing because I believe there is a stave or two in there from the looks of it. If not, I have a woodstove and nothing ventured, nothing gained. Here's todays haul.
My viney
(http://i111.photobucket.com/albums/n149/jcathunter/020-4.jpg)
got these two
(http://i111.photobucket.com/albums/n149/jcathunter/019-3.jpg)
the other side of the dead one
(http://i111.photobucket.com/albums/n149/jcathunter/015-2.jpg)
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Don't get too swelled a head, jcathunter....most of us are suckin' up to yew, I mean YOU because you got yew in yer backyard! >:D
Nice haul. I've seen some wonderful bows come from vine maple.
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Sucking up is right. I'm hoping for an osage/yew trade in not too long. 8) I suspect there's a too-straight-for-JW stave out there somewhere. :D
George
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Don't worry, I'm not a stingy person. :) Someone asked about the growth rings and elevation. I cut them all at 2500ft and one big one at 3000ft. I have an altimiter in my truck. ;) The dead one has wide growth rings but its pretty straight and I'm hoping I can mess with it early. The others have decent rings but I'd guess they are around 30 per inch????? I'm hoping to try and split a few this weekend and start getting some staves layed out. If anyone is around here and would like to help, let me know.
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Don't worry, I'm not a stingy person. :)
so what would it take for you to part with some yew :-\
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Your making a lot of folks here drooling green envy with all that yew:laugh:.....not me though. :P
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Your making a lot of folks here drooling green envy with all that yew:laugh:.....not me though. :P
oh, come on you know that's not true ;)
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Don't worry, I'm not a stingy person. :)
so what would it take for you to part with some yew :-\
Once I get some staves cut out and laid up to dry, I'll have a better idea of what I have and I'll post about any extras. I hate to count my chickens before they hatch but I'm pretty sure I have enough to share. ;)
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make sure you have enough for your self first and foremost
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make sure you have enough for your self first and foremost
And me, don't forget me! I know I never do!
I know you need a license/permit to cut the yew, but is there any fee for cutting vine maple?
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Hey jcat thats a great haul! This is josh we talked on the phone :D That dead stuff is just fine for working on while the good stuff is seasoning as I told you before, if its solid it very well should make a bow if there arent any hidden weak spots. There are risks but I have seen more than one dead standing tree made into bows and have done it my self with good results.
That Vine maple once reduced can be easily ready to make a bow within a month or a little more, thats some nice vine maple too.
Also check this build out that Gordon did its a very great build allong and if your planning on doing a build allong on ifish it will give you an idea on what a great one should look like. http://www.primitivearcher.com/smf/index.php/topic,4815.0.html
With you just starting out its a great idea to post as you go like we talked about because you will get great advice from all of the pros on here.
Fishfinder were gonna have to change your name to needy! If there is anyone here thats going to ask for a free yew stave its gonna be you. Besides you still need to finish your Yew war bow we have all been waiting to see some progress on >:D >:D ;)
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i would never ask for free yew , that's just wrong, and now that i am forging i actually am going to have stuff to trade ;D, as far as the warbow, after my college applications and Christmas exchange stuff are done you will be seeing ALLOT of progress, its been hard not working on it, but i have other priorities right now
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i would never ask for free yew , that's just wrong, and now that i am forging i actually am going to have stuff to trade ;D, as far as the warbow, after my college applications and Christmas exchange stuff are done you will be seeing ALLOT of progress, its been hard not working on it, but i have other priorities right now
Just giving you crap as usual ;) ;D >:D
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i would never ask for free yew , that's just wrong, and now that i am forging i actually am going to have stuff to trade ;D, as far as the warbow, after my college applications and Christmas exchange stuff are done you will be seeing ALLOT of progress, its been hard not working on it, but i have other priorities right now
Just giving you crap as usual ;) ;D >:D
i'd be insulted if you didn't ;D
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;D
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make sure you have enough for your self first and foremost
And me, don't forget me! I know I never do!
I know you need a license/permit to cut the yew, but is there any fee for cutting vine maple?
My permit was for Yew, Cherry, and Viney and I paid $20 for 20 pieces, total. I think I have about ten so far but that will probibly be enough for now.
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forgot to add gordons build allong here it is http://www.primitivearcher.com/smf/index.php/topic,4815.0.html
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Welcome Jcat!
Sooo, That's what Yew look like in the wild...
Have Fun and make a bunch of Shavin's!
-gus
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I got some work done today but still have to tackle the big ones. I think there is probibly a stave or two worth working on in the dry stuff but it has pretty wide growth rings. Still nice, though. Here's some pics
(http://i111.photobucket.com/albums/n149/jcathunter/004-2.jpg)
(http://i111.photobucket.com/albums/n149/jcathunter/001-1.jpg)
(http://i111.photobucket.com/albums/n149/jcathunter/003-1.jpg)
(http://i111.photobucket.com/albums/n149/jcathunter/002-1.jpg)
My next goal will be to acquire some tools and jigs for working with the staves. If anyone has any extra draw knives, spoke shaves, tillering jigs, etc and needs some yew, let me know. I can build the jigs and what not but wouldn't turn down something ready to go.
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Looking good! make sure you get that green yew sealed up with some glue or I believe allot of guys use clear sealers for sealing the ends. I use elmers glue as it is cheap for the big jug and works well for me and easy to remove when im ready to work the stave. You could also peel the bark now as it should be easier while green and seal the back as well.
Josh
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I have been sealing ends with latex paint. Its what I found in the mess of a garage. :D I also want to know if people save the shorter staves very often? I've got several pieces that would be around 3-5 ft long and look darn nice but I'm not wanting to tackle splicing one together since I have full length pieces.
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Yes Sir...
Save the Short pieces for Short Bows or Billets!
Or kids bows...
Nothing wrong with that haul ET ALL!!
:)
-gus
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Yes Sir...
Save the Short pieces for Short Bows or Billets!
Or kids bows...
Nothing wrong with that haul ET ALL!!
:)
-gus How small is too small? Width, thickness, and length? I'll gladly save a bunch of these because I know I can make a lot of short ones around 3-4 ft. I'm also cutting my staves pretty big, I think so that I have plenty to work with. Probibly 3-5 inches across the bark side and the whole triangle is about that big. I also chopped the heart out of some since it wanted to come out anyway which left the stave about 3 inches from back to belly.
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Billets can be pretty short.
I would keep 30 to 40 inch pieces of pretty wood for billets.
Short Bow and Kids Bow length from about 39 to 50 inches.
Pretty much the sky is the limit.
The folks on this site and others have built some Amazing short bows.
And Bows from Billets can be just as good as bows from uncut staves.
You can also do interesting layouts with billets that are difficult to do with straight full length staves.
If you haven't picked up a copy yet I would recommend the Traditional Bowyer's Bible set.
Four volumes, they can be had individually or all together.
:)
-gus
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Great pictures! Don't see many posts of vine maple staves either. Very cool.
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Boy the pile keeps getting better, congratulations ;)
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As others have said save the small stuff too if you dont end up wanting it ill drive to your place and trade you seasoned staves for them :D
Also I use latex paint to seal some of my wood too it works just fine too and if its laying around why not? You may need to do a couple or 3 coats
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As others have said save the small stuff too if you dont end up wanting it ill drive to your place and trade you seasoned staves for them :D
Also I use latex paint to seal some of my wood too it works just fine too and if its laying around why not? You may need to do a couple or 3 coats
I'll save you some of the short and/or long stuff. ;) I don't have to make mulitple coats of paint because I just dipped the ends in the can. ;D I figured that'd definately seal it. hahahaha
I stared messing with a small sliver tonight just to get the "feel" of the yew. In truth, it may, very well make a bow for my daughter or wife to shoot. I HAVE to get a draw knife soon though. My little cheese grater plane thing makes it a LOT of work to think the stave down. lol
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Draw knifes are nice for some stuff like taking off lots of wood but I preffer a fariers rasp and the nickolson 49 and 50 they work very well for me for beggining into further tillering but when I get close I like to scrape with a pocket knife so I dont take to much off at once. Other guys use other tools but this is just what works for me.
Josh