Primitive Archer

Congratulations to  Isaac! That's a great accomplishment! Sorry about your upcoming surgery, I've got another one in the future also.

consider the cellulose kitchen sponge as it dries. It can go from sopping wet to sorta dry without distortion or shrinkage.  after the "free water" ( the water you can wring out),  has evaporated, shrinkage begins.

even thicknesses help consistency in drying

in very dry conditions I have found that not only the ends need to be sealed, but the stave needs to be sealed on all sides for a few inches from the end

your staves may need to be moved to more humid  or cooler conditions when the free water has left, monitor your stash

 The risk with leaving timber in halves is that it still has a high propensity to split/check, due to the outside drying first, with the deep inside staying wet. This can happen even when sealed. This is highly dependent on the climate, heat and humidity where someone lives. Some people get away with it, others end up with firewood.

I live in a climate that has very hot, dry summers. Bow wood in large sections will just crack. An hour away, further up the mts, the temperature drops about 10 deg Celsius, at my friends place. He has no trouble drying large sections of wood.

 Quarters won't twist (unless there already is twist). They probably won't take much of a reflex either.

I wish you luck, and hope you live in a favorable climate.

Quote from: Marc St Louis on July 15, 2025, 10:24:55 am

Don't know why it needs to be Moose. The only difference between Moose and deer pellets is the size

Exactly! The moose pellet is about the perfect size for stuffing down the barrel of a .62 cal smoothbore. I have used deer pellets in my .36 cal rifle, but a patched ball is didnt gain any accuracy or muzzle velocity using a herbivore fecal gas check.

Only with JW could a guy go out and shoot the sh...literally  lmao.

The year Del the Cat came to the Classic you had a nest of those Carolina wrens in a toolbox on the work bench. The year before the nest was located inside a canvas bucket hanging from a beam. I was deeply moved to see that you had had put up caution tape to keep people back from messing with the young family busy raising their young. I was simply amazed that both the male and female had adapted so well to the comings and goings of the people, continuing to bring dozens and dozens of insects to the chicks every hour during the daylight. I was so impressed that I spent a bunch of time down by the creek catching bugs. I stood as close to the nest as the caution tape allowed me with a bug in my fingers. One adult or the other would see the offering and after a few moments consideration they'd flit to my hand, take the proffered food, and quickly serve it up to one chick or another.

I was a little bummed to not see an active nest in the workshop space a year ago when I was there. I had brought six dozen super mealworms in my pack to feed the little sweeties. Yeah, Pappy, you know my long history of having a soft spot in my heart for the feathered folk.