Primitive Archer
Main Discussion Area => Around the Campfire => Topic started by: JW_Halverson on March 30, 2018, 03:32:37 pm
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Started a new bow class last nite through a local "maker space" business. The Shop has two large bays in an industrial park, one for woodworking and the other for metal working. My small membership dues gets me six hours of shop time per week. Well lit, lotsa worktop counter space and tables, plus all the table saws, band saws, drill presses, planers, and electric hand tools I would ever need.
We got just two students, but both are jumping on board HARD. The one guy works in a metal fabrication shop and the other is a materials engineer at the SD School of Mines and Technology. Since neither had done anything quite like this, I started with a very dull and dry lecture on some of the basics. Well, that used up a whole 10 minutes of the two hour class, even including drawing on the white board, handing around basic hand tools, showing them examples of bows. Good thing I had bowstaves ready because these guys wanted to make shavings! (Thanks Osage Outlaw...excellent staves!)
They had their hands full figuring out how to follow the grain to establish the center line of the bow, but when I checked their work it was apparent my lecture had paid off! They both nailed it first time out of the box! Then I had them laying out profiles and heading for the bandsaw.
Next week we'll have them cleaning up their edges of the profile and stalking up on floor tillering. Somewhere between now and then I will have to figure out how to post pics again since this whole Photobucket debacle screwed it up for all of us. Heck, you might even see those two guys pop on here, too, since I subtly mentioned it no more than two, three or nine times. Dang it feels good to be teaching again.
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Awesome! Some pictures would be nice ;)
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Cool beans, John.
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JW,
Might try imgur, it works pretty well.
Hawkdancer
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JW - good to see You "back in the saddle" again :BB ! Bob
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That's great JW. I hope all continues to go well and it sounds like a couple more addicted souls to me.
Bjrogg
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Good job JW :)
I trust you are not letting any bowyers humour sully the workshop ;) ::) O:)
Nothing like some teaching to re-hone the senses. Little tricks with tools that we take for granted and some guy asks, why are you doing it like that :) .
I've been helping my mate JT to make his first bow and he often says, "hang on, talk me through your thought process there!"
It really concentrates the mind and helps one appreciate the value of the experience we've picked up over the years.
Del
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That's great JW, keep passing it on....
DBar
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Very nice JW!
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That sounds great JW. Can't wait to see some pictures.
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That sounds great JW. Can't wait to see some pictures.
Oh yes, 'cos it didn't happen otherwise ;)
Del
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Way to go, JW! I hope to go down that path in the future, also. That’s exciting!
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Good job JW :)
I trust you are not letting any bowyers humour sully the workshop ;) ::) O:)
Del
Del, darling, you know some things are too sacred to make jokes about.
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Thanks for the tutorial, bubby. Now I can (sort of) upload direct from the phone!
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Very cool JW. I'm sure they will do just fine under your guidance
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I will have to bring my staves to turkey camp for a quick lesson, when we're not hunting, of course!
Del is right, teaching makes you hone your skills!
Hawkdancer
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I will have to bring my staves to turkey camp for a quick lesson, when we're not hunting, of course!
Del is right, teaching makes you hone your skills!
Hawkdancer
I dare ya!
I always bring something to work on. And I never get any of it done. I am either hunting hard, cooking/eating, or sleeping! Well, except for the time that we hunted down Primitive Tim, tripped him with a handthrown bolo with caribou antler weights and then shot him with a bow. Not even exaggerating, there is video.
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Some nice looking osage staves there.When the weather gets too crappy to hunt there's something to do besides eating....Ha Ha Ha.
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Well, except for the time that we hunted down Primitive Tim, tripped him with a handthrown bolo with caribou antler weights and then shot him with a bow. Not even exaggerating, there is video.
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I remember that video. I was just thinking about that last night while I was reading an article in PA by Ryan Gill that mentioned Primitive Tim. That video made me realize if I ever come to Turkey camp, I best be packing lots of ammo for protection from those South Dakota predators.
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Congrats JW, way to pass it on. Is it Sunny in the shop ? ;D
Pappy
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Oh heck yeah! Warm, too! We are getting snow AGAIN today!
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Dally and Rob are making shavings like mad dogs!
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Very cool Jdub
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Looks like they are making good progress! I will be back to work on the hickory stave tomorrow. Snow is coming here, too! Getting close to a brace height, trying like heck to stay under 45# draw weight, still got plenty of wood. Turkey camp sounds like my camp, except for the hunting hard part! I never get any of those projects done either, but at least I have them along, if the weather turns nasty, or I need a day in camp to rest up.
Hawkdancer
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They at looking good, JW!
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What da heck, no invite?! Well, I can’t blame you really. I mean doing presentations to hundreds of kids and flirting with local female newscasters. One can forget to shave...oh wait. DOH!
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What da heck, no invite?! Well, I can’t blame you really. I mean doing presentations to hundreds of kids and flirting with local female newscasters. One can forget to shave...oh wait. DOH!
You got a permanent invite, sir. You know that!
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Yeah, I know and I thank you for that. That spot you have looks great! I'm on the fence about sinew backing a bow at the moment and would love to come join you all.
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Good to hear, JW! You're sure to enjoy it. I'm also certain your "way with words" will be an education of its own. :)
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Dally showed up early and started to radius the corners on the back of the bow. When Rob finally dragged himself in 2 minutes late for class without a note from Mrs, he got to floor tillering. He has one limb that has a little forward and backward whooptey-doop, so used a straight edge to draw a line down the side of the limb, establishing something to use to judge how she is bending.
Both bows have some character, but the limb tips line up perfectly with the center of the handle. No need for heat treating to correct that!!!
These guys are having a great time and are doing a nice job on their wood!
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Haven't posted much from class, but we have been making steady progress all along. Last night I declared both bows finished and we shot 'em. Dally's came in close to 50lbs of draw, but Rob's had a few issues including a wind check that delaminated through the handle section and left him with less meat than we wanted. He glued on a section of purpleheart for the handle, but didn't extend that out into the fade-outs. That meant we had to go with a lower weight so that the fades would not bend and start the handle popping off. But for a lighter bow, it has significant zing, even with the heavier ash arrows we were shooting.
One of the guys at The Shop snapped a few photos and is sending them to me so I can post results.
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Thanks for the update JW. I'm sure that everyone was smiling proudly
Bjrogg
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Here's the pic
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:BB :OK 8)
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Kewl ! :OK Bob
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:) :) :) :) ;)
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Way to go J-Dub. nice looking bows.
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Way to go J-Dub. nice looking bows.
Didn't hurt that both guys are pretty savvy and picked up things pretty fast!
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Pretty good JW.The fellas there should be happy.
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Nice job JW, Them boys done good and looks like the listened to you. :)
Pappy
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I like that picture. Must be a good feeling of accomplishment, Jdub.
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The two of them couldn't be any more different in personalities and reasons for being in the class. Still, they got along like a house afire! Couple of great guys, indeed.
Dally couldn't make the last class, so he didn't get any arrows made. He did cut self nocks in three ash shafts, reinforced the nocks with thread. I got several coats of shellac on them and they are gonna have to "cure" until he and I can get together and get 'em fletched!
I hope both of them continue with this craft. They both seem to "get" it.