Primitive Archer

Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: natty on July 04, 2009, 01:17:49 pm

Title: short bow
Post by: natty on July 04, 2009, 01:17:49 pm

made a 43'' bow out of a ash shovel handle and sinew backed it.my concern is, if it had been kiln dried would it affect the wood. ???

Title: Re: short bow
Post by: islandpiper on July 04, 2009, 01:56:54 pm

Now, that's one I've never heard before.  I guess whether it is a shovel or a bow, it can make holes in things!! :)

I would not worry about it being kiln dried.  Build the bow to utilize the strengths of the wood you have in hand and not off someone elses's dimensions and you'll be fine, IMHO. 

piper

Title: Re: short bow
Post by: knightd on July 04, 2009, 04:08:40 pm

Dried is dried.. ;).. I spliced two hickory axe handles togather and it made a fine bow..

Title: Re: short bow
Post by: adb on July 05, 2009, 02:07:26 am

Show us some pictures!

Title: Re: short bow
Post by: natty on July 06, 2009, 09:04:08 pm

it finished drying today. trying to get around to building a tillering tree. will try to post some pic's.

Title: Re: short bow
Post by: natty on July 11, 2009, 05:24:25 pm

 >:(its a bust wood had no compression value  :(

Title: Re: short bow
Post by: Pat B on July 11, 2009, 09:51:20 pm

Well, that's not good for bows or shovel handles! :o

Title: Re: short bow
Post by: huntingblindsonline on July 13, 2009, 08:19:00 pm

Natty,
I made a bow with a red oak board from Lowes. I am sure that wood was kiln dried. It made a decent 45# @ 28 bow. I put a poplar handle on it and had some bloodwood in my scrap bucket I used for the tips. There is no backing but I do keep it oiled. I have shot several hundred arrows through it so don't let the fact that it was kiln dried be a deterrent for you in the future. I know some that will swear it won't work... I have a working bow that says otherwise.
have a good one!
Jon

Title: Re: short bow
Post by: adb on July 13, 2009, 08:46:51 pm

Nothing wrong with the right piece of kiln dried wood. Dried is dried (to a point). What's more important with board bows is the piece of wood (and more importantly the grain orientation) than whether it was dried in a kiln.

Title: Re: short bow
Post by: sailordad on July 13, 2009, 09:22:03 pm

well iam guessing that being it was a shovel handle that it probably had to much runoff and would have btoke even if was used for shoveling

personally i dont like using kiln dried boards,but thats just me.i do make board bows but try to find a mill that air dries their lumber
it is harder to find that way these days,but after 110 mile drive(one way )i have enough for 5 board bows.
i try for quartersawn lumber myself,but there are other cuts that work well also.
ifn you can post pics of the broked wood and someone is sure to have the reason as to why it failed