Primitive Archer

Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: Fried Pie on October 27, 2009, 08:19:24 am

Title: Twin Oaks 1st Bow[Full draw added]
Post by: Fried Pie on October 27, 2009, 08:19:24 am
Twin Oaks Fever is my first self-bow and the result of a fever caught last spring at my first Twin Oaks Classic.  I owe both the bow making opportunity and a fine result to friends, Mark (Pappy) and Greg (GregB).

The bow was made from some snaky Twin Oaks Osage cut two years ago and diamond-back skins from Gary Davis.  The tip to tip length is 66” and it has a 50 lb pull at 28” draw.  The mid-limb width is 1-5/8” that tapers to ˝” width at the string notch.  The tips are layered Zebrawood from Greg and cow horn from Pappy with a couple of Zebrawood beads at the grip.  The grip is piece of packaged Tandy Industries hide, that was applied and laced wet.  The tips and skins were glued with waterproof Franklin International Tightbond III.  It was finished with ten coats of hand rubbed Birchwood Casey Tru-oil and shoots quite and sweet.

It started with Greg’s selection of two Twin Oak Osage staves.  One very snaky and one less snaky.  This bow came from the less snaky stave.  The larger snaky stave was the beginning of a plan for Greg, Pappy, and Anthony (BigA), to make three matching bows.  Although the less snaky stave was chosen as more forgiving for a first bow, removal of the bark and sapwood revealed a plague of worm holes.  Two were deep, persistent, and unavoidable on opposite limbs on each side of the centerline.  The grain was chased what seemed countless times before reaching worm free wood.  Not only was it frustrating, the stave was nearly consumed with the wood removal to the point where it was beginning to risk the development of a bow from the stave.  It gave me considerable “chasing the grain” experience and echoed Greg’s advice, “remove everything that does not look like a bow.”  Greg’s son, Jamison, drew the nice “Twin Oaks” trees below the grip.

Thanks to all for your help and encouragement and the introduction to primitive archery


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Title: Re: Twin Oaks 1st Bow
Post by: radius on October 27, 2009, 08:32:02 am
nice bow, Shortdraw!  I gots to get me some osage orange staves!
Title: Re: Twin Oaks 1st Bow
Post by: GregB on October 27, 2009, 08:37:15 am
I've kiddingly told Doug several times that..."it's just not right that you've made such a fine bow as your first!".

Of course Doug had some direction from Pappy and I at various stages of the bow making, but he did the vast majority of the work. He was a natural at chasing the grain, and got plenty of practice getting past those worm holes. Doug made his own violin years ago, so he wasn't a stranger at working with wood and finishing.

We were proud to play a part at getting him introduced to this fine hobby we enjoy. I think the bow turned out great, and really is a good shooter. Doug and his daughter Katie have an additional hobby they can do together... shooting their self bows. ;)
Title: Re: Twin Oaks 1st Bow
Post by: woodstick on October 27, 2009, 08:46:43 am
that is a saaaweeet bow. i look at alot of first bows on here and dang there is some raw talent out there. very nice job. and i love the art work.
Title: Re: Twin Oaks 1st Bow
Post by: knightd on October 27, 2009, 09:01:33 am
Very well done ! Lots of good folks and times there at Pappy's..
Title: Re: Twin Oaks 1st Bow
Post by: George Tsoukalas on October 27, 2009, 09:03:55 am
Congratulations on a very nice bow. Jawge
Title: Re: Twin Oaks 1st Bow
Post by: Pappy on October 27, 2009, 09:23:12 am
That turned out great Doug,I know it looked good the last time I saw it but the finish work you put on it is outstanding.Nice job. :) Now for #2. ;) :)
   Pappy
Title: Re: Twin Oaks 1st Bow
Post by: Dano on October 27, 2009, 09:57:35 am
OUTSTANDING!!!
Title: Re: Twin Oaks 1st Bow
Post by: PeteC on October 27, 2009, 10:13:46 am
Very nice bow Doug! I like everything about it.Great job,and help,on this one. God Bless
Title: Re: Twin Oaks 1st Bow
Post by: Keenan on October 27, 2009, 10:19:00 am
 Awesome bow Doug. Great attention to detail and very unique features as well. That is definitely a bow to be proud of and I'm sure the first of many more to come. Congratulations.    Keenan
Title: Re: Twin Oaks 1st Bow
Post by: nugget on October 27, 2009, 10:48:57 am
Wish my first one was that good. Nice job and welcome to the addicting hobby of primitive archery
Title: Re: Twin Oaks 1st Bow
Post by: Josh on October 27, 2009, 10:56:33 am
wow nice bow especially for a first!!!  ...you DID have some of the best help in the world with that osage!  Awesome grip, tips, skins, and tiller.  The best first bow I have ever seen.  Now crank that baby back for a full-full draw!    :)  -josh
Title: Re: Twin Oaks 1st Bow
Post by: Big A on October 27, 2009, 11:06:37 am
Great bow Doug. I know you are proud of that one I would be. You did have some expert advice but you put it to good use. All the sweat and time put into this one was hard but it is a really nice bow. Good job.
Big A
Title: Re: Twin Oaks 1st Bow
Post by: OldBow on October 27, 2009, 11:17:54 am
Really nice and bookmarked for Oct Self Bow of the Month!
Title: Re: Twin Oaks 1st Bow
Post by: Pat B on October 27, 2009, 11:59:26 am
Beautiful bow. You did have some of the best helping you out but you did a great job on this one. I love your artwork and the details .   
Title: Re: Twin Oaks 1st Bow
Post by: Justin Snyder on October 27, 2009, 12:11:47 pm
Very nice, I do have to agree with radius on the short draw. I like the swiss cheese handle with the snakeskin underneath.
Title: Re: Twin Oaks 1st Bow
Post by: adb on October 27, 2009, 12:40:09 pm
Very nice bow!
Title: Re: Twin Oaks 1st Bow
Post by: VenomBOWslinger on October 27, 2009, 02:36:24 pm
Hey nice bow Brother...again these guys are gettin good if there first bow looks like that!!! I am infactuated with skins I am a timber and diamond back freak...snakey is my next project!!!

By the way I thought they look for a full draw for bow of the month...I hope im not steepin outa line..looked a bit short for 28inches

CHEERS!!!
Title: Re: Twin Oaks 1st Bow
Post by: cowboy on October 27, 2009, 03:06:03 pm
She's a beauty for sure! Niiiiiice :).
Title: Re: Twin Oaks 1st Bow
Post by: gmc on October 27, 2009, 06:31:02 pm
Extordinary work for a first attempt. Best I've seen so far.

Greg
Title: Re: Twin Oaks 1st Bow
Post by: FlintWalker on October 27, 2009, 07:01:47 pm
I like it...A LOT 8)
 Hafta agree with the others though. A little better full draw would help.  I do like what I can see of it though. ;)
Title: Re: Twin Oaks 1st Bow
Post by: ricktrojanowski on October 27, 2009, 09:12:43 pm
That is one heck of a first.  The detail work is outstanding.  You are learning from the best.   Good job.
Title: Re: Twin Oaks 1st Bow
Post by: carbinecasey on October 27, 2009, 09:17:51 pm
One word....Beautiful!!! I gotta go to the Classic and get some tips and pointers on bow making!!!

CC
Title: Re: Twin Oaks 1st Bow
Post by: chasing crow on October 27, 2009, 09:24:30 pm
Great bow! The artistic touches are really well done. Congrats.
Chasing Crow
Title: Re: Twin Oaks 1st Bow
Post by: Pappy on October 28, 2009, 05:27:14 am
Hard to get a full draw picture sometimes,we are bow builders not photo experts,and no one said
it had to draw 28 to be a bow,Venom. I never draw 28 and I have seen a bunch and I mean a bunch of folks shoot and very few, even tho they say they do draw 28.I guess it is a mocho thing or something.  ??? Beautiful bow .  :)
    Pappy
Title: Re: Twin Oaks 1st Bow
Post by: GregB on October 28, 2009, 07:40:04 am
The full draw picture was taken back before the bow had the finish work done to it...basically just after tillering was complete. If you notice, the skins weren't on the bow yet. I don't know if Doug was all the way back or our timing was off on when the picture was snapped. I took the rest of the pictures behind my house, and didn't have Doug available for a full draw picture at that time. Doug and I work together, so the bow was returned at work and not the best place for me to snap a full draw picture of he and the bow.

We ended up using the old one that you see, and this was my fault since I told Doug it would be fine. So you guys out there need to blame me for the short full draw picture...go ahead, make my day!  ;D ;)

We can arrange another picture of this fine bow if you can't see enough to judge the tiller... ;)
Title: Re: Twin Oaks 1st Bow
Post by: Josh on October 28, 2009, 12:20:47 pm
I hope what I said didn't offend anybody... I love the bow!  Your first is better than anything I have produced yet.    :)  -josh
Title: Re: Twin Oaks 1st Bow
Post by: GregB on October 28, 2009, 01:11:31 pm
Josh, I don't think any one is offended...at least for my part I'm definitely not. Just explaining the full draw picture. At the point that picture was taken, Doug hadn't shot a bow very much since he had been a kid. That may have come into play or just the timing of snapping the picture. I can assure you though, that nothing is being attempted to be hid by a short draw pic. Just how it happened to turn out. If Doug wants to take another picture of him with the bow at full draw I'll be more then happy to take the picture. Like I said before, I'm the one responsible by telling him the one he posted would be fine. ;) Life is Good! :)
Title: Re: Twin Oaks 1st Bow
Post by: Josh on October 28, 2009, 01:18:52 pm
Dang right, Greg life IS good!!!   :)  -josh
Title: Re: Twin Oaks 1st Bow
Post by: medicinewheel on October 28, 2009, 04:21:55 pm
Very nice!
Title: Re: Twin Oaks 1st Bow
Post by: rockhound34 on October 28, 2009, 08:40:45 pm
Thats a super nice bow,very well done.
Title: Re: Twin Oaks 1st Bow
Post by: mullet on October 28, 2009, 09:01:06 pm
 That's a great looking bow, very good pictures and Full Draw.
Title: Re: Twin Oaks 1st Bow_new full draw pic
Post by: GregB on October 30, 2009, 07:28:27 am
Here's a new full draw of Doug's bow taken fresh yesterday for your viewing pleasure! ;)

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Title: Re: Twin Oaks 1st Bow
Post by: Pappy on October 30, 2009, 09:35:55 am
Now that's more like it, :)
   Pappy
Title: Re: Twin Oaks 1st Bow
Post by: Josh on October 30, 2009, 10:21:23 am
 8) Very nice!  :) -josh
Title: Re: Twin Oaks 1st Bow[Full draw added]
Post by: Hillbilly on October 30, 2009, 11:58:00 am
Mighty fine looking bow.