Primitive Archer

Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: snedeker on October 27, 2009, 11:03:46 am

Title: Birch Selfbow - Most Unsightly Bow of the Month
Post by: snedeker on October 27, 2009, 11:03:46 am
There have only been two birch bows posted on here in the past and the subject comes up every now and then, so I cut myself a 4 inch diameter sweet birch tree (central Pennsylvania) and tried a quarter split.  A problem was that the stave I chose was limited to 61" ntn by a knot.  had it tillered to about 60# and noticed a hinge 9" from upper tip, so it came down to 50# at 27", 1 & 5/8" wide at fades out to mid limb.  Heat treated in couple inches reflex and its settled in with a bit of deflex.  shoots pretty zippy.   I used leather dye on back and mahogany stain on belly with urethane over all and came out kind of funky.  I wasn't very fussy with it and there are tool nicks too.  Looks like its been in a peat bog for a while.  I'll give it to a local kid for a rough and ready hunting bow.

It has one chevron shaped faint fret a few inches below the handle fade on the lower limb.


65" and 3/4 wide would make a pretty good bow I think with this wood.


Dave

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Title: Re: Birch Selfbow - Most Unsightly Bow of the Month
Post by: Pappy on October 27, 2009, 11:16:56 am
Very nice,I sure don't see anything wrong with that one.Well done. :)
   Pappy
Title: Re: Birch Selfbow - Most Unsightly Bow of the Month
Post by: OldBow on October 27, 2009, 11:19:23 am
Another example of fine craftsmanship. Very nice, Dave. Bookmarked, too.
Title: Re: Birch Selfbow - Most Unsightly Bow of the Month
Post by: Pat B on October 27, 2009, 11:42:18 am
Nice work Dave. Thanks for showing others what can be achieved with a simple 4" birch pole.
Title: Re: Birch Selfbow - Most Unsightly Bow of the Month
Post by: Josh on October 27, 2009, 12:02:42 pm
man that one looks good too.  Good job on the tiller and finish work!  -josh  :)
Title: Re: Birch Selfbow - Most Unsightly Bow of the Month
Post by: adb on October 27, 2009, 12:26:01 pm
Good grief... nothing unsightly about that! Good tiller, minimal set... it's all good.
Title: Re: Birch Selfbow - Most Unsightly Bow of the Month
Post by: Keenan on October 27, 2009, 12:48:37 pm
That one of the perdiest unsightly bows that I've seen Dave. very nice bow great tiller.
Title: Re: Birch Selfbow - Most Unsightly Bow of the Month
Post by: Josh on October 27, 2009, 12:59:35 pm
Oh yeah I don't see anything unsightly about that bow either.  i  had to post a separate comment just for that too!   ;D  -josh
Title: Re: Birch Selfbow - Most Unsightly Bow of the Month
Post by: Justin Snyder on October 27, 2009, 01:02:02 pm
Looks good to me Dave. It has everything that counts. Justin
Title: Re: Birch Selfbow - Most Unsightly Bow of the Month
Post by: John K on October 27, 2009, 01:14:06 pm
Looks great ! I have a piece of White Birch i need to work on.
Title: Re: Birch Selfbow - Most Unsightly Bow of the Month
Post by: GregB on October 27, 2009, 02:23:32 pm
From your description I didn't expect the bow that I saw when I scrolled down! Very nice bow! Makes me wonder what I'd see when you're really happy about one!  ;)
Title: Re: Birch Selfbow - Most Unsightly Bow of the Month
Post by: VenomBOWslinger on October 27, 2009, 02:26:32 pm
Man are u nuts there are people on this site who would love to be able to build at least one bow like that...Im gonna have to report u to the BBB for being selfish!!! ;) ;)

Nice bow..its BIRCH??? and that pattern is it burned...

CHEERS!!!
Title: Re: Birch Selfbow - Most Unsightly Bow of the Month
Post by: cowboy on October 27, 2009, 03:10:03 pm
Looks good to me Dave. That kid aught to be a happy camper ;).
Title: Re: Birch Selfbow - Most Unsightly Bow of the Month
Post by: Kent D. on October 27, 2009, 05:33:23 pm
Wow, 50# from birch, good job.
Title: Re: Birch Selfbow - Most Unsightly Bow of the Month
Post by: Jmilbrandt on October 27, 2009, 05:52:55 pm
Looks great! Sure isn't a whole lot of set for birch, good job!
Title: Re: Birch Selfbow - Most Unsightly Bow of the Month
Post by: gmc on October 27, 2009, 06:12:15 pm
The tiller looks spot-on to me. Very nice bow.
Title: Re: Birch Selfbow - Most Unsightly Bow of the Month
Post by: NTProf on October 27, 2009, 07:14:20 pm
Looks great!! What is sweet birch? I have a piece of yellow birch that I am working on at the moment, but I doubt that it will turn out anywhere close to as nice as yours.
Title: Re: Birch Selfbow - Most Unsightly Bow of the Month
Post by: snedeker on October 27, 2009, 07:26:28 pm
Aww, it's just deceptively photogenic.  Like me  Up close, the girls in the office said yukk (about both of us) -- of course they like the nice shiny boo ones I make.

Sweet birch is Betula lenta. Also called black and cherry birch.  Has unmistakably birch leaves with bark sort of like black cherry.  Both yellow birch (B. Allegeniensis grow all over eastern US and are in the low to mid .60s specific gravity range.   

Dave
Title: Re: Birch Selfbow - Most Unsightly Bow of the Month
Post by: George Tsoukalas on October 27, 2009, 07:59:40 pm
Looks great! Tiller is excellent. Why do you think you got a chrysal, Dave? Jawge
Title: Re: Birch Selfbow - Most Unsightly Bow of the Month
Post by: snedeker on October 27, 2009, 08:51:59 pm
Theres no reason I can see why a fret is there.  Maybe I'm wrong and its just some crazing in the finish.  I notice the birch doesn't take oil based stain well
Title: Re: Birch Selfbow - Most Unsightly Bow of the Month
Post by: medicinewheel on October 28, 2009, 02:43:59 am
Sure looks good!
Good tiller, nice finish!
Title: Re: Birch Selfbow - Most Unsightly Bow of the Month
Post by: Hillbilly on October 28, 2009, 10:00:30 am
Good looking bow, Dave. Don't see anything at all wrong with that.
Title: Re: Birch Selfbow - Most Unsightly Bow of the Month
Post by: zeNBowyer on October 29, 2009, 02:37:45 am
Looks  good to  me:)
Title: Re: Birch Selfbow - Most Unsightly Bow of the Month
Post by: billy on October 29, 2009, 10:17:16 am
beauty!  I also like the burned designs on the belly.....very cool....
Title: Re: Birch Selfbow - Most Unsightly Bow of the Month
Post by: PeteC on October 29, 2009, 07:09:46 pm
Looks mighty good to me too. I like it. God Bless