Primitive Archer

Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: rossfactor on February 17, 2011, 04:18:59 am

Title: Plum finished with this bow. Got some outside pictures
Post by: rossfactor on February 17, 2011, 04:18:59 am

This is for a gentleman who introduced me to fly fishing.

It is Purple leaf plum, from a branch at my mother in laws house that I've been watching for 5 years now.  Finally decided it was time.

I imagine this bow was kind of like raising a teenager. It was stubborn, it needed quite a bit of straightening out, it kept me awake at night worrying about it, and in the end I loved the little bugger.

I left the cambium layer on, I was considering leaving the bark, but it was just too thick and would have cracked.  It is backed with silk, and finished with 3 coats of tung oil. You can hardly see the silk. I'm going to polish it with beeswax and mineral oil to try and cut the gloss some.

This gentleman happens to have a very long draw of 31".  The bow is 64" long so it was a tall order to tiller it out.  There were more than a few gut wrenching moments, but in the end it turned out ok.  Draw weight is about 45 lbs at 31", just a hair under what I was hoping for.  Just unstrung it takes about .5" set and returns flat after a few minutes.  It can whip my 500grain hunting arrows out pretty nicely at 20yards. 

I'm looking forward to giving it away, but I'll miss it. Maybe kind of like a teenager.  :) 

Thanks for looking,

Pics are inside because I live in Humboldt and, as usual, its raining.

Gabe

(http://i55.photobucket.com/albums/g124/rossfactor/purple%20plum/IMG_2626.jpg)
(http://i55.photobucket.com/albums/g124/rossfactor/purple%20plum/IMG_2581.jpg)
(http://i55.photobucket.com/albums/g124/rossfactor/purple%20plum/IMG_2693.jpg)
(http://i55.photobucket.com/albums/g124/rossfactor/purple%20plum/IMG_2686.jpg)
(http://i55.photobucket.com/albums/g124/rossfactor/purple%20plum/IMG_2639.jpg)
ha ha, art is evidently not my thing  :D
(http://i55.photobucket.com/albums/g124/rossfactor/purple%20plum/IMG_2701.jpg)
(http://i55.photobucket.com/albums/g124/rossfactor/purple%20plum/IMG_2708.jpg)
(http://i55.photobucket.com/albums/g124/rossfactor/purple%20plum/IMG_2717.jpg)
(http://i55.photobucket.com/albums/g124/rossfactor/purple%20plum/IMG_2718.jpg)

It Finally Stopped Raining long enough for me to get outside.

(http://i55.photobucket.com/albums/g124/rossfactor/purple%20plum/IMG_2721.jpg)
(http://i55.photobucket.com/albums/g124/rossfactor/purple%20plum/IMG_2722.jpg)
(http://i55.photobucket.com/albums/g124/rossfactor/purple%20plum/IMG_2726.jpg)

Title: Re: Plum finished with this bow.
Post by: rossfactor on February 17, 2011, 04:23:25 am

Oh, the arrow pass is cut from the out bark of the same branch and than sanded with steel wool.

And the overlays are Honduran Rosewood

Gabe

Title: Re: Plum finished with this bow.
Post by: medicinewheel on February 17, 2011, 06:06:31 am

Looks fantastic!
Detail of the arrow pass would be nice to see, also how that back turned out!

Title: Re: Plum finished with this bow.
Post by: Autumnbear on February 17, 2011, 06:15:22 am

Really nice job. Nice clean tiller and it is always nice to see woods that are not seen often. If this bow reminds you of a teenager, I would adopt!! I'd give her a good home to!-Josh

Title: Re: Plum finished with this bow.
Post by: Pappy on February 17, 2011, 07:22:56 am

Great looking bow,very well done. :)
   Pappy

Title: Re: Plum finished with this bow.
Post by: Del the cat on February 17, 2011, 07:48:47 am

Very handsome, great bow and a nice story with it too.
Del

Title: Re: Plum finished with this bow.
Post by: Cameroo on February 17, 2011, 10:24:57 am

beautiful bow, I love it :)

Title: Re: Plum finished with this bow.
Post by: n2huntn on February 17, 2011, 10:38:51 am

What Cameroo said!!

Title: Re: Plum finished with this bow.
Post by: tattoo dave on February 17, 2011, 11:05:56 am

That's super cool! I really like the look of the cambium left on the back. Nice work.

Title: Re: Plum finished with this bow.
Post by: beetlebailey1977 on February 17, 2011, 11:14:31 am

Man shoot...that is a fine bow.  I like it alot.  Very nice tillering.  Classic look.

Title: Re: Plum finished with this bow.
Post by: Parnell on February 17, 2011, 11:26:10 am

That is an excellent bow, Gabe.  Plum is one of those dreamwoods I'd like to try.  I have no access to it.
How high did you set the brace height in these pictures?  Really outstanding job.

Title: Re: Plum finished with this bow.
Post by: jonathan creason on February 17, 2011, 11:35:39 am

That's a gorgeous bow.  I've got a wild plum growing in my back yard that I've been contemplating hacking into, but it's bushy as can be. 

Title: Re: Plum finished with this bow.
Post by: Cameroo on February 17, 2011, 11:47:26 am

 Mind if I ask what type of glue you used to apply the silk?  I need something like that for an upcoming project.

Title: Re: Plum finished with this bow.
Post by: George Tsoukalas on February 17, 2011, 11:48:18 am

Gabe, very nicely done. She's a beauty. Jawge

Title: Re: Plum finished with this bow.
Post by: Gordon on February 17, 2011, 11:51:55 am

That bow certainly turned out nicely.

Title: Re: Plum finished with this bow.
Post by: John K on February 17, 2011, 12:11:42 pm

Very nice, great job !

Title: Re: Plum finished with this bow.
Post by: rossfactor on February 17, 2011, 01:55:17 pm

Thanks medicineWheel, I added some more pictures of the arrow pass below.
Thanks Autumn Bear,
thank you Pappy and Del,

Cameroo the silk was glued on with Titebond Liquid hide glue. Thanks

Thanks Baily
You've always got a kind word Jawge,
Thanks Gordon and John.

Gordon I've been scraping a piece of VM recently and thinking of some of your bows.  Its amazing how much tougher VM is than plum.
Thanks John..

(http://i55.photobucket.com/albums/g124/rossfactor/IMG_2648.jpg)

(http://i55.photobucket.com/albums/g124/rossfactor/IMG_2678.jpg)

Title: Re: Plum finished with this bow.
Post by: ErictheViking on February 17, 2011, 02:05:18 pm

Always wanted to try some plum. Don't think I will do that nice of a job though. Beauty of a bow man. good job.

Title: Re: Plum finished with this bow.
Post by: HatchA on February 17, 2011, 05:34:06 pm

Beautiful bow!  The recipient is one lucky fisherman!!  :)

Title: Re: Plum finished with this bow.
Post by: mox1968 on February 17, 2011, 05:51:13 pm

great job plum is another wood Id also like to try, all I seem to find is ash!! looks like you tillered it spot on well done.

Title: Re: Plum finished with this bow.
Post by: Mangeur de lard on February 18, 2011, 01:12:47 pm

I Love the classic lines of that bow. Everything just seems right.

good work!
MAtt

Title: Re: Plum finished with this bow.
Post by: Sparrow on February 18, 2011, 01:23:20 pm

 That is a fine looking bow.Classic and certainly a hunt worthy weapon. Very nice glue line on the nocks.  '  Frank

Title: Re: Plum finished with this bow. Got some outside pictures
Post by: rossfactor on February 18, 2011, 08:02:17 pm

Thanks everyone.  I'm driving down to the fly shop to give her away in about 20 minutes.  Time to whittle the next stave.

Got my eye on a piece of VM thats been sitting on the pile, daring me to give it a go for a year.

Gabe

Title: Re: Plum finished with this bow. Got some outside pictures
Post by: Dvshunter on February 19, 2011, 01:12:52 am

Beautiful bow! Great Job.

Title: Re: Plum finished with this bow. Got some outside pictures
Post by: 1776J on February 19, 2011, 01:15:21 am

Very nice!,... very nice indeed!

Title: Re: Plum finished with this bow. Got some outside pictures
Post by: Josh on February 21, 2011, 02:39:10 pm

Wow!  That turned out really nice.  I would be Plum excited to make such a plum-tastic work of art.   8) Tiller is really good too.   Bookmarked for Feb. BOM contest as well.  :)

Title: Re: Plum finished with this bow. Got some outside pictures
Post by: ohma on February 21, 2011, 06:43:49 pm

alot of nice points to that bow. you did yourself proud on that for sure.