Primitive Archer
Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: k-hat on March 15, 2012, 06:23:00 pm
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Found this old fencepost last year in a thicket just on the edge of our subdivision, figured it'd make good firewood at the time. It was tooo stinkin hard to cut, so I just left it in the garage.
Well, decided it was time to start on a new handle for my wife's spatula i been promisin, so i went and cut an end off to see if it would do . . .
(http://i1216.photobucket.com/albums/dd374/k-hat/bodarkpost1.jpg)
(http://i1216.photobucket.com/albums/dd374/k-hat/bodarkpost2.jpg)
Tain't no firewood there I tell ya!!!!! Figure i've got a couple billets worth in there i can make a 60" bow from. That sucker's gotta be 50+ years old.
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Go find another so you know you have enough for a bow. That bugger is pretty narrow to get a split from.
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I'll go give another look where i found it, i'm sure there's more lying around. However, that cut end is the narrow end, the other is about 4x the cross section, so i figure i might can get it using the narrow end for the tips. I'll know once i get into it.
Either way, i'll go look again, if i don't need two for one, maybe i'll have two for two :laugh: Thanks PD.
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I would bet that there are more just like it close by. Even if you can get a bow from one post, raw material gathering NEVER ends buddy!
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Right! I'm just beginning to realize that. I've got so much wood, logs, staves, and scraps around that my wife is resembling a bobble head from shaking her head at me all the time >:D
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Keep collecting......you will need it. Just build more racks and stands to organize it.
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Racks are definitely on my to-do list for the summer.
Meanwhile, i couldn't wait and went in the garage and cleaned up the post a little, found this . . . ouch :o
(http://i1216.photobucket.com/albums/dd374/k-hat/postnail.jpg)
My drawknife is not happy with me. Turned out it was just the tip of a nail that had broken off in there. Here is what lies beneath all the deadwood:
(http://i1216.photobucket.com/albums/dd374/k-hat/bodarkpostcleand.jpg)
(http://i1216.photobucket.com/albums/dd374/k-hat/bodarkpostcleand2.jpg)
Sorry for the poor pic quality. The large end is about 2.5" across, the small end is about 1.75". MAYBE i can split it down the middle for sister billets, but i don't know. :-\ Think I'll go for a walk in a bit n see what i can find.
If I did split it, should i use the band saw and try to follow the grain?
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Awesome find! I've worked some fenceposts like that before. Even won BOM with a bow from one. On that bow I just split it with wedges used the top and belly split to make a sweet shootin bow that took two deer this year :) Looks like you stumbled on some buried gold! Can't wait to see how it turns out for ya! ;)
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"Ahhhh Yeah! Looky what i found!
...this old fencepost..."
Gotta add that to things only a bowyer would say.
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That's for sure. Reminds me of a post round here a while back that started . . ."you know you're a bowyer when . . ." All kinds of funny but true stuff ;D
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BTW, i was way too excited about this one, so i went ahead and chased a couple rings down the back to see what i have. Gonna do one more ring and call her done before i start drawing in profile, cutting, and splicing (may need to recruit some help for that!). if it works out, she's gonna have a sweeeeeeeeet profile! Should be able to get 64" out of it, plenty for 28" draw, even with a stiff handle ;D This may be the fastest bow i've ever done. We'll see ;)