Primitive Archer
Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: Gordon on October 20, 2007, 09:42:52 pm
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I have been curious if I could fashion a short hunting weight bow from a vine maple sapling so I selected a 1 ¾” diameter sapling that I cut while steelhead fishing last winter for the job. The bow is 57” ntn, pulls 55# @ 27” and bends through the handle. The width is 1 3/8” at the handle, about 1 ½” mid-limb tapering to 7/16” at the tips. I built the handle area up with leather to make it easier to grip while shooting. The limbs are asymetrical. I used a John Strunk style handle wrap and capped each end with a strip of mink fur (that I got from my fly-typing supplies).The bow is stained with leather dye and finished with a coat of paraffin wax. The bow has some small frets along one edge of the limbs that I believe occurred when I first strung the bow during tillering. The limbs leaned to one side and the strain was too much for the thin edges. I’ve pulled the bow over a 1000 times on my tree and I don’t think they are going to cause any trouble. But next time I build a sapling bow I’ll try to get the tips more or less aligned before I put the short string on it.
When I showed the bow to my wife she commented that it looks like it should be named Nanook – so that’s what I named it.
(http://mysite.verizon.net/res0oeio/Nanook/nanook1.jpg)
(http://mysite.verizon.net/res0oeio/Nanook/nanook2.jpg)
(http://mysite.verizon.net/res0oeio/Nanook/nanook3.jpg)
(http://mysite.verizon.net/res0oeio/Nanook/nanook4.jpg)
(http://mysite.verizon.net/res0oeio/Nanook/nanook5.jpg)
(http://mysite.verizon.net/res0oeio/Nanook/nanook6.jpg)
(http://mysite.verizon.net/res0oeio/Nanook/nanook7.jpg)
(http://mysite.verizon.net/res0oeio/Nanook/nanook8.jpg)
(http://mysite.verizon.net/res0oeio/Nanook/nanook10.jpg)
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Hi Gordon been a while, nice bow! Hey you ever tried to a decrowed backed reflex deflex design using Vine as the belly wood, or for that matter a severe reflex deflex unbacked?? I am pondering both..... ;D
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Hey Brian, good to hear from you again!
Vine maple is very strong in tension so I don't back vine maple unless there is an issue. If you do use a high stress design with vine maple keep the belly really flat as vine maple is not nearly as strong in compression.
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Dang Gordon - nother nice bow!! Think you could take a random peice of drift wood and tiller it perfectly :). Gonna do a Stunk style handle on one of mine soon.......
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knarly yet beautiful , as usual you've made something really pleasing to look at, do you have any close pictures of the belly showing the grain?
V
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Gordon, You are truely a Master Caftsman. Good Job.
Joel
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hey gordon! - that's a really nice bow again!
frank
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Gordon that is sweet looking primitive style bow. It looks like you
are pushing the envelope with that one. Well done.
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Gordon, that is an awesome tiller. Great job. Jawge
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Good job on that knarley looking piece Gordon. I'm going to have to try that vine maple some time. :)
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Beautiful bow, Gordon. I love knarly character bows and you have nailed the tiller on this knarly stick! Pat
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Your full draw pics should convince anyone that this is one very well tillered bow. Looking forward to seeing it for Oct Bow of the Month consideration.
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i love that it is so cool.one of the coolest i have seen. does vine maple grow in Sw illinois? I live more in the north part of sw il
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VB, I added another picture that shows the belly.
David, as far as I know vine maple grows naturally only in the Pacific NW.
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that handle wrap is the coolest!
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Beautiful bow Gordon,great tiller as usually.Great job. :)
Pappy
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Looks like a fine new bow ;)
Gordon you worked every piece of wood in a piece of art I think....
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Gordon Lad,
You can make a bow.....very nice!
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i love those vine maple bows, piece by piece marvelous
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Beautiful bow Gordon!
Alan
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a great looking bow. I would have gone with a shorter handle area, but it has no effect on the performance since it is a bend through bow. all in all very neat.
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Super looking bow, love the tiller on it.
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Great looking bow Gordon. I didn't know you could make an unbacked vine maple bow that short. Greg
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Very nice looking bow Gordon.You are the man with that vine maple.
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Fine looking bow, Gordon. Would be a dandy for hunting blacktails, I'd think.
Stan
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I really enjoy seeing your vine maple bows. And this one is super. Been trying to get my family members who still live in Washington state to send me some vine maple, but none yet. :'(
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Hi
is there, on the internet, an explanation of how to make the Strunk style handle wrap?
I'd like to put one on my bow.
Thank you.
Rudy
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Nice bow Gordon. Nice collection of knots on it too :)
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Another beauty by Gordon, and , as I posted elswhere, "I think I am in love with the handle wrap/work."
One of the Full Draw pics has also been posted on my TBD pages (Page 15), and I couldn't resist includng a "click on" link to a pic of the handle :D.
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Another beautiful bow as always! (of course I also have a preference for vinemaple... lol) I have to ask what you used to get that color on this bow... brand and color, if you don't mind.
Of course this now has me staring at my staves again... lol
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Milo,
I used a combination of green and light-brown Fiebing's leather dye. I applied coats of each dye separately and sanded/steel-wooled until I got the color I was looking for.
This bow was really just practice before I tackle the piece of wood I really have my eye on. It is full of bumps, knots, character and even has some branches coming out of the back. I figure I have about a 50/50 chance of pulling it off.
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Gordon, you definitely make some beautifully bows, and this one does not disappoint. Justin
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Thanks Gordon! I was enthralled by the way it appeared that brown was showing through green - then green showing through brown.... attractive and camo all in one.
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Perfect looking D-BOW with a knarly pc. of wood,great looking bow Gordon.