Primitive Archer

Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: Parnell on October 12, 2016, 11:38:41 am

Title: Ash in the works (FD added)
Post by: Parnell on October 12, 2016, 11:38:41 am
I've never done an Ash bow before.  I like the wood.  It's coming along at 68" tip to tip and is 1.75" out of the long sweeping fades.  I made an effort to work on trapping the back while tillering out. White wood definitely likes this design.  Heat treated the belly real good twice before and at brace.  I've got it tillered out to 26" and will bring it to 28" shooting it in, then get her all fancied up.  She is a super stable shooter, already, haven't filed in a shelf yet.  Accurate.  Been awhile since I've made a bow.  I've been back to the craft lately and it sure feels good.  The cooler less humid air is starting to move in.  I'll keep the post going as she finishes. 

Happy autumn, everyone.   :)
Title: Re: Ash in the works
Post by: Floridabowyer on October 12, 2016, 12:01:32 pm
That bow is looking great! Unbraced shows no set. I'm ready to get back to the workshop after a hot and humid Florida summer!
Title: Re: Ash in the works
Post by: Aaron H on October 12, 2016, 12:06:41 pm
Love those profiles Steve
Title: Re: Ash in the works
Post by: Pat B on October 12, 2016, 12:18:27 pm
Nice looking bow, Steve. I've had poor luck with ash. Looks like you haven't. Well done!   8)
Title: Re: Ash in the works
Post by: Parnell on October 12, 2016, 12:30:10 pm
Got the string served up.  I picked this string up at The Classic.  Its turning out to be a great product.  Not quite the piano wire fast flight is but still performs real well with some forgiveness to it.  I didn't make a note about the maker...anybody recognize it?
Title: Re: Ash in the works
Post by: osage outlaw on October 12, 2016, 12:39:41 pm
The bow is looking great Parnell.  Looks like you got a good temper on the belly.

That is good bowstring material.  Here is some info I copied and pasted from BCY's website.

BCY-X Bowstring
All the benefits and performance of 452X and 8190 combined. Good for Compound Bows and Recurves. Available in solid colors.
No Creep
Good Arrow Speed
Low fuzziness
High abrasion resistance
Recommended strands: 24 on compound bows
Approximate feet per pound waxed: 9,500
Spool sizes: 1/8 lb., 1/4 lb., or 1 lb.

83% SK90 Dyneema - 17% Vectran - Patented Construction
Title: Re: Ash in the works
Post by: PEARL DRUMS on October 12, 2016, 01:12:26 pm
Nice work Steve-O.
Title: Re: Ash in the works
Post by: paco664 on October 12, 2016, 01:32:37 pm
wow... that looks much better than when i saw it the other day....

man, i gotta get back over there with this hickory bow we started...

and i'll send ya progress pics on the bamboo/redoak/bamboo... i am floor tillering and wanna wait to see if it goes boom before posting photos here...
Title: Re: Ash in the works
Post by: Parnell on October 12, 2016, 02:03:07 pm
Cool, thanks Clint.  We should finish that bow, Brian.  Thanks fellas.  I'll post as she progresses.
Title: Re: Ash in the works
Post by: Hrothgar on October 12, 2016, 02:23:34 pm
Good looking bow Steve. Nice finish, I always liked the smooth even rings in ash.
Title: Re: Ash in the works
Post by: mullet on October 12, 2016, 03:54:50 pm
Looks good, Steve, looks like we both like the cooler weather ;D.
Title: Re: Ash in the works
Post by: FilipT on October 13, 2016, 02:46:27 am
Very good looking, bet it'll turn out even better when you finish it completely. Too bad I haven't found yet straight ash around here, or even the one that is not twisted.
Title: Re: Ash in the works
Post by: osage outlaw on October 13, 2016, 07:42:27 am
I can't find a living ash tree of any size.  The borers have killed them all.
Title: Re: Ash in the works
Post by: Pappy on October 13, 2016, 09:08:42 am
Looking good so far Steve. :)
 Pappy
Title: Re: Ash in the works
Post by: George Tsoukalas on October 14, 2016, 12:54:42 am
Yes, looks good. Jawge
Title: Re: Ash in the works
Post by: loon on October 14, 2016, 04:36:47 pm
Got the string served up.  I picked this string up at The Classic.  Its turning out to be a great product.  Not quite the piano wire fast flight is but still performs real well with some forgiveness to it.  I didn't make a note about the maker...anybody recognize it?

Did you mix it with dacron for the darker stuff on the actual string or what? Strange that it's not a piano wire like fast-flight. I imagine it's among the 'best', lowest stretch stuff there is. And mighty expensive..

Nice bow!

Nice color choices on the string, too..
Title: Re: Ash in the works
Post by: DC on October 14, 2016, 06:52:51 pm
It's only expensive if you look at the price of a roll. Per bow it's something like $2 a string.
Title: Re: Ash in the works
Post by: loon on October 14, 2016, 08:07:06 pm
My 1/8# of D-10 has almost ran out, and I've made less than a dozen strings... ($28+shipping)
1/4# of BCY-X is $58, 1/8" is $33.25... that'd be around 3-4$ a string? Welp
wonder if bcy-x is any better than d-10 or d-97 for trad/primitive
Title: Re: Ash in the works
Post by: bubby on October 15, 2016, 01:21:32 am
You can get d-97 on ebay for $16 for that size spool. How many strands are you using i usually go 8 or 10 strands for up to 60# bow
Title: Re: Ash in the works
Post by: loon on October 15, 2016, 10:11:45 am
I went with 12 strands. yeah, I should go with ebay next..
Title: Re: Ash in the works
Post by: Parnell on October 26, 2016, 10:32:18 am
Getting close to finished up.  A few more scrapes on the top limb, maybe.  I found an old fur shall(sp?) at a garage sale and cut it up.  Makes pretty good silencers.  Not sure what it is, though.

Couple teaser pictures.  FD should be in the next day or two.
Title: Re: Ash in the works
Post by: Aaron H on October 26, 2016, 12:04:09 pm
Now that's slick.  8)
Title: Re: Ash in the works
Post by: Eric Garza on October 26, 2016, 12:10:06 pm
That's a very dark heat treatment. I try hard to avoid scorching the wood like that.
Title: Re: Ash in the works
Post by: Parnell on October 26, 2016, 12:39:18 pm
I've had better results with "whitewood" giving it lots of heat for an extended time to get it black but without starting an ember, which to me is scorching it.  Then its ruined.  For sometime I'd get the wood toasted brown but that was just superficial and whitewood still took too much set.  Working with Mullet I learned to give it much longer slower deeper treatment.  This bow is shot in and still holding some reflex.  And, I like the way it looks!
Title: Re: Ash in the works
Post by: paco664 on October 26, 2016, 02:13:05 pm
dayummmmmmmm steve... i like it....

i also notice the total LACK OF PHOTOS BEING TEXTED TO ME!!!!   >:( >:( >:(  ;D
Title: Re: Ash in the works
Post by: GB on October 26, 2016, 05:34:10 pm
Looking good!
I have a couple small green ash trees that sprouted between my house and the driveway a few years ago.  Eventually they'll have to come down.  Gonna bookmark this for future reference, esp. the heat treating.
Title: Re: Ash in the works
Post by: osage outlaw on October 26, 2016, 05:41:35 pm
That's looking really good Parnell. 
Title: Re: Ash in the works
Post by: Pat B on October 26, 2016, 05:43:44 pm
She looks nice Steve. I've only made a few elm bows and was impressed with it, especially toasting the belly. My elm bows were short recurves. Let me know how a long, straight bow works out.
Title: Re: Ash in the works (FD added)
Post by: Parnell on October 26, 2016, 08:16:06 pm
The lighting decided to cooperate tonight.
Title: Re: Ash in the works (FD added)
Post by: osage outlaw on October 26, 2016, 08:32:38 pm
Good looking bend.  The color of the sky is beautiful.
Title: Re: Ash in the works (FD added)
Post by: Parnell on October 26, 2016, 09:00:30 pm
Thanks Clint.  The sun peaked through at sunset and made some pretty cool pink web patterns, beautiful.

The bow weighs in 54#@28".  Still holding .5" reflex so I'm happy with this design, for sure.  This could very well be the quietest dang bow I've made to date.  Its silly quiet.  Funny, I was shooting it over the weekend at the local archery club I've finally joined.  Mostly compound but a growing traditional crowd, no selfbow shooters.  A couple of the seasoned retired gents were totally interested in the bow and couldn't believe that "it doesn't make any noise".  There is a man in his 70's that was forced to move down here from Alabama that said to me, "I'd like to make a bow before I die."  How can I not help the guy out?!  Should be fun.

Gonna wrap the handle and she'll be done...
Title: Re: Ash in the works (FD added)
Post by: selfbow joe on October 26, 2016, 09:05:32 pm
It's looking good.
Title: Re: Ash in the works (FD added)
Post by: SLIMBOB on October 26, 2016, 10:07:34 pm
That's sweet looking!  (Not the shirtless dude part.  But the bow and the sky shot...nice).
Title: Re: Ash in the works (FD added)
Post by: osage outlaw on October 26, 2016, 11:47:34 pm
Good job spreading the traditional spirit. 
Title: Re: Ash in the works (FD added)
Post by: paco664 on October 27, 2016, 12:06:28 am
That's sweet looking!  (Not the shirtless dude part.  But the bow and the sky shot...nice).
it's worse in person when he does the tarzan shirtless thing... lol
Title: Re: Ash in the works (FD added)
Post by: Del the cat on October 27, 2016, 04:38:01 am
Real nice... great tiller.
I have some old shirts I send if you are in dire need >:D
I love the "doesn't make any noise" story, and way cool to help an old guy out to make a real bow.
Del
Title: Re: Ash in the works (FD added)
Post by: Pappy on October 27, 2016, 06:43:20 am
Dang I though that was Manny for a minute. ;) ;D ;D ;D Nice job Steve, very good looking bow. ;)
 Pappy
Title: Re: Ash in the works (FD added)
Post by: Aaron H on October 27, 2016, 06:51:58 am
Sweet looking tiller Steve!
Title: Re: Ash in the works (FD added)
Post by: Parnell on October 27, 2016, 08:07:16 am
Sometimes I forget the rest of the world doesn't live at the beach in Florida.
Title: Re: Ash in the works (FD added)
Post by: PEARL DRUMS on October 27, 2016, 09:47:47 am
Great wrap up Steve-O!
Title: Re: Ash in the works (FD added)
Post by: BowEd on October 27, 2016, 10:42:40 am
Very nice design and finish work on that ash bow.I like it.
Title: Re: Ash in the works (FD added)
Post by: loon on October 27, 2016, 10:52:47 am
Awesome job with that ash! So the heat treatment worked out very nicely?
Title: Re: Ash in the works (FD added)
Post by: Parnell on October 27, 2016, 12:44:40 pm
Awesome job with that ash! So the heat treatment worked out very nicely?

Certainly treating the bow before and through ground tiller/brace makes a big difference, I think, with whitewoods but that's no government secret.  I'll never make a whitewood bow of underbuilt dimensions, again, though.  68" long and 1.75" out of the fades with heat treatment and she's a real pleasure to shoot.
Title: Re: Ash in the works (FD added)
Post by: bjrogg on October 27, 2016, 01:53:26 pm
Nice looking bend there Parnell, Good thing I don't live on a beach in Florida don't think anybody wants to see that. I wish I had heat treated my ash bow.
bjrogg
Title: Re: Ash in the works (FD added)
Post by: dragonman on October 27, 2016, 04:57:01 pm
nice bow, well done...I make em like that too...ash is a good bow wood, could never see why more people dont value it as such..

dave
Title: Re: Ash in the works (FD added)
Post by: mullet on October 27, 2016, 07:45:06 pm
You nailed that one, Steve. When you decide to help the older Gentleman you know I just inherited a bunch of osage, right?  ;)
Title: Re: Ash in the works (FD added)
Post by: Parnell on October 28, 2016, 08:11:19 am
You nailed that one, Steve. When you decide to help the older Gentleman you know I just inherited a bunch of osage, right?  ;)

That's a great offer, Eddie.  We'll talk it up.  I can always switch out a seasoned stave of mine...

Thanks on the comments, guys.
Title: Re: Ash in the works (FD added)
Post by: rps3 on October 28, 2016, 09:20:00 am
Great looking bow. I just finished 2 ash bows this year only because they were cut off friends property and they wanted bows from wood off the family farm. I didn't expect much but I was very impressed, cant wait to build a few more.
Title: Re: Ash in the works (FD added)
Post by: Orrum on October 29, 2016, 08:11:47 am
This is a great thread by the bowyer and the folks comments. Very interesting and info filled!
Title: Re: Ash in the works (FD added)
Post by: paco664 on October 29, 2016, 01:17:30 pm
This is a great thread by the bowyer and the folks comments. Very interesting and info filled!
steve is a great guy with a big heart...   truly one of the best people i have had the privilege of meeting...


and he makes good bows also...
Title: Re: Ash in the works (FD added)
Post by: Peacebow_Coos on October 29, 2016, 10:50:10 pm
Good looking bow, I like ash too
Title: Re: Ash in the works (FD added)
Post by: mikekeswick on October 30, 2016, 04:05:37 am
Nicely done :)
I agree with the deep,slow heat treat for ash.
Title: Re: Ash in the works (FD added)
Post by: H Rhodes on October 30, 2016, 09:43:17 am
Full draw looks great.  Good work.
Title: Re: Ash in the works (FD added)
Post by: Parnell on October 31, 2016, 08:48:41 am
Kind words, thanks for the comments fellas.  On to the next project.  Sinewing up an Osage shorty.  Be posting up again soon.

Thanks.
Title: Re: Ash in the works (FD added)
Post by: wizardgoat on October 31, 2016, 04:04:38 pm
Great job on this build Steve, I still haven't made an ash bow
Title: Re: Ash in the works (FD added)
Post by: RLimerick on November 12, 2016, 11:22:20 am
Looks like a good toast on those limbs!  White wood loves a good toasting!  Great bow!