Primitive Archer
Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: IrishJay on May 02, 2019, 02:18:10 pm
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There's a nice 1 1/2" to 2" red maple sapling in the woods behind my house. It has a nice clear, straight 7' section that looks like it really wants to be a selfbow. I've had my eye on it for a while now, but haven't cut it because I'm not sure if red maple can make a bow.
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test it, that's what I would do. Well first, it says in the TBB to make a mini bow out of it and if it works then theres a good chance that it will work, cut a tiny piece off and make it out of that
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I’ve made a handful from Hard Maple. Red Maple is Soft Maple. Never tried it but Deerhunter is right. It may not be as good as Osage or Elm or Yew, but it also might surprise you. If it’s what you have access to why not give it a shot. Cut it prep it dry it and then make a bow. A bend test is a good idea once it’s dry.
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Looking at the wood database, its properties look just slightly lower than red oak, and my current shooter is a red oak board bow, so I'll probably cut it and give it a try.
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Well, there you go. I made one from hackberry years ago. It sucked. Badly. But I learned that a bow could be made from such a unworthy source. Made a few more later and made them wider and tempered them well. These were as solid as any I had ever made. One of my favorite woods now. Good luck with it.
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I have tried it a couple of times. No luck with it.
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I cut a red maple tree a couple months ago. It was standing straight, but it had a pretty nasty propeller twist once I split it.
That combined with it being marginal for bow use, I'll use if for accents.
Just warning about the twist. Maybe study the bark in depth before cutting.
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Here it is roughed out.
(http://i61.photobucket.com/albums/h66/jayres83/bow%20pics%202/20190503_135745_zps3ijrwmak.jpg) (http://s61.photobucket.com/user/jayres83/media/bow%20pics%202/20190503_135745_zps3ijrwmak.jpg.html)
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Well you didn't waste much time :OK
Did you leave it wide?
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I left it full width, just roughed in the belly and the fades, everything else was left raw. Now the waiting starts. Luckily I have several other projects to occupy my time whilst this dries.
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It shouldn't take too long with it roughed out like that. Like what's being discussed on the other thread, I would seal the back and ends if you haven't already.
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That's my next step after debarking in finished. My 1 year old woke up from her while I was debarking, which means daddy's play time in the shop is over for now.
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I did a bit more roughing out/reducing in the handle area today, it's starting to look like a bow. Tomorrow I'm going to cut the tapers on the tips. Planning to leave it full width out to 8" from the tips and taper to 3/4" from there. Then some simple whitetail tip overlays.
(http://i61.photobucket.com/albums/h66/jayres83/bow%20pics%202/20190504_151157_zpsu8yibkyy.jpg) (http://s61.photobucket.com/user/jayres83/media/bow%20pics%202/20190504_151157_zpsu8yibkyy.jpg.html)
(http://i61.photobucket.com/albums/h66/jayres83/bow%20pics%202/20190504_145001_zpskdsulz6p.jpg) (http://s61.photobucket.com/user/jayres83/media/bow%20pics%202/20190504_145001_zpskdsulz6p.jpg.html)
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Your bow looks long.Mine were only 60 inches in length. It is all the saplings would give me. Maybe your,s will work out good for you. Good luck.Now rock or sugar maple which it some times called worked out good for me for bow wood.I am curios as to how your,s will hold up.
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Bass it's 68" ttt, 1.5" wide. I kept the non-working handle length short, so I have almost 63" of working limb.
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Smart thinking. Hope you have a winner.
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I told myself that I was going to keep this a nice and simple, straight limbed selfbow. But, then I did some heat straightening on the one limb and saw how well this wood does with heat forming. I couldnt help myself, added some R/D, net reflex is just a tad shy of 3.5". Hopefully with proper belly tempering and careful tiller the tips will stay positive.
(http://i61.photobucket.com/albums/h66/jayres83/bow%20pics%202/20190505_184114_zpsxsmycnqa.jpg) (http://s61.photobucket.com/user/jayres83/media/bow%20pics%202/20190505_184114_zpsxsmycnqa.jpg.html)
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Keep an eye on the belly while tillering. Every soft maple I’ve worked fretted pretty bad for no obvious reason.
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I just split out a beautiful red maple stave, not realizing how poorly regarded it is for bows. Hopefully you have good luck and I can draw some ideas from you when the time comes. Looking good so far, did you hear trsat the belly yet? Might avoid fretting that way when you tiller
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Even with a good heat treat the belly chrysaled very badly as soon I tried to get it bending. Never made it past floor tiller.
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Uh oh, that's not very encouraging. Hopefully I have better luck with mine, time will tell. Its clamped up and drying for now
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Irish,that was my experience with soft maple.Now if you can get a stave of rock, or sugar maple as it is some times called you can make a really nice bow.We all live and learn.