Primitive Archer
Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: Earl on April 06, 2007, 11:14:10 am
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I've made this bow a couple months ago and finally took picture of it. Its 58" long, 55#@24"and it has 2" of set. The bow has white mulberry tip overlays since this wood dents very easily. It has many knots but this wood seems to be very tension strong. Oh and i forgot to say that YOU SHOULD'NT HEAT TREAT IT! if it gets too dry it will blow unexpectedly.
Unstrung
(http://i66.photobucket.com/albums/h259/earlito/1.jpg)
strung
(http://i66.photobucket.com/albums/h259/earlito/3.jpg)
Tip
(http://i66.photobucket.com/albums/h259/earlito/2.jpg)
Here are some pictures of me and my brother shooting it.
(http://i66.photobucket.com/albums/h259/earlito/Earlshooting.jpg)
(http://i66.photobucket.com/albums/h259/earlito/Alexupclose.jpg)
And a Video
http://s66.photobucket.com/albums/h259/earlito/?action=view¤t=Shootingthefigbow.flv
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Looks real nice, lots of character too. Nice to see a bow from a different wood.
DanaM
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What sort of fig is it. The fruit trees don't seem to be strong enough. Could it be Ficus bengimina, the house plant(tree)?
Your tiller looks very good and with all of the limbs you have done a fine job with a possibly difficult stave. And like Dana said, good to see you using an unconventional wood. Pat
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character comin out the yin yang! ;D ;D very cool! casts a livley arrow as well,,good job!
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Pat, I'm not sure what the name of it is but, I took a photo of what the tree looked like.
(http://i66.photobucket.com/albums/h259/earlito/Figtree.jpg)
(http://i66.photobucket.com/albums/h259/earlito/Figs.jpg)
(http://i66.photobucket.com/albums/h259/earlito/fig2.jpg)
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Very nice. I'm with Pat on thinking Fig (the fruit tree) doesn't seem a likely canidate for bow building. Is is the fruit tree? You've done very well at any rate. I think if you were to tiller it a little stiffer in the handle, you'ld lose half of that set. I like bows that bend in the handle though. A very nice character bow out of a rarely used wood--great work.
J. D. Duff
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Yes it is a fruit tree. The piece i used was 59 sg. Not bad for a fig.
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Earl, From the pic it looks like Fucus benjimina, which is a house plant here in the US. I see you are from Japan. Does it grow naturally there? Pat
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Yep, its a native to this island. Its quite good wood, Its in the Mulberry/Osage family. The inner bark is extremely tough and I've once made a bow string from it.
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Congrats for making a primitive bow which is what this site is all about. Got you bookmarked for April Self Bow of the Month, too.
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Earl, we must have been posting at the same time. We have a fruiting fig in the us that has very, very weak wood. It looks like you're on to something there.
Take care,
J. D. Duff
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Earl, well done. Beautiful bow. Jawge
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Nice bow! I went to school and i believe it was a place called Eta Jima or something like that. Going to class each morning i could see Mt. Fuja. My spelling is probable way off. sorry for that. I,m talking 1955. Your like me an old fella. Ridge
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Nice looking bow there. Plenty of knots. You must know what you are doing. Justin
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Very Cool Bow 8) there about 800 species of fig tree of the two type's I've seen in the US they would not make a good self bow and the fig tree I saw on Diego Garcia I over looked it being fig with all the Iron wood all over the Island what bowyer is going to look at fig any way.
But you have open my eye's to fig Good work on the Bow. ;D
Miles
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Hi Earl,
a fine bow. A lot of character. I like it.
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I believe the fig that most of us are thinking about is the common fig(Ficus carica) used for making fig cakes, newtons and figgy puddin'. These trees are only hardy to hardiness zones 8 to 10 and are indiginous to Western Asia and Eastern Mediterranean reagions. Not bow wood but good eating fruit. Pat