Primitive Archer

Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: Squirrelslayer on January 04, 2013, 11:12:05 am

Title: Christmas tree bow build along: in progress
Post by: Squirrelslayer on January 04, 2013, 11:12:05 am

ok everyone im new here and this is my first post :laugh: anyway last year i thought why not make your christmas tree into a bow so last year i left theese two logs to season and now i have got round to start making them into some bows. let me know what you think. oh and another thing, i wont be using ANY power tools in the making of this bow.

"http://www.youtube.com/embed/7SteQ9FBpK8"       part 1

"http://www.youtube.com/embed/3GqpYzncx2w"       part 2

"http://www.youtube.com/embed/mR1sN_dBu_c"       part 3

"http://www.youtube.com/embed/cYjw2lL2OHU"         part 4
Title: Re: Christmas tree bow build along: in progress
Post by: PEARL DRUMS on January 04, 2013, 11:26:25 am
I think you will need LOTS of luck. So.....good luck and stay safe.
Title: Re: Christmas tree bow build along: in progress
Post by: WillS on January 04, 2013, 12:14:40 pm
As you messaged me asking to take a look, I shall tell you what I think!

As Pearl said, you're in for a pretty tough challenge.  I'm not sure how many bows you've made before, but even if you're pretty experienced, you're using a wood most bowyers would avoid.  That's not to say that it can't be done with something like pine or spruce, but you need to make sure you alter any design you're working from to suit the wood.

Either make it MUCH wider than you would with a normal hardwood, or much longer.  Thimo made a 7ft pine longbow with a very rectangular cross-section over on PP a while ago, but even with his expertise and experience the bow started taking quite a lot of set and had very little cast.  What style of bow are you hoping to make?

This will obviously be a great learning curve for you, but it may not produce much in terms of efficient, quick bows.  Just dealing with those knots will teach you a huge amount.  I'd use these logs as practice for laying out a bow within a stave, splitting in the right place, getting experience with drawknifes and rasps and perhaps even learn how to heat-treat, flip tips or even billet as you haven't got anything to lose.  Once you've picked up a few lessons through doing, get yourself a proper bow wood and you should be off to a flying start!

Best thing I can possibly suggest is to make sure the bow design suits the wood.  You definitely won't get a classic English longbow out of this wood, and you'll struggle to get a traditional flatbow profile either, so you'll have to alter and adjust designs to suit wood like this.  I hope that's correct, and I'm sure more experienced bowyers than me will be able to correct me if I'm wrong.  You might need to trap the back as well, so read up on that.
Title: Re: Christmas tree bow build along: in progress
Post by: Squirrelslayer on January 04, 2013, 12:26:33 pm
yep i belive this is gonna be difficult i have a design that i altered which will work around the knots and produce a good bow, although im not saying it will be super quick and fast high preformance hunting bow im just seing whats possible. the problem i have is i dont get any good wood were i am this is all i can realy get, but if someone would like to send me an osage stave that would be great. lol. :D im am fairly new to bow building and this is my second bow that im making but if i had good wood i could make a really good bow. the other bow i made was an osage bow from a 70" stave someone gave me it was a recurve bow 56" and 45#@28" but gave it to a friend for christmas. thanks for your advice and guidence
Title: Re: Christmas tree bow build along: in progress
Post by: Squirrelslayer on January 04, 2013, 12:31:21 pm
heres another update on the bow

"http://www.youtube.com/embed/FWxCbou8F9c"
Title: Re: Christmas tree bow build along: in progress
Post by: WillS on January 04, 2013, 12:32:31 pm
If you've got a suitable design, and you're patient and careful there's no reason it won't work.  Best of luck!
Title: Re: Christmas tree bow build along: in progress
Post by: Squirrelslayer on January 04, 2013, 12:54:46 pm
i know im doing ok with removing the bark with the box knife but are there any easyer/quicker ways to do it
Title: Re: Christmas tree bow build along: in progress
Post by: Squirrelslayer on February 13, 2013, 02:48:46 pm
HORRRRRRRRRRRRRRAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!. OK I THINK YOU CAN TELL IM EXCITED! IVE BEEN TILLERING USING THE LONG STRING AND I HAVE MANAGED TO GET MY X-MAS BOW TO A POINT WHERE I CAN BRACE IT AND THE TILLER ON IT IS PERFECT!!!!!!!!!!. WHICH IS NOT BAD FOR AN UNBACKED, YES I SAID UNBACKED BOW WITH 40+ KNOTS IN EACH LIMB AND MADE OF PINE! ALL THE ODDS WERE AGAINST THIS BOW BUT IT HAS COME OUT WITH FLYING COLOURS. ONE THING I DO SAY IS I WISH IT WERE FINNISHED, THE REASON I SAY THIS IS BECAUSE AS I WAS TILLERING A BRAVE SQUIRREL WONDERED ONTO THE ROOF OF MY WORKSHOP AND I THOUGHT IF THIS BOW WERE FINNISHED I WOULD SO SLAY HIM. THE ONLY THING I WILL SAY IS THAT WHEN I FINNISH THIS BOW IT'S GONNA BE ARROUND 45-50#@28" WHICH IS TOO HEAVY FOR ME SO ONCE IT'S FINNISHED ILL HANG IT ON THE WALL AND HAVE IT AS A REMINDER TO ALL THAT THERE ARE BOW MAKING MIRACLES. I WOULD LIKE TO SAY A HUGE THANKYOU TO THOOSE WHO HAVE HELPED, GUIDED AND SUPPORTED ME WITH THIS BUILD AND TO THOSE THAT DIDN'T WELL ALL I CAN SAY IS... I TOLD YOU SO :P...THANKS EVERYONE. ESPECIALY MIKE FROM BOARRIORBOWS, GEORGE TSOUKALAS, PEARL DRUMS, SAM HARPER AND MANY MANY MORE FOR ALL THERE GREAT ADVICE. SS
Title: Re: Christmas tree bow build along: in progress
Post by: turtle on February 13, 2013, 02:53:36 pm
Why cant you make it lighter than 45-50#. I would think that going lighter would give it a better chance of surviving.
Title: Re: Christmas tree bow build along: in progress
Post by: sleek on February 13, 2013, 02:55:01 pm
Ok, now what you need to do is carefully set your stave in a corner, get a bucket of cold water and stick your head in it.

I say that cause you need to realize, you havent even begun to stress this wood yet. And I would say go for 40 lbs, rather than higher as a safety margin. I would hate to see your bow break only because you made it too strong. Brace and full draw are two completely different amounts of stress.

That being said, WHERES THE PICS? I wanna see this thing at brace!
Title: Re: Christmas tree bow build along: in progress
Post by: WillS on February 13, 2013, 03:14:33 pm
you havent even begun to stress this wood yet.

+1

Also hope you're not actually planning on bow-hunting squirrels here in the UK.  Completely illegal, as I'm sure you know...
Title: Re: Christmas tree bow build along: in progress
Post by: sleek on February 13, 2013, 03:30:55 pm
Awww, just call it pest control... JK of course, but, wonder if that would work...?
Title: Re: Christmas tree bow build along: in progress
Post by: Squirrelslayer on February 13, 2013, 05:11:28 pm
you havent even begun to stress this wood yet.

+1

Also hope you're not actually planning on bow-hunting squirrels here in the UK.  Completely illegal, as I'm sure you know...

don't worry i was joking but i have set my traps and will dispatch with air rifle. there is a video of me tillering it and ill put it up here
Title: Re: Christmas tree bow build along: in progress
Post by: PEARL DRUMS on February 13, 2013, 05:24:33 pm
Wow, you've come many miles in only a few days. You must be one of those prodigys.
Title: Re: Christmas tree bow build along: in progress
Post by: Squirrelslayer on February 13, 2013, 05:26:13 pm
ok i fuigured something else out while tillering, if you use a really long string and dont cut it you can put the remander string thorough the other loop on the bow and it tells you where your brace hight will be. it is more clear in the video that i upload, but this only works if you use a tillering stick. im going to call this "squirrels brace hight finder" hey i only built three bows and invented my own tillering tequniqe SS
Title: Re: Christmas tree bow build along: in progress
Post by: Squirrelslayer on February 13, 2013, 05:28:00 pm
Wow, you've come many miles in only a few days. You must be one of those prodigys.

it's what happens when you stay up and do an all-nighter and read the threads here on PA for 24+ hours
Title: Re: Christmas tree bow build along: in progress
Post by: PEARL DRUMS on February 13, 2013, 05:29:45 pm
Im anxious to see your pics, leave the videos in your phone.
Title: Re: Christmas tree bow build along: in progress
Post by: tgtmatt on February 13, 2013, 05:43:08 pm
Video says it has been removed, uhh ohhh.
Title: Re: Christmas tree bow build along: in progress
Post by: Squirrelslayer on February 13, 2013, 05:43:39 pm
i cant upload pics  :( all i can do is videos as i can upload them through youtube. but heres the link.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PLxAKKDjJ_s
Title: Re: Christmas tree bow build along: in progress
Post by: Squirrelslayer on February 13, 2013, 05:52:27 pm
Video says it has been removed, uhh ohhh.

yeah i removed thoose ones but the vid above shows it at brace
Title: Re: Christmas tree bow build along: in progress
Post by: coaster500 on February 13, 2013, 05:54:55 pm
It wouldn't even have occurred to me to try that piece of wood. You done a great job so far congratulations!!! Can't wait to see it at full draw!!!

Title: Re: Christmas tree bow build along: in progress
Post by: Ifrit617 on February 13, 2013, 05:55:43 pm
ok i fuigured something else out while tillering, if you use a really long string and dont cut it you can put the remander string thorough the other loop on the bow and it tells you where your brace hight will be. it is more clear in the video that i upload, but this only works if you use a tillering stick. im going to call this "squirrels brace hight finder" hey i only built three bows and invented my own tillering tequniqe SS

Sorry mate but I've been doing that same thing for years.  >:D Nifty trick though.

Jon
Title: Re: Christmas tree bow build along: in progress
Post by: k-hat on February 13, 2013, 06:00:56 pm
Lookin pretty good so far.  I would say as a far as tiller shorten up that handle area and get the inner wood bending some more on each limb.  With a stave like that, you'll want as much limb working as possible.  I don't know if i'd even try for 40# with that one.  Settle for making it to full draw, learn your lessons, and get going on a quality stave.
Title: Re: Christmas tree bow build along: in progress
Post by: burchett.donald on February 13, 2013, 06:05:32 pm
   This has now become very interesting. I must say you are a very courageous young man...
Title: Re: Christmas tree bow build along: in progress
Post by: k-hat on February 13, 2013, 06:21:23 pm
Forgot to mention... Once past brace height, make sure you don't leave the bow drawn on the tree for any longer than absolutely necessary to snap a pic (or a vid shot) and then release and look at the screenshot to assess.   Leaving it drawn will induce a LOT of set.  Keep your head and face well clear of the tree while drawing that one as well!
Title: Re: Christmas tree bow build along: in progress
Post by: Squirrelslayer on February 13, 2013, 06:37:38 pm
yep im supprised it even made it to the tillering tree and thats what amazed me about it getting to brace hight. but and im sure you can tell by the way im speaking i bring bad news :-[ the bow broke mid limb a few mins ago. not throgh tillering it got caught in the door as i was bringing it in the shed. :embarassed: and that's realy anoying as it was going so well. im just thinking if it hadent got caught i could make a bow with a decent tiller. but theese things happen. you may think im crazy but im going to save it. i have a peice of wood that might just match this wood (looking at the grain) and i can do a handle splice and hopefully it will be saved. if not i will have to wait 6 months for that maple to dry :-[ wish me luck. SS
Title: Re: Christmas tree bow build along: in progress
Post by: DarkSoul on February 13, 2013, 07:04:04 pm
I TOLD YOU SO :P
Title: Re: Christmas tree bow build along: in progress
Post by: PEARL DRUMS on February 13, 2013, 07:08:04 pm
You can tell a tall tale my friend. Consider writing when you go off to college.
Title: Re: Christmas tree bow build along: in progress
Post by: paulsemp on February 13, 2013, 07:30:01 pm
You can tell a tall tale my friend. Consider writing when you go off to college.
+1
Title: Re: Christmas tree bow build along: in progress
Post by: osage outlaw on February 13, 2013, 07:45:27 pm
had almost the same thing happen to me.  I had my 50"  60# @ 28" Poplar recurve get caught in the fridge door and break when I went to get a soda.  Ticked me off something fierce.
Title: Re: Christmas tree bow build along: in progress
Post by: Onebowonder on February 13, 2013, 08:00:55 pm
had almost the same thing happen to me.  I had my 50"  60# @ 28" Poplar recurve get caught in the fridge door and break when I went to get a soda.  Ticked me off something fierce.

DANG!!!  It must be something in the alignment of the stars!  You probably won't believe this, ...but nearly the same thing happened to me!  I had just about finished my 82" ntn 90# @ 33.5" Seasoned Cottonwood War Bow when my cat knocked it off the kitchen counter and it got caught in the cabinet door while I was pouring myself a Scotch and soda.  It shatterd all up and down one side.  I wanted to kill the danged cat but my wife wouldn't hear of it!  ;)

OneBow
Title: Re: Christmas tree bow build along: in progress
Post by: Squirrelslayer on February 13, 2013, 08:02:11 pm
Ok ok. Laugh all you want. I probably desere it after deatroying what would have been a good bow. But as a guy on here once said. If you ain't breakin you ain't makin.  Although all I learnt from this is that pine will make a bow if it stays away from doors. SS
Title: Re: Christmas tree bow build along: in progress
Post by: Squirrelslayer on February 13, 2013, 08:05:37 pm
had almost the same thing happen to me.  I had my 50"  60# @ 28" Poplar recurve get caught in the fridge door and break when I went to get a soda.  Ticked me off something fierce.

DANG!!!  It must be something in the alignment of the stars!  You probably won't believe this, ...but nearly the same thing happened to me!  I had just about finished my 82" ntn 90# @ 33.5" Seasoned Cottonwood War Bow when my cat knocked it off the kitchen counter and it got caught in the cabinet door while I was pouring myself a Scotch and soda.  It shatterd all up and down one side.  I wanted to kill the danged cat but my wife wouldn't hear of it! 
OneBow


Few im not the only one to do this. Tell the cat I said hi. SS
Title: Re: Christmas tree bow build along: in progress
Post by: PEARL DRUMS on February 13, 2013, 08:26:51 pm
Its not a bow until it shoots an arrow, and you my friend where nowhere near shooting an arrow from your Christmas tree. Let your mape dry. Read this forum and remember what you read, process it. Then when your wood is ready in a few months you might just have a running shot at a bow.
Title: Re: Christmas tree bow build along: in progress
Post by: Roy on February 13, 2013, 11:25:19 pm
OK, lets all join hands and sing that x-mas carol song together.

OH CHRISTMAS TREE

OH CHRISTMAS TREE

HOW EVER BRIGHT YOUR SHINNING

LMAO



Title: Re: Christmas tree bow build along: in progress
Post by: okie64 on February 14, 2013, 12:10:55 am
yep im supprised it even made it to the tillering tree and thats what amazed me about it getting to brace hight. but and im sure you can tell by the way im speaking i bring bad news :-[ the bow broke mid limb a few mins ago. not throgh tillering it got caught in the door as i was bringing it in the shed. :embarassed: and that's realy anoying as it was going so well. im just thinking if it hadent got caught i could make a bow with a decent tiller. but theese things happen. you may think im crazy but im going to save it. i have a peice of wood that might just match this wood (looking at the grain) and i can do a handle splice and hopefully it will be saved. if not i will have to wait 6 months for that maple to dry :-[ wish me luck. SS

Is this guy for real? You seriously want us to believe you broke it in the door? How is that even possible without putting some serious effort into it?
Title: Re: Christmas tree bow build along: in progress
Post by: PatM on February 14, 2013, 12:56:12 am
You ever see one of those dogs that thinks he can carry a stick into the house? That's how.
Title: Re: Christmas tree bow build along: in progress
Post by: okie64 on February 14, 2013, 01:00:00 am
You ever see one of those dogs that thinks he can carry a stick into the house? That's how.

Ok I got a visual now, pretty funny stuff!
Title: Re: Christmas tree bow build along: in progress
Post by: Roy on February 14, 2013, 01:14:29 am
Wonder if he got it on video? I got this new idea, I worked my bow up against the door frame cause my tillering tree broke... >:D
Title: Re: Christmas tree bow build along: in progress
Post by: H Rhodes on February 14, 2013, 01:37:00 am
Thanks for posting this Squirrel Slayer.  I learn more from this forum everyday! :)
Title: Re: Christmas tree bow build along: in progress
Post by: Squirrelslayer on February 14, 2013, 04:33:41 am
Ok what I said wasn't 100% accurate it got caight in the door which violated the ring but I didn't notice  or think it had done any damage to it. When my dad asked to see it I put it back on the tiller and at 5" not even close to where it was before it blew. So it did blow on thre tree but because of the door much to my amusement and to yours. But I learnt a lesson and thats the important thing here. Sorry I lied about breaking it in the door. SS
Title: Re: Christmas tree bow build along: in progress
Post by: WillS on February 14, 2013, 04:47:31 am
I... I don't even.... Sigh.

Catching your bow in a door would not violate a growth ring.  At most it would dent the back a bit, and that wouldn't be enough to break a bow at 5" draw, where youre not even stressing the wood yet.

It seems a bit like you've read a few things about bow making, and picked up some terms you've seen people using and I think you've misunderstood their meaning.  To "violate" a growth ring enough to break a relatively unstressed piece of wood as thick as yours seemed on that video, you'd need to hack away with a drawknife right next to a knot.  You would definitely notice if a door had done that.

Looking at your video, it seems you haven't rounded or smoothed any of the edges from back to belly.  That's a far more likely candidate for the failure (plus the awful wood selection.)

Take a picture of your bow right where it has broken.  If its nowhere near a knot, sharp edge or hinge I'd be amazed.
Title: Re: Christmas tree bow build along: in progress
Post by: sleek on February 14, 2013, 06:41:14 am
I damage a bow severly once with an incident against a chair. I was shooting it through a chrono once on a charin, the limb hit the chair back as I was too close to it and dented the heck out of it. Second pull back, before full draw, the back lifted a splinter at the dent. Soon as I heard the tick I let down. I tried a few things to fix it, but it was too late, the bow ( an 80 lb red oark board bow ) was never the same. I cut it up out of disgust.  Could be the same thing squirrely boy is talking about here?
Title: Re: Christmas tree bow build along: in progress
Post by: WillS on February 14, 2013, 07:00:00 am
I damage a bow severly once with an incident against a chair. I was shooting it through a chrono once on a charin, the limb hit the chair back as I was too close to it and dented the heck out of it. Second pull back, before full draw, the back lifted a splinter at the dent. Soon as I heard the tick I let down. I tried a few things to fix it, but it was too late, the bow ( an 80 lb red oark board bow ) was never the same. I cut it up out of disgust.  Could be the same thing squirrely boy is talking about here?

Possibly.  But he's saying it blew up at 5".  That's not even stressing the wood yet.  Unless he picked the bow up by one limb and launched it at the door frame with all the rage of a grizzly bear with dust under it's contact lens I can't see how it would do enough damage to blow up an otherwise stable bow at 5".
Title: Re: Christmas tree bow build along: in progress
Post by: PEARL DRUMS on February 14, 2013, 08:22:50 am
As a learning tool only. I dont believe any amounts of door dings on that back caused your break. Two things you need to accept:

1. Its a Christmas tree of pine
2. The back of an already useless bow wood was covered in knots and cracks

Do really suppose a ding from a door was the culprit for the break? I dont.

Let your alledged maple dry for a few months and keep reading, and accepting what you read is valid.



Title: Re: Christmas tree bow build along: in progress
Post by: sleek on February 14, 2013, 09:19:28 am
I would love to see pics of it braced....and broke.
Title: Re: Christmas tree bow build along: in progress
Post by: Weylin on February 14, 2013, 12:01:30 pm
Look, SS. Part of me is feeling uncomfortable with the amount of grief that you are attracting but another part of me thinks that you are asking for it in many ways. My motto is that I never say anything on the internet that i wouldn't say to someone's face and because I can't see people's reactions on the internet I usually err on the side of politeness. I want to be clear that you are not getting a hard time because you are young, because you are inexperienced nor because of the wood you have access to. If anything you have received tolerance because of your age. We are all excited to see youngsters get into bowmaking and want o help them as much as we can. There are several fine young men on this site some of whom are just learning and some that are making bows among the best of us. The reason that you are getting a hard time is because you are not heeding any advice from your elders, you are stubbornly forging ahead on a project that is beyond foolish and honestly quite dangerous and then when the bow breaks you don't have the good grace to even acknowledge the wisdom that you spurned earlier but instead lie to protect your ego and shift the blame to an inanimate object. We all break bows but when we do we frown for a minute, laugh about it if we can and then do our best to figure out exactly what happened so we can learn from it and then post hilarious exploding full draw pictures for our friends to guffaw at. Just give some thought to the manner in which you are interacting with all of us and decide if you might be able to approach in from a different angle. You may not be able to change peoples opinions about you right away but we are by nature a friendly and forgiving lot so I'm sure you can redeem yourself if you pull it together a bit. Good luck on your next bow.  :)
Title: Re: Christmas tree bow build along: in progress
Post by: autologus on February 14, 2013, 12:28:56 pm
The plain and simple of the whole process is you got some valuable experience along the way (provided you listened to the ones on here giving you advice) and we got some amusing entertainment.  Either way no cats got hurt in the making of this yule tide explosion (Del would appreciate that).

Grady
Title: Re: Christmas tree bow build along: in progress
Post by: Squirrelslayer on February 14, 2013, 12:36:00 pm
ok i know it may seem that im trying to pass the blame around but maybe the bow was going to break anyway and just happend to break where the door got it. anyway before i made that video i made another one before it, i thought i accidently deleted this one but turns out it was saved in my files so here it is, i have learnt from my mistakes and am just waiting for that maple to dry i got another maple log today which is stright and if i throw away the billets with the knots i may be able to get a bow from it. heres the vid. SS

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Bl_OLbrlnU
Title: Re: Christmas tree bow build along: in progress
Post by: ionicmuffin on February 14, 2013, 01:15:11 pm
when a wood like pine is to be used for a bow the bow will have to be massively wide. and the piece has to be knotless. In the TBB1 they talk about a pine bow thats like 4 inches wide or something. and i would imagine it was knotless. if you have knots it may not be a problem depending on the wood. I think beginners do best to stay away from knots until they can tiller without much thought to it, i know my first stave bow with the help of a good bowyer still blew, and its due to the fact that we tried with a stave that had rotten knots inside that area. Sometimes it just doesnt work out well at all. you have to consider what your putting the wood under, there will be a large amount of stress on the wood anyway and the knots add even more stress. so for a weak wood like pine, a knot riddled stave would have to be near 6 inches across or more to make it work, in essence, a wood that is weak even without knots will be a terrible bow wood with that many knots.
Title: Re: Christmas tree bow build along: in progress
Post by: Squirrelslayer on February 14, 2013, 01:35:31 pm
yep now ive cut off the broken limb where the fade ends and the handle starts i have a simalar peice of wood im going to join them together in a V splice i don't intend on turning it into a bow, but i want to practice splicing two staves together so that whaen my maple is dry i will have had some practice. SS
Title: Re: Christmas tree bow build along: in progress
Post by: WillS on February 14, 2013, 01:37:58 pm
Can't you post a picture of the break?  Lots of people want to see where/how it failed.
Title: Re: Christmas tree bow build along: in progress
Post by: Onebowonder on February 14, 2013, 01:40:20 pm
<snip>...im going to join them together in a V splice i don't intend on turning it into a bow, but i want to practice splicing two staves together so that whaen my maple is dry i will have had some practice. SS

...now that was the smartest thing I've read that you've written!

OneBow
Title: Re: Christmas tree bow build along: in progress
Post by: sleek on February 14, 2013, 02:12:56 pm
Shall I stir the pot? Naw, I will just kick it over.... If your gonna go through all that trouble of splicing ( good idea ) may as well make a 30 lb bow to practice tillering while you are at it, and still have a shooting bow. I bet you can do it. Especially with only 30 lbs. You know you wanna make a bow of it. Just pretend that it is going to break every time you pull it, keeping people and such away from in front and behind you. Oh, and wear safety glasses!
Title: Re: Christmas tree bow build along: in progress
Post by: Squirrelslayer on February 14, 2013, 02:19:41 pm
Can't you post a picture of the break?  Lots of people want to see where/how it failed.

once i cut the end i tossed it on the fire. i didn't want the reminder. it's kind of a thing i do when i break my bows, unless i can't use it to help me in anyway so thats why im not burning the un broken limb. sorrry i hadn't really thought of taking any videos or pics. will do next time though, if there is a next time. >:D SS
Title: Re: Christmas tree bow build along: in progress
Post by: k-hat on February 14, 2013, 02:31:05 pm
Might i recommend a z splice or a w splice (i think some call it a fishtail)?  Lots more surface area for the glue to hold.  I've only done a W and it's holding nicely even if it's not perfect (not that you shouldn't try for a perfect fit, but the W leaves a little more room for error).
Title: Re: Christmas tree bow build along: in progress
Post by: Squirrelslayer on February 14, 2013, 05:51:48 pm
some nice ideas there K-hat but im also thinking of using takedown sleves that way i can make a takedown bow. which brings me onto my next question. anyone know a place were i can get some good takedown sleves for under $/£10 im thinking of using them because it will be portable and if one does break i can replace it more easy. what do you guys think?
Title: Re: Christmas tree bow build along: in progress
Post by: k-hat on February 14, 2013, 06:12:56 pm
Use the 10 to buy you a decent board from a lumber store (or a wheelbarrow handle from the hardware store as long as its ash or equivalent) and build a real bow.  Don't people build stuff in the UK?  There's gotta be some lumber somewhere over there... oak, maple, etc.  I know oak grows over across teh water.  Buy a handsaw and cut down a sapling of a decent wood, debark it, seal the ends and dry it over the next few weeks in stages and make a bow from it.  Or, while your maple's drying, use your bowyering time to read TBB's and study this site.

SS you have the opposite problem I had...  I wanted to research everything to death and was so scared of screwing up i wouldn't touch the wood i bought, when what i needed to do was get after it.  Chill out and slow your roll, and do some learning while you're waiting.  Course i'm sure most of this has already been said somewhere. 
Title: Re: Christmas tree bow build along: in progress
Post by: sleek on February 14, 2013, 06:26:44 pm
Haha, poor kid, and here I am encouraging him.... make it a light weight bow, 30 lbs, and use pvc pipe for the splice. You can even heat treat it to shape...
Title: Re: Christmas tree bow build along: in progress
Post by: ionicmuffin on February 14, 2013, 06:30:24 pm
i agree with k-hat get a wheelbarrow handle, heres the one i found and i didnt have to do much sorting through the pile at all.
http://www.primitivearcher.com/smf/index.php/topic,37755.0.html
it cost about 10$ so around 6-8lbs for you?

Title: Re: Christmas tree bow build along: in progress
Post by: Squirrelslayer on February 14, 2013, 07:06:05 pm
ill take a look when i next head down there.

and use pvc pipe for the splice.

Pvc pipe? how does that work?

also for my maple to dry quicker how can i split the log without wedges. theese are the tools i have acces to.

hand axe
sledge hammer (very risky)
tree saw with large teeth.
tennon saw
chizles.

theese are all i have although i did see this cool gadget that will work well in the long run, it is a small pyramid made entirly of metal and you hammer it into the centre of a log and it splits it into 4 peices. i think this would be great but it's expensive and i don't have that kind off money right now. i also have to save up for some tools to cut my knife blanks, all theese expenses :-[ ill get by though some how.SS
Title: Re: Christmas tree bow build along: in progress
Post by: KShip85 on February 14, 2013, 07:29:12 pm
I've split maple with a hatchet and a hammer.  I've used chisels in a pinch too, though not the best.  Depends on the grain of what your splitting.  I've used a pry bar to work my way down a split before too.  I'd think you could do it with the axe and hammer though.


Kip
Title: Re: Christmas tree bow build along: in progress
Post by: RyanY on February 14, 2013, 08:11:07 pm
SS, make some wedges out of wood. Start the split by using the axe and hammer and once the split opens up hammer in a wooden wedge. I can usually get away splitting my materials with my two wedges but I've used wooden ones where more are needed.
Title: Re: Christmas tree bow build along: in progress
Post by: Squirrelslayer on February 14, 2013, 09:24:34 pm
I've split maple with a hatchet and a hammer.  I've used chisels in a pinch too, though not the best.  Depends on the grain of what your splitting.  I've used a pry bar to work my way down a split before too.  I'd think you could do it with the axe and hammer though.


Kip

Oh I completly forgot I might just have a pry bar I can use. Ill try splitting it tommorow and use the prise bar if needed.I do have some wooden blocks I can turn into some wewedges.  It will keep me busy as I have two maple logs now. One is 42" long And 7" in diameter and has a slight S Shape to it. The other is 33" long and 5" in diameter and is straight
Title: Re: Christmas tree bow build along: in progress
Post by: PEARL DRUMS on January 28, 2020, 11:19:30 am
The infamous squirrel nutz and his Christmas tree "bow".
Title: Re: Christmas tree bow build along: in progress
Post by: sleek on January 28, 2020, 11:58:22 am
I hope he learned a lot from that experience. Certainly was a young guy who  wanted to forge his own path of doing things. Honestly,  I'd like to see him pop up and show us that he has made some successful bows, or try again on here.
Title: Re: Christmas tree bow build along: in progress
Post by: bassman on January 28, 2020, 12:10:57 pm
I hope his Maple is rock Maple ,or sugar Maple as is some times called. The other soft Maples suck as bow wood, but has to be better than Pine.
Title: Re: Christmas tree bow build along: in progress
Post by: bjrogg on January 28, 2020, 12:14:04 pm
Well that certainly was both educational and entertaining. It is funny how some people totally over think every move and some think they have it all figured out before they ever start.

Personally I knew I didn’t know squat. Was sure I’d never make a bow that didn’t blow up. And drew it like it was going to explode every time I pulled it back. I got just enough excitement out of my first one to get serious and listen to people a lot smarter than me for the next ones. Listening to good honest advice will save you a lot of trouble in life. Of course I have learned a lot of things the hard way to.

Bjrogg

Title: Re: Christmas tree bow build along: in progress
Post by: SLIMBOB on January 28, 2020, 12:22:47 pm
Some things are just...unforgettable.
Title: Re: Christmas tree bow build along: in progress
Post by: WhistlingBadger on January 28, 2020, 04:11:39 pm
Thanks for reviving this, Pearly.  Lots of good laughs.  ;D ;D I clicked on his youtube channel and there's one vid of him flying a paraglider over a gold course.  Fortunately, he seems to have read the instructions on the paraglider better than he read TBB.

Can't help but like the guy.  He has spirit--you have to give him that.  Hope he pops up here again sometime.
T
Title: Re: Christmas tree bow build along: in progress
Post by: sleek on January 28, 2020, 06:55:51 pm
Thanks for reviving this, Pearly.  Lots of good laughs.  ;D ;D I clicked on his youtube channel and there's one vid of him flying a paraglider over a gold course.  Fortunately, he seems to have read the instructions on the paraglider better than he read TBB.

Can't help but like the guy.  He has spirit--you have to give him that.  Hope he pops up here again sometime.
T

I agree whole heartedly
Title: Re: Christmas tree bow build along: in progress
Post by: bjrogg on January 28, 2020, 07:33:00 pm
I agree. I’d rather see someone who isn’t afraid to try something. Honestly even if it’s something everyone says won’t work. Still gotta be honest with yourself though.
Bjrogg
Title: Re: Christmas tree bow build along: in progress
Post by: WhistlingBadger on January 28, 2020, 08:30:51 pm
He kind of reminds me of that kid we all knew in junior high school, the one that was sort of socially clueless, but whenever he raised his hand in class we all smiled and said, "Oh, boy, here we go..."
Title: Re: Christmas tree bow build along: in progress
Post by: bownarra on January 29, 2020, 01:36:06 am
Troll.
Title: Re: Christmas tree bow build along: in progress
Post by: aznboi3644 on January 29, 2020, 03:06:12 am
Dear lord baby Jesus I got some good laughs.  His ego was quite large lol.

Speaking of pine I did finish a personal challenge with a 1x2x6 pine board from Menards.  It’s doable without being 4” wide.  Just wanted to try again.

Draws 51lbs @ 26” with 1.25” just unbraced set and after resting it has .5” set.  I was really surprised at this pine board and it’s elasticity. 

I just hope I don’t get this thing caught in the garage door as I walk out to shoot it. 🤣🤣🤣
Title: Re: Christmas tree bow build along: in progress
Post by: High-Desert on January 29, 2020, 08:34:35 am
Dang, you did a nice job of tiller that pine board.
Title: Re: Christmas tree bow build along: in progress
Post by: Pappy on January 31, 2020, 06:34:20 am
WOW, I remember this thread and young squirrelslayer. What a hoot he was. :-\ ;) :)
 Pappy
Title: Re: Christmas tree bow build along: in progress
Post by: Parnell on January 31, 2020, 07:03:00 am
Ahh, Squirlynuts.  Aren’t there examples of pine being used for bows in the subarctic? 
Title: Re: Christmas tree bow build along: in progress
Post by: Deerhunter21 on January 31, 2020, 07:06:31 am
I never realized that bows will break from doors!..............
...................................... Ive been too lucky
Title: Re: Christmas tree bow build along: in progress
Post by: WhistlingBadger on January 31, 2020, 07:17:15 am
My first bow got slammed in a truck door and the tip broke...Best thing that ever happened to me as an archer.  (We were all wrong for each other.)  But I guess that's a little different.

azn, that's a really cool looking bow!  Thanks for sharing it.
Title: Re: Christmas tree bow build along: in progress
Post by: JW_Halverson on January 31, 2020, 02:51:14 pm
Dear lord baby Jesus I got some good laughs.  His ego was quite large lol.

Speaking of pine I did finish a personal challenge with a 1x2x6 pine board from Menards.  It’s doable without being 4” wide.  Just wanted to try again.

Draws 51lbs @ 26” with 1.25” just unbraced set and after resting it has .5” set.  I was really surprised at this pine board and it’s elasticity. 

I just hope I don’t get this thing caught in the garage door as I walk out to shoot it. 🤣🤣🤣

I was impressed with this pine bow when you posted it on the board bow Facebook page. Just didnt realize it was you!
Title: Re: Christmas tree bow build along: in progress
Post by: aznboi3644 on January 31, 2020, 06:22:12 pm
Thanks guys.  Man I got some laughs from the squirrel nut.  His ego was bigger than the Christmas tree.  I’m still a noobie just learning how to make a stick bend without breaking and taking too much set. 

I wish the pictures and videos were still up.  His enthusiasm for a 50lb bow from an old Christmas tree was laughable alone. Then how he was adamant about somehow getting the bow caught in the door. 

I’m man enough to admit when I screw up and just move on and learn from it. 
Title: Re: Christmas tree bow build along: in progress
Post by: Bubbabowyer on February 01, 2020, 07:28:16 pm
I've got tons of great quality osage. I'd be happy to send you one if you would pay the shipping. My gift to someone who has an eye for bowyering and needs to use better wood to keep that eye in its socket!😉
Title: Re: Christmas tree bow build along: in progress
Post by: aznboi3644 on February 01, 2020, 07:39:08 pm
I don’t even want long Osage really.  I like bendy handle short bows 52” and under. But I will gladly accept your offer.  PM me details