Primitive Archer
Main Discussion Area => Primitive Skills => Topic started by: BowEd on February 10, 2020, 06:39:41 am
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Hello....Here's a project finished from a picture I saw some time ago.Making use of beef rawhide in a snow shoe weave and local wood around here steam bent.Nothing bought except for dowels and glue and that was very cheap.Those items a person can make themselves too.Elm[frame]/ash[braces]/and osage[runners].It's stronger than it looks.Very tough.Downward weight pressure while seated is where it is strongest.Lower joints on runners are doweled and glue in.I used smooth-on for the glueing of wood & epiphanes spar varnish on the rawhide for water proofing.Picture I saw they were all rawhide laced wrapped on.I dowel connected a number of joints on there.The connection between the 2 frames were just rawhide wrapped.
Fun project!!!!
If anyone is interested in making this here's a parts list:The process of putting it together is stated later in this post.
Frames- 2 strips of wood at least 74" long and at least 5/8" by 7/8".The center 13" is steamed and bent around 9.5" wide forms.
Cross braces- The back rest from bottom to top lengths are 18" long and attatched dead center 4.5" from bottom,next brace 17.5" long attatched at 6.5",next brace 17" long is attatched at 8.5".Final top brace is 6" down from top and is 10.5" long.Width against your back side will be 15" to 16" wide.Seat will be approximately 13" long to center bend of frame and the backrest is around 26" long from seat height.
The seat portion frame has no braces on it.
Backrest braces- are 27" long a piece and steam bent to the angle of the back rest.
Runners- 22" long a piece. Width of runners of chair after assembled are around 18.5" at the front and 23.75" at the back.
You will need at least 140' of good stout rawhide lace if used to be sure.That'll use up a good 2 square feet[ closer to 3 really[a person should have more than enough] or more of rawhide.
These measurements are not written in stone and can be modified to suit yourself.I'll leave the back rest carrying straps and belly strap to your own taste.
(https://i.imgur.com/3n83U1A.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/wgAVVIR.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/UTO0gxZ.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/HGd1rKZ.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/9kuiIFZ.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/33EIgjN.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/7ZqaCQm.jpg)
I figured it was a good item to use on long hunts doubling as a seat while hunting and back packing meat out.Total chair/pack weight is less than 5#'s.A person could pack out upwards of 80 to 90 pounds if needed.As much as a person can handle.Or I'll just use it at my camp at bow making gatherings.Chair height while seated is just right around a camp fire.
Years ago back in the Lewis and Clark days while exploring these items were made out in the bush.Used as canoe seats then too.
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I love it, Ed. I haven't been inspired to do much of anything archery/hunting related for well over a year now. This looks like something I could get into, thanks for posting.
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Very nice design and craftmanship
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That is awesome Ed. I love it. Giving me some ideas for chairs in my man cave.
Bjrogg
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That is cool. Great workmanship.
Thanks Leroy
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Love this! Great work Ed
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Great idea and a very nice job! I seem to remember seeing a picture similar to that crediting the northern tribes and the French Canadian voyaguers with the idea. Areal handy chair!
Hawkdancer
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That would come awful handy turkey hunting. Nice work, Ed!
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Got to love that, beautiful work. :)
Pappy
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Nice job
Looks like a great project
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Thanks.....Actually the most difficult part was figuring out the weaving pattern of the rawhide.With having so many forms for bending wood for bow making making the frame was'nt difficult.
Main frames
(https://i.imgur.com/DQh18Qs.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/ExMFIJw.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/N56tHsz.jpg)
Backrest supports
(https://i.imgur.com/9WHI2dR.jpg)
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Outstanding - WAY Cool (=) ! Bob
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Really cool Ed, thanks for sharing it.
Bjrogg
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Not difficult for you my friend. Excellent work. Thanks so much for the pics and showing us your craft.
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Thanks....It's a step by step process putting things together.I chose elm for the frames because of it's interlocking qualities/toughness/and elastic abilities.Ash for it's toughness as the braces.Osage for toughness and non rotting qualities for the runners.The main frames can be made from thin laminations glued together too I guess.
Once the cross member braces are doweled in place into the backrest frame the 2 frames can be slid into each other at a 90 degree angle.Clamped in place the runners are made to see where the legs will be doweled to them.
(https://i.imgur.com/xyKxV0Z.jpg)
I thought about doweling some reinforcement cleats to the bottom of the legs but so far it holds up pretty well using it.
(https://i.imgur.com/wReddRX.jpg)
Once that's done the connection where the 2 frame pieces interlock with each other can be rawhide wrapped in place.Then the back braces can be doweled to upright back rest frame and rawhide wrapped below to seat part of frame.They can be doweled into the runners then too.
(https://i.imgur.com/eKaZCfT.jpg)
Now it's standing on it's own.
(https://i.imgur.com/uJZMxku.jpg).
From then it's just a matter of weaving your rawhide lace in.I used 1/8" thick or more beef rawhide.I used what they call a larks' head knot weave.
(https://i.imgur.com/yupbTYz.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/4R3eEdk.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/IVNOx6O.jpg)
I finished it off with multiple coatings of spar varnish to a candy coat finish.It weighs overall less than 5#'s.
(https://i.imgur.com/0qs5mHq.jpg).
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Dang, one of the coolest things I've seen on here in a long time.
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Dang, one of the coolest things I've seen on here in a long time.
I agree
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Fantastic workmanship, Ed. Congrats!!
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Thanks....I've seen them for sale asking $500.00 or more.There are different versions of them too.Same fella makes snow shoes.He does the steam bending on forms on a table but uses nylon for the webbing.I'll take it with me to Mo Jam.I'll have a bunch of beef rawhide there then too.
It's another option shown for use of rawhide.Altogether close to 140' of rawhide was used while wet.I used 10' lengths splicing with holes and a loop instead of knotting.
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That is a beaut!
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Thanks fellas.
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Glad to see you back, Ed. You've been working hard. Growing a long beard isn't easy but it has given you time to be productive. Cool seat/pack frame. :OK
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Oh man, that is slick! What an interesting project and great work!
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Thanks Parnell....It was fun making it.
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That's a great build and some Great Craftsmanship. I have some old hand-me-down chairs from a family friend. They were L.L.Bean chairs left outside and weathered. I can't seem to let them go, my wife thinks junk. Now I see the light at the end of the tunnel. There was a table too. But after she passed it diapered.
Where did you get the rawhide? Thanks John
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Stoner....I make the rawhide myself from self butchered beef cattle in my area.Laced in a frame/fleshed/and then dry scraped dehaired.The Amish here butcher their own livestock regularly and give me their hides.Robin and me eat pretty much eat mainly deer here ourselves but do like a good beef steak now and then.Every now and then I will make rawhide from another beef to replenish my supply.
http://www.primitivearcher.com/smf/index.php/topic,55371.0.html
Thick beef rawhide is rather expensive to buy.Around $15.00 a square foot.There are places on line that sell it.I've shown in the past posts some of the usefullness I've found for beef rawhide.This backpack/chair is just another example.I will have some beef rawhide with me at Mo Jam.
Sounds like a good worthwhile project to revitalize those LL Bean chairs.
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Curious, just how do Amish people dispatch their livestock? Cut the throat? They use one of them air guns like in No Country For Old Men? Never considered that before...
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Great work Ed! And excellent craftsmanship!
Patrick
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Thanks Pat...I liked your holsters too.Pro job on those.
Parnell....I've never asked them.I know they have guns as they deer hunt.Does it make a difference?There are a few Amish lockers around here too.I'm pretty sure they bleed them out and age the meat.They know how to take care of things properly.
I've shown them before the proper way to make rawhide/make bows/and brain tan deer hides,but they still don't do any of it.I'll take that back.They did make a few bows but they don't hunt with them.They know the beef hide is worth something otherwise they would throw it away.They are a busy lot and have other quicker ways of making money I imagine.
This paticular family of boys make enclosed buggies for other Amish.Generally they charge around $7000.00 a buggy.Pretty sure they make at least a half dozen a year.They take custom orders on them too.They are nice that's for sure.
They have a sawmill on the yard too.They will custom cut and plane any kind of wood for about anything a person would want.
They are top notch small engine repair mechanics too and run a dealership selling chainsaws.
They are into everything.They treat me fair and I treat them fair.
They charge half the price of English business's.Good people to know.
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Interesting, Ed. I watched them frame my bro-in-laws house in OH. Interesting to see how they work and the social protocols they have. Heck of a fine job, also. I didn’t know they were ok with using hunting rifles. I thought all firearms were out. It doesn’t matter, just a curious thought.
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Parnell...I know in the past a .22 magnum usually did the job in self employed lockers.
The Amish here hire themselves out for most any kind of construction.Moving houses too doing the set up work to lift the house from it's foundation.
I had them do a little gutter installation work on our house at a time when we got over 18" of rain in 3 weeks.Unheard of.
They own compound bows to hunt deer with and I know they use shotguns to hunt during shotgun season.They shed hunt.Make elevated blinds.Own lumberyards.Shingle and construct houses here too.
They are into everything.Their skills are past on through the generations.I have heard of them taking courses through the mail for mechanic work knowledge.Understandable with the changing times.They do not own or drive any vehicles though.Method of transportation is all with a horse.They break horses for people too.The list is endless really.
One thing Robin and me benefit from a lot is their bent and dent discount grocery stores.1/3 the cost of regular grocery stores.Although we tend a good sized garden ourselves yet still.Their gardens are huge and more than one.They have priorities on certain types of seed they use that are large and excellent yielders.
I always have a good time with them whenever we hang around each other.
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Thanks for the info Ed. I checked out the other thread. Your a busy guy! Love the quivers and other ideas too. Now I got more stuff to build on "The List". Oh the never ending list. John
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Thanks Stoner....This primitive stuff does get in your blood.
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Wow Ed, That's awesome! I bet its perfect for campfire and maybe even knapping.
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Yea cool.....Back in the early 1800's records show frontiersman made and used them for seats in canoes also.
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that`s cool Ed!, and a beautifull Craftmanship, I like it
Hans
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Thanks Hans....I plan on using it with me at every camp out of a bow making gathering I go to.