Author Topic: Jumping in with both feet - from Washington State  (Read 7425 times)

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Offline JBR

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Jumping in with both feet - from Washington State
« on: January 18, 2012, 03:47:17 am »
I got into archery hunting about 4 yrs ago with a compound bow.  Loved switching away from rifle hunting, especially in WA.  Finally killed my first bull elk last Sept with my bow.  All 3 of my sons (ages 10, 12 and 14) also have compound bows (and fly rods and shotguns etc).  Yes, our family loves to hunt and fish and I've been very fortunate to have three great sons who have a deep love of the outdoors. They even got their mom bird hunting and fly fishing over the last couple years! 

That being said, for whatever reason, the boys started trying to make their own self bows out of whatever small trees or large branches they could find near our home.  Not sure where it all came from, but after several months, I decided I better find a better way for them to build a bow.  Soon, they had 3 yellowheart, bamboo backed longbow kits along with a doz wooden arrows each,  from Tom Turgeon at Boise Bows and Arrows, under the Christmas tree. 



Since Christmas, we have begun building their first bamboo backed longbows (the first of MANY self made bows I'm sure).   



After gluing up the riser, belly wood and bamboo backing, the stave was cut out following the edges of the pre-trimmed bamboo. 



This was done at a friend's shop and then the laminated staves were brought home to shape.  This of course required us to build a large work area for the four of us to build bows in the garage.

Soon an older entertainment center that broke down to two stackable sections were seperated and topped with two layers of plywood for "work tables".



One table top was lower (for the younger two boys) and one higher (for my oldest son and I).  After a couple bench vises clamped on, we were ready to begin work on the staves with the #50 rasp.



The shaping of the staves began





When I said, "Jumping in with both feet", I meant it.  We have signed up for our subscriptions to Primitive Archer and Traditional Bowhunter, began reading Howard Hill's "Hunting the Hard Way" book at night, watched just about every YouTube video on traditional archery and bow making out there, and were recently able to meet and spend some time with Jay St Charles (son of Glenn St Charles - founder of the Pope and Young Book and Club) out at his bow making shop in Fall City, WA all while just starting out on this new journey into all things traditional and primitive archery. 

Meeting Jay and spending time with him in his shop has been the highlight so far.





Here, Jay shows my boys how to use a draw knife on an osage stave, explaining how to stay within one grow ring.



Soon, he let them all have a chance to feel what a draw knife is like on an unseasoned yew billet





Jay explaining the fine points of tillering



Lastly Jay let them touch, hold and finally SHOOT classic yew longbows for the very first time in their lives.  To say they were HOOKED at this point, is the under statement of the year.

My boys and I love the idea of the history and tradition and romance behind it and now can't seem to get their new longbows finished quickly enough.  Spring turkey hunting is coming in April and the boys can't imagine going after longbeards this year with anything but their self made longbows.  Note: I have a feeling the turkeys may be a tad safer, at least this year for sure!  But for us, the kill is not nearly as important as the tradition and experience of the hunt itself. (Although we'd love to get some more wild turkey feathers for making our own arrow fletchings!)

Realizing that we needed certain traditional archery accessories, we all decided if we be cool to MAKE our own quivers and arm guards, starting with the arm guards.  After a trip to McPhearson's Leather store in Seattle, we were soon back in our home "shop" designing and creating our own leather arm guards.







My middle son with arm guard and deer antler bottle opener they made as well





My youngest son showing off his finished arm guard.

I know this is a very pic heavy, long first post but I thought it was a good way to introduce myself and let you all know that we are very excited to have finally started on this life long journey into traditional/primitive archery.  Basically, we're "jumping in with both feet!" and ooking forward to learning tons from Primitive Archer and all of you experienced bowyers on this forum!   Here's to all the fun adventures of 2012.
Experience is something you don't get until just after you need it.

Offline Jimbob

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Re: Jumping in with both feet - from Washington State
« Reply #1 on: January 18, 2012, 06:34:46 am »
Good stuff, welcome to PA!  There is a wealth of information and knowlege here.
You skin that smoke wagon and we'll see what happens!---Are you gonna do something? Or just stand there and bleed?

"Show me a man who will jump out of an airplane, and I'll show you a man who'll fight for his country."
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Offline paulsemp

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Re: Jumping in with both feet - from Washington State
« Reply #2 on: January 18, 2012, 07:53:55 am »
the only thing better than building bows is throwing away a compound! Very cool taking interest and spending time with your sons

Offline gstoneberg

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Re: Jumping in with both feet - from Washington State
« Reply #3 on: January 18, 2012, 08:46:00 am »
Welcome!  I'd say you're in with both feet for sure.  Great to see the boys in the thick of the building.  The fun has just begun, believe me.   Good luck on those turkeys, they can be a challenge with the longbow.

George
St Paul, TX

Offline Keenan

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Re: Jumping in with both feet - from Washington State
« Reply #4 on: January 18, 2012, 09:26:43 am »
JBR, welcome to PA and what I'm sure will become a lasting relationshipwith this community. You got a great start and there is so many people on here willing to help in everyway that I'm sure you'll be  "up to your ears in the water"
 I am extremely glad to see the interest from your boys. They are tomarrows generation of great bowyers. Getting to cut there teeth on yew with Jay......what a way to start. Cant wait to watch your journeys.

Offline Pappy

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Re: Jumping in with both feet - from Washington State
« Reply #5 on: January 18, 2012, 09:45:30 am »
 Welcome,Looks like yall did jump in with both feet,if yall are like most it will become a life long journey. Enjoy. :) :)
   Pappy
Clarksville,Tennessee
TwinOaks Bowhunters
Life is Good

Offline Badger

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Re: Jumping in with both feet - from Washington State
« Reply #6 on: January 18, 2012, 09:53:39 am »
  Welcome, it is great to see the whole family jump in together. Brought me back a few years, my dad would help me get started on stuff but really had no interest himself. We never figured out how to select a stave and almost 40 years went buy before I got back into it.

Offline George Tsoukalas

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Re: Jumping in with both feet - from Washington State
« Reply #7 on: January 19, 2012, 11:38:38 am »
Welcome! This is so nice to see this thread gladdened my heart. :) Jawge
Set Happens!
If you ain't breakin' you ain't makin!

blackhawk

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Re: Jumping in with both feet - from Washington State
« Reply #8 on: January 19, 2012, 02:52:21 pm »
Welcome guys....that's priceless stuff right there...awesome :)


Could/should this be moved to the bows section so more folks see this great thread? ;)

Offline JBR

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Re: Jumping in with both feet - from Washington State
« Reply #9 on: January 19, 2012, 10:28:18 pm »
Thanks everyone.  Like many of my outdoor passions, I can tell this is going to be addicting.  If this thread needs to be moved to the 'Bow" section now, fine with me.  I'll leave that to the mods.

Okay, so first problem...

The staves, all 3 of them, have delaminated during the shaping and floor tillering.  I was never really thrilled about the glue that came in the kit as it seemed to be barely enough to cover the wood, and it began drying almost instantly, so work was rushed.  My concerns came true when when each stave began to have separation between the layers and had to be completely separated for regluing. 

After removing the old glue, which wasn't much, I re-glued the risers on two of them with Titebond III and that has worked well.  However, all 3 of them have had the bamboo backing delaminate and we are back to having to re-glue the backing on 2 staves and all 3 pieces on the last stave.

I have done some searching here on glues and adhesives to determine if the Titebond III we have will work for gluing up the bamboo backing.  I tend to get from the responses that it works fine for many, but I have not determined if that includes for bamboo backing.  Looking in the 3Rivers catalog I see that there are some more expensive epoxies. 

So, what would you recommend for my glue, since I don't want to glue them a third time?

During the "down time" the boys convinced me to drive them to Lowe's in the snow storm that has kept them home from school, to go get some red oak boards to begin working on some board bows while waiting for the glue ups on their bamboo backed bows.  It never stops does it?

Experience is something you don't get until just after you need it.

Offline JW_Halverson

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Re: Jumping in with both feet - from Washington State
« Reply #10 on: January 19, 2012, 11:29:05 pm »
IF you are VERY lucky, no, it will never stop.

You and the kids will be doing this with your grandkids.

Laughter will be the norm, woodchips picked out of their sandwich won't even merit a comment, and loooooooong skinny packages under the Christmas tree will be the source of envy and amazingly wide grins. 
Guns have triggers. Bicycles have wheels. Trees and bows have wooden limbs.

Offline JBR

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Re: Jumping in with both feet - from Washington State
« Reply #11 on: January 20, 2012, 01:28:38 am »
Couldn't have been said better, JW.  Sounds like the voice of experience to me.  ;)
Experience is something you don't get until just after you need it.

Offline aaron

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Re: Jumping in with both feet - from Washington State
« Reply #12 on: January 20, 2012, 03:50:29 pm »
one thing to consider when regluing is the effect of the old glue on the new. I know you removed the old glue, but wouldn't some of it be left IN the wood? If it were me, I'd consider removing some wood from the glued surface to give a fresh surface for the new glue. I have never done this so possibly someone else could weigh in who has reglued laminates. Alternately, you could seek out the same glue as was used on the first try.
good luck.
(i'm also from WA)
Ilwaco, Washington, USA
"Good wood makes great bows, but bad wood makes great bowyers"

Offline JW_Halverson

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Re: Jumping in with both feet - from Washington State
« Reply #13 on: January 20, 2012, 11:21:22 pm »
Couldn't have been said better, JW.  Sounds like the voice of experience to me.  ;)

Not really.  My father and I have little in common and even less to do with each other, mostly by his choice.  I have no kids of my own, or anyone else's.  I make do with those I run into and express an interest.  It's not much, but it's enough to feed the soul.

But I got an uncle on the other side of the Rockies out in Washington state.  I've seen him in the pages of P.A. magazine just as much as I have seen him in real life and he's into this wierdness, too.  That must makes me smile!  Thanks, Uncle Myron for your encouragement.
Guns have triggers. Bicycles have wheels. Trees and bows have wooden limbs.