Author Topic: Vine Maple Self Bow  (Read 13993 times)

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Offline Gordon

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Vine Maple Self Bow
« on: February 28, 2015, 05:04:09 pm »
A few months ago I was complaining about the unruly nature of vine maple and how that took some of the fun out making bows out of it. Vinemaplebows responded that the vine maple up around his parts is quite well behaved relative to what I was describing and graciously sent me 2 sets of billets to see how I like it. Well after making a bow from one of the sets I have to say that I like his wood just fine. In fact, this was the first vine maple stave that I was able to use a card scraper for final tiller without tearing my hair out (in case you're wondering where all my hair went, now you know!). Anyway, the bow is 60" ntn and pulls 55# @ 27". The handle is dyed elk hide and the tips overlays are some kind of South American hardwood. I got lazy and used a wipe-on gel urethane for the finish - it's so much easier to apply than anything else I've ever used. The bow is for myself so I didn't fancy it up any. And thank you for the wood VMB, you're living near a treasure trove - looks like I'm going to have to come up there to visit!



















« Last Edit: February 28, 2015, 05:10:32 pm by Gordon »
Gordon

Offline ionicmuffin

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Re: Vine Maple Self Bow
« Reply #1 on: February 28, 2015, 05:04:57 pm »
Beautiful bow! I always admired your work Gordon!
Amo innectis arcus- I love crafting bows (latin)

Offline Stoker

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Re: Vine Maple Self Bow
« Reply #2 on: February 28, 2015, 05:07:32 pm »
Simple, clean and well tillered.. What's not to love about that.. Well done
Thanks Leroy
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Offline osage outlaw

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Re: Vine Maple Self Bow
« Reply #3 on: February 28, 2015, 05:16:56 pm »
That is a beautiful bow Gordon.  Your work is always so classy looking. 
I started out with nothin' and I still got most of it left

Offline Aaron H

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Re: Vine Maple Self Bow
« Reply #4 on: February 28, 2015, 05:18:51 pm »
Gordon, I just love seeing your beautiful craftsmanship.  Your finish work is top notch even though you didn't "fancy it up any"

Offline Swampman

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Re: Vine Maple Self Bow
« Reply #5 on: February 28, 2015, 05:57:48 pm »
Another beatiful bow Gordon.  Vine maple makes a great looking bow.

Offline missilemaster

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Re: Vine Maple Self Bow
« Reply #6 on: February 28, 2015, 06:18:10 pm »
That looks really clean for vine maple. Looks great!
All men die,  few men ever really live.

Real men love Jesus.

Offline vinemaplebows

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Re: Vine Maple Self Bow
« Reply #7 on: February 28, 2015, 07:02:41 pm »
Gordon,

                      Your bow turned out great! I wanted to point out that this set, and the second set are from SAWN billets, splitting is fine, but sawing is the way to go in my opinion. :) Wait till you get to see the osoberry I just cut.... :)
Debating is an intellectual exchange of differing views...with no winners.

Offline PEARL DRUMS

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Re: Vine Maple Self Bow
« Reply #8 on: February 28, 2015, 07:06:43 pm »
Nice bow Gordon. Ive heard about vine maples swirly grain and anti-scraping attitude!
Only when the last tree has died and the last river has been poisoned and the last fish has been caught will we realize we cannot eat money.

Offline Badly Bent

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Re: Vine Maple Self Bow
« Reply #9 on: February 28, 2015, 07:09:16 pm »
Very nice, really like the graceful lines and shaping of it in the back and side profiles. And as usual in your bows it has that smooth tiller that will put a person in a trance if you stare at it to long.
Nice color as well, is that natural or did you use something on the vm.
I ain't broke but I'm badly bent.

Offline ajooter

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Re: Vine Maple Self Bow
« Reply #10 on: February 28, 2015, 07:09:19 pm »
Another beauty!  Like the plain jane finish...if you can call it that.  Gorgeous in all aspects as usual  :)

Offline Gordon

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Re: Vine Maple Self Bow
« Reply #11 on: February 28, 2015, 07:29:57 pm »
Thank you ionicmuffin for the nice words.

Thank you Leroy, I appreciate the compliment.

Thank you osage outlaw.

Thank you Falcon, I like to keep my bows simple when they are for my personal use.

Thank you Swampman. Vine maple is a wonderful bow wood, second only to yew and osage in my book.

Thank you for the compliment Swampman.

Thank you missilemaster. This vine maple I got from vinemaplebows is uncharacteristically clean compared to the wood I collect around here.

Hey VMB, thank you again for the wood. I too saw all of my vine maple. If you don't you lose at least half of your staves to excessive twist.

Hey Pearl, the vine maple I collect locally has lots of swirly grain and is terrible to scrap.

Thank you Badly Bent, I appreciate your nice compliment. I used a golden brown dye to stain the wood. Vine maple is so white it is almost too garish to leave it natural.

Thank you for the compliment ajooter.





Gordon

Offline Danzn Bar

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Re: Vine Maple Self Bow
« Reply #12 on: February 28, 2015, 07:33:23 pm »
Sweet bow Gordon,  Really like the full draw profile.
DBar
Integrity is doing the right thing when no one is looking

Offline GB

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Re: Vine Maple Self Bow
« Reply #13 on: February 28, 2015, 07:40:41 pm »
Lovely to look at (and to shoot, I'll bet).
Yeah, I remember when we had a President who didn't wear a tinfoil hat.

Offline Arrowind

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Re: Vine Maple Self Bow
« Reply #14 on: February 28, 2015, 07:47:45 pm »
Sweet bow Gordon,  Really like the full draw profile.
DBar


Agreed!
Talking trees. What do trees have to talk about, hmm... except the consistency of squirrel droppings?