Author Topic: Juniper (whoops I mean incense cedar) run!!! WOOHOO!!!!  (Read 4648 times)

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Offline Taxus brevifolia

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Juniper (whoops I mean incense cedar) run!!! WOOHOO!!!!
« on: June 12, 2018, 08:54:30 pm »
Talk about straight and clear...very hard to find in juniper, nearly as rare as straight/clear yew. that's because it's not juniper but incense cedar

6'6" long. One side is completely clear; the other has knots on the upper half, but will produce limbs for splicing.

Thanks to this forum, or I would not have even thought of splicing, I'd have left that half in the woods...I love you guys!!!!
« Last Edit: June 14, 2018, 04:24:42 pm by Taxus brevifolia »

Offline Grasshoppeh

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Re: Juniper run!!! WOOHOO!!!!
« Reply #1 on: June 12, 2018, 09:31:34 pm »
The top picture is a danger to the community, everyone is going to start drooling on their keyboards.

Any plans for what you want to make yet?

That is quite the find congratulations!
New bowyer, old shooter.ヽ( ゚ー゚)ノ} =͟͟͞͞➳

Limbit

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Re: Juniper run!!! WOOHOO!!!!
« Reply #2 on: June 12, 2018, 11:19:44 pm »
AGAIN?! You are far too lucky

Offline Taxus brevifolia

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Re: Juniper run!!! WOOHOO!!!!
« Reply #3 on: June 13, 2018, 01:26:45 am »
Lol thanks guys. Luck plays a role, but also a lot of sweat. I had to look at a lot of trees today over a large area to find this one. I expect there are enough staves in it to try my hand at a few different designs. But I need to come to terms with some kind of bowyer bench. The stavemasters are available again, can't afford one yet so I guess I'll make do with a homemade shave horse. (Still need to make it). I've got several staves now roughed out as far as I dare go with hatchet & sandpaper. Soon as I set up a bench I'll get after them with the draw knife. Meanwhile, guess I'll get this new juniper split into billets and cleaned up.

Offline Eric Garza

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Re: Juniper run!!! WOOHOO!!!!
« Reply #4 on: June 13, 2018, 09:38:20 am »
If you have a little $$ to spend you can buy a portable workbench and a couple portable vices to clamp onto it. The pic shows the setup I use. It is nice because when I am asked to teach classes or do demos I can take it with me and setup on-site.

Offline DC

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Re: Juniper run!!! WOOHOO!!!!
« Reply #5 on: June 13, 2018, 10:18:59 am »
Do you anchor the workmate down somehow? I tried using one of those and I just dragged it all over the yard.

Offline Taxus brevifolia

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Re: Juniper run!!! WOOHOO!!!!
« Reply #6 on: June 13, 2018, 01:51:22 pm »
I'm saving for a stavemasters, but until then I'll make do with material I have around the place. I have a workmate, I'll see about that
« Last Edit: June 13, 2018, 01:55:07 pm by Taxus brevifolia »

Offline meanewood

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Re: Juniper run!!! WOOHOO!!!!
« Reply #7 on: June 13, 2018, 05:21:31 pm »
I love making bows, don't doubt that but those photos remind me of the best part of this hobby

The Hunt!

Wandering through the countryside searching for that stave, at one with nature.

Then the thrill when you find something, cut and haul it out

It doesn't get any better than that!

Offline Taxus brevifolia

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Re: Juniper run!!! WOOHOO!!!!
« Reply #8 on: June 13, 2018, 08:43:19 pm »
My sentiments exactly! I'm taking things one step at a time. I've become adept at the harvest, and I'm pretty good at roughing out. Once I get it together with a bench, I'mma get good at tillering, though I figure that'll take awhile to master

Offline Eric Garza

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Re: Juniper run!!! WOOHOO!!!!
« Reply #9 on: June 14, 2018, 08:25:12 am »
Do you anchor the workmate down somehow? I tried using one of those and I just dragged it all over the yard.

I will step on the step that is near the ground to hold things steady. That seems to be enough.

Offline Taxus brevifolia

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Re: Juniper run!!! WOOHOO!!!!
« Reply #10 on: June 14, 2018, 04:17:15 pm »
Well get this guys: After my vine maple-big leaf maple mix up, it crossed my mind to confirm this one...according to plantsnap, it's not juniper, but incense cedar. Calocedrus decurrens.

So I guess I'll find out if incense cedar makes a decent bow. It sure looks like juniper. Glad I checked, I'll start confirming before I post. I was quite surprised, as it so closely resembles confirmed juniper I've harvested. I think though it's a different species, it's clearly very closely related and my hope is that it shares the desirable qualities.

Offline Hamish

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Re: Juniper (whoops I mean incense cedar) run!!! WOOHOO!!!!
« Reply #11 on: June 14, 2018, 06:03:28 pm »
+1 for Eric's foot anchoring method. Useable when you can't find a more secure method.

Offline Ryan Jacob

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Re: Juniper run!!! WOOHOO!!!!
« Reply #12 on: June 14, 2018, 07:14:10 pm »
AGAIN?! You are far too lucky
I think ya jinxed it.

Offline turmoiler

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Re: Juniper (whoops I mean incense cedar) run!!! WOOHOO!!!!
« Reply #13 on: June 14, 2018, 09:03:07 pm »
Wikipedia says yes:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Calocedrus_decurrens#Native_Americans
In another page it says The Washo people from near Lake Tahoe used small limbs of the Incense Cedar for bows.

So I suppose it is worth a try
« Last Edit: June 14, 2018, 09:09:31 pm by turmoiler »

Offline Taxus brevifolia

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Re: Juniper (whoops I mean incense cedar) run!!! WOOHOO!!!!
« Reply #14 on: June 14, 2018, 10:27:22 pm »
It makes sense to me they would being using more limbs than trunks. It's a lot more work to get at the trunk! I have a good feeling about it, despite the mis-ID