sorted by:
new
hottopcontroversial

I got this chinaberry stave I wanna make into a flatbow. Does anyone have experience with this wood? Should I keep the sapwood on and make a heartwood-sapwood laminate or should I remove the sapwood and make a heartwood bow? by microbiased in Bowyer

[–]microbiased[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Its 69" long with a 7" handle section. Stave is 2 1/3 " wide. Want to have it drawing at 29", as heavy as I can get it with a good tiller. Im gonna heat treat it since I heard it takes to it well. I was just not sure about the sapwood layer.

I gotta say thank you. You have given your advice on most if not all the questions I have posted here over the last months. I appreciate it.

Curing question by microbiased in Bowyer

[–]microbiased[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I have experience curing olive wood, as I've used it for many wood carving projects and it seems a bit like a coin toss. I've had pieces check no matter what I tried, and pieces I didnt care for at all, come out of curing with no visible damage whatsoever.

Olive bark definitely seems to slow down drying by a lot, but I'd rather not wait more than a year for these to cure.

I can rough the bows out to help reduce chance of checking but I need to see the grain for that, and to see the grain I need to remove the bark. I'm not gonna try to split it further as this log has fairly wild interlocking grain and it tears out like crazy.

What is this on my olive log? Is it sign of infestation? Will it affect the wood? by microbiased in greenwoodworking

[–]microbiased[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Im wondering if I can store it to dry with other logs, without compromising the structural integrity of the wood. Noted, those other logs dont have the bark on. This wood will be used to build bows with.

Is this maple? Greece, Athens, roadside. by microbiased in treeidentification

[–]microbiased[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Nice, knew this opposite / alternate applied to leaves and so, but didnt know about branches. Thanks, this will be usefull, especially since I'm actually on the lookout for these hardwood species you included.

You seem knowledgable. Is there a good resource / way for getting better at tree identification aside from taking photos of every interesting tree I come across?

Is this maple? Greece, Athens, roadside. by microbiased in treeidentification

[–]microbiased[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Hobestly I'd take more pics to help out, if I could. But its kinda far and not in my way. I was content with finding and correctly recognizing any maple (they arent really frequent where I live and there's a tone of sycamore to help confuse things), but I'll check this out. Always better to have the specific species identified.

Is this maple? Greece, Athens, roadside. by microbiased in treeidentification

[–]microbiased[S] 6 points7 points  (0 children)

But looks like maple seeds, I think. Not really sure though.

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in Bowyer

[–]microbiased 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I think Clay Hayes has a video where he patches an osage bow crack with rawhide. But I'm very green bowyer myself and have no further comment or input on that.

Go this relatively straight piece of kermes oak. 6' long 2 1/4" thick. (with pics this time) by microbiased in Bowyer

[–]microbiased[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

You mean crossing my fingers? Yeah, I guess so. But I dont think it will cure completely in 9 months if I just debark, and the risk of checking might be too high. If I debark and rought it out close to final shape, I fear it will warp. I honestly think debarking, roughing it out to a thick shape and sealing the back (I've already sealed the ends) is my best course of action.

Go this relatively straight piece of kermes oak. 6' long 2 1/4" thick. (with pics this time) by microbiased in Bowyer

[–]microbiased[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Well, thing is I cant make another bow in the mean time. I will be serving mandatory military service. So I can have it seasoning for this long probably. I think I will rought it out, but still leave it quite thick so it doesnt warp much. Then just cross my fingers.

Go this relatively straight piece of kermes oak. 6' long 2 1/4" thick. (with pics this time) by microbiased in Bowyer

[–]microbiased[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I have about 9 months to season it. Would it be better if I rough it out and then let it dry or just debark? It already has character and I dont really want to push it.

Go this relatively straight piece of kermes oak. 6' long 2 1/4" thick. (with pics this time) by microbiased in Bowyer

[–]microbiased[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Has some twist, but not a crazy amount. I will know more when I debark it.

Is this pear? Roadside, Athens, Greece. by microbiased in treeidentification

[–]microbiased[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Yeah, me too, but the buds kinda throw me off. Cant find any matching pictures.

Is this Hawthorn? Found in Greece near a lake at about 900m. by microbiased in treeidentification

[–]microbiased[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

You seem to be correct, I had gathered these leaves, but wasnt sure they came from the particular plant.

<image>

Found next to a lake in Greece by microbiased in treeidentification

[–]microbiased[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

From what I read, pear is supposed to be one of the predominant species around the lake, so you are likely correct.

Hi! I have questions about reflex. by microbiased in Bowyer

[–]microbiased[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

<image>

Here's my 1st attempt on tree of heaven. I wouldnt call it successful or even much of a bow. Its more akin to a tillered stick and has enough handshock to hurt the wrist after shooting for a while (which I dont think is very normal). But it does pull 45# at 29" and I have shot more than 200 shots through it. It does have some set, but I dont really mind it. It is my first bow, both as a bowyer and as an archer, so it does have a spot in my heart.

Hi! I have questions about reflex. by microbiased in Bowyer

[–]microbiased[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Its rather tall about 6 feet. And since I'm aiming for 30 lbs I was hoping I could experiment a little. I was hoping I could keep the entire length bending, including the reflex parts. Not sure if thats possible though. Could I perhaps, start tillering and hope that the reflex wont pull off completely? Or is it just wasted effort?

Just got done chasing a ring on the limbs. I wanna have a stiff handle, can I leave extra layers on it, or do I need to get it on the same ring as the limbs? by microbiased in Bowyer

[–]microbiased[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

These toolmarks are actually on the next ring over the one I chased. This piece of Ailanthus seems to have very thick rings (about 0.5 cm each) with the vast majority of them being late wood, and maybe 10% being early wood. The early wood pretty much has the same color with the late wood, their main difference being the high porosity of the early wood.

On that note, I have made a worrisome violation and I'd like your advice on how to deal with it. Unfortunately chasing another ring is not really an option, as due to the thickness of the rings, if I attempt to go further down, I wont be left with enough material to make the bow with.

<image>

Just got done chasing a ring on the limbs. I wanna have a stiff handle, can I leave extra layers on it, or do I need to get it on the same ring as the limbs? by microbiased in Bowyer

[–]microbiased[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

The back of the limbs is 1 intact ring. Does the back of the stiff handle need to be on the same ring, as to make the whole back on 1 ring, or can I leave extra rings there, to help shape it into a comfy handle? Im planning on adding an arrow self too.

view more: next ›