Building a selfbow--wood recommendations
12-18-2008, 11:49 AM
#11
Dominant Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: land of the Lilliputians, In the state of insanity
Posts: 26,274
RE: Building a selfbow--wood recommendations
ORIGINAL: bigcountry
I recommend a person starts with hickory. Might turn out a little sluggish, but it won't break very easily. It will teach you to tiller, and usually very easy to find staight staves with no twist. Once a person gets good with tillering a bow nice and even, move on to locust, or osage. I myself don't think i will build another yew bow.
I recommend a person starts with hickory. Might turn out a little sluggish, but it won't break very easily. It will teach you to tiller, and usually very easy to find staight staves with no twist. Once a person gets good with tillering a bow nice and even, move on to locust, or osage. I myself don't think i will build another yew bow.
12-18-2008, 12:00 PM
#12
Guest
Posts: n/a
RE: Building a selfbow--wood recommendations
ORIGINAL: burniegoeasily
That is what makes or breaks most people from building bows. Thats why I always suggest a nice easy wood to learn with, like hickory. Its heart breaking to seesaw tillering a nice peice of Osage to the point of no return and waste 60 bucks on the stave. Or if you cut it yourself, waste all the work and time to get a stave. Or even worst, have one snap while working on it.
ORIGINAL: bigcountry
I recommend a person starts with hickory. Might turn out a little sluggish, but it won't break very easily. It will teach you to tiller, and usually very easy to find staight staves with no twist. Once a person gets good with tillering a bow nice and even, move on to locust, or osage. I myself don't think i will build another yew bow.
I recommend a person starts with hickory. Might turn out a little sluggish, but it won't break very easily. It will teach you to tiller, and usually very easy to find staight staves with no twist. Once a person gets good with tillering a bow nice and even, move on to locust, or osage. I myself don't think i will build another yew bow.
12-18-2008, 12:05 PM
#13
Dominant Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: land of the Lilliputians, In the state of insanity
Posts: 26,274
RE: Building a selfbow--wood recommendations
ORIGINAL: bigcountry
Yep, I still don't have an eye for tillering. I have to use gadgets and take pictures and put on the computer. I need to make me a backboard with some lines.
ORIGINAL: burniegoeasily
That is what makes or breaks most people from building bows. Thats why I always suggest a nice easy wood to learn with, like hickory. Its heart breaking to seesaw tillering a nice peice of Osage to the point of no return and waste 60 bucks on the stave. Or if you cut it yourself, waste all the work and time to get a stave. Or even worst, have one snap while working on it.
ORIGINAL: bigcountry
I recommend a person starts with hickory. Might turn out a little sluggish, but it won't break very easily. It will teach you to tiller, and usually very easy to find staight staves with no twist. Once a person gets good with tillering a bow nice and even, move on to locust, or osage. I myself don't think i will build another yew bow.
I recommend a person starts with hickory. Might turn out a little sluggish, but it won't break very easily. It will teach you to tiller, and usually very easy to find staight staves with no twist. Once a person gets good with tillering a bow nice and even, move on to locust, or osage. I myself don't think i will build another yew bow.
12-18-2008, 12:06 PM
#14
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location:
Posts: 1,985
RE: Building a selfbow--wood recommendations
After reading this next time I cut osage for Burnie he is going with me! Talking about ring countand the like went right over my head...I will drive he can cut his own osage...I'l supervise and drink beer!
Now makes me wonder about my last find if it has use,guess not all osage is created equal.
Now makes me wonder about my last find if it has use,guess not all osage is created equal.
12-18-2008, 12:09 PM
#15
Dominant Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: land of the Lilliputians, In the state of insanity
Posts: 26,274
RE: Building a selfbow--wood recommendations
ORIGINAL: RLoving1
After reading this next time I cut osage for Burnie he is going with me! Talking about ring countand the like went right over my head...I will drive he can cut his own osage...I'l supervise and drink beer!Now makes me wonder about my last find if it has use,guess not all osage is created equal.
After reading this next time I cut osage for Burnie he is going with me! Talking about ring countand the like went right over my head...I will drive he can cut his own osage...I'l supervise and drink beer!
Now makes me wonder about my last find if it has use,guess not all osage is created equal.
After the holidays, im going to cut the first set of logs you got, into slats. The rings on them were too close to make selfbows from. Also, got to see if I can work around the ant holes. The last set of logs, look real good. When i split them, there looks like a few will work good for staves.
12-18-2008, 12:38 PM
#16
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location:
Posts: 2,994
RE: Building a selfbow--wood recommendations
Burnie, thanks for the updated info. Like I said, I've not yet built my first bow, so your personal experience and observations are very helpful.
It's quite possible that way back when pope and young were building bows and writing books, access to quality eastern red cedar was much greater. The bows they recommended were also long, around 68"+ if I remember right, and the older, thicker D shape from back to belly. Maybe that also made a difference, I don't know...
It's quite possible that way back when pope and young were building bows and writing books, access to quality eastern red cedar was much greater. The bows they recommended were also long, around 68"+ if I remember right, and the older, thicker D shape from back to belly. Maybe that also made a difference, I don't know...
12-18-2008, 02:19 PM
#17
Guest
Posts: n/a
RE: Building a selfbow--wood recommendations
ORIGINAL: Rangeball
Burnie, thanks for the updated info. Like I said, I've not yet built my first bow, so your personal experience and observations are very helpful.
It's quite possible that way back when pope and young were building bows and writing books, access to quality eastern red cedar was much greater. The bows they recommended were also long, around 68"+ if I remember right, and the older, thicker D shape from back to belly. Maybe that also made a difference, I don't know...
Burnie, thanks for the updated info. Like I said, I've not yet built my first bow, so your personal experience and observations are very helpful.
It's quite possible that way back when pope and young were building bows and writing books, access to quality eastern red cedar was much greater. The bows they recommended were also long, around 68"+ if I remember right, and the older, thicker D shape from back to belly. Maybe that also made a difference, I don't know...
12-18-2008, 08:30 PM
#19
Guest
Posts: n/a
RE: Building a selfbow--wood recommendations
ORIGINAL: Father Forkhorn
This is all very helpful, especially Burnie. I think I will try hickory first to get the hang of it.
Thanks. everyone.
This is all very helpful, especially Burnie. I think I will try hickory first to get the hang of it.
Thanks. everyone.
