Getting impatient already

How to make a Bow, a String or a Set of Arrows. Making equipment & tools for use in Traditional Archery and Bowhunting.

Moderator: Moderators

Post Reply
Message
Author
User avatar
rodlonq
Posts: 2096
Joined: Wed May 06, 2009 3:02 pm
Location: Ingham NQ

Getting impatient already

#1 Post by rodlonq » Thu Jul 16, 2015 6:31 pm

Looking forward to starting work on an Osage selfbow in about 12-18 months. Apparently the smallest billet has about 3 " of heartwood. Will look see if the biggest one will split into 4 staves.. I hope i am still getting around the bush by the time this project comes to fruition.

Cheers... Rod
OsageLogs.jpg
OsageLogs.jpg (258.13 KiB) Viewed 4009 times

hunterguy1991
Posts: 859
Joined: Mon Jul 09, 2012 10:18 am
Location: Woodford Queensland

Re: Getting impatient already

#2 Post by hunterguy1991 » Thu Jul 16, 2015 6:57 pm

:surprised: You lucky bugger!!! They'll be worth the wait... ( I know what you mean tho, I have a stave here that has to sit until feb next year at least)

User avatar
perry
Posts: 1925
Joined: Tue Sep 05, 2006 9:59 pm
Location: morayfield qld australia

Re: Getting impatient already

#3 Post by perry » Thu Jul 16, 2015 7:55 pm

Fella's no need to wait that long. Get the Bark off those Logs, Split them into Staves and Whittle them down to Floor Tiller Stage. When Timbers Wider than it is Deep like when its a Floor Tillered Stave it will Dry so much faster, be far less prone to Warping and especially Checking, I'd go so far as to say it wont happen compared to when it's left alone. It also a good idea to cut Bow Tree's with an Axe, the larger surface area and jagged edges will allow moisture to escape without the Checking you get with Saw Cut Logs. Weigh those Floor Tillered Staves, when it has not lost weight for 2 Days Tiller away - it will be Dry. I have made many Bows that where Shooting 4 Days after I Cut them, records 3 Days. Think about it, once upon a Time a Bow was a vital Tool for Food, Protection, Life - Would you sit around and wait around for months or Years for a Stave or more to Dry in those circumstances.

regards Jacko
"To my deep morticication my father once said to me, 'You care for nothing but shooting, dogs and rat catching, and you will be a disgrace to yourself and all your family.' "

- Charles Darwin

User avatar
rodlonq
Posts: 2096
Joined: Wed May 06, 2009 3:02 pm
Location: Ingham NQ

Re: Getting impatient already

#4 Post by rodlonq » Fri Jul 17, 2015 7:03 am

Good thoughts Perry. I am taking possession of the staves on our Gulf trip in a bit under 2 weeks. He is coming up through the middle of QLD and we are meeting for a hunt then I'll bring them home. They should develop some good mojo being in hunting camp for 2 weeks before I even get the bark off them. Either way I probably won't get time to make a bow from them until about Christmas anyway. We may be moving house after I come back if my wife is offered a new job in Ingham.

Is it necessary to take the sap off to help drying and prevent borer attack?

Cheers... Rod

User avatar
greybeard
Supporter
Supporter
Posts: 2992
Joined: Tue Feb 07, 2006 9:11 am
Location: Logan City QLD

Re: Getting impatient already

#5 Post by greybeard » Fri Jul 17, 2015 2:59 pm

Rod you are indeed a lucky man, any idea of the growth ring count per inch?

A liberal coat of insecticide may not go astray and check for any signs of infestation on a regular basis and re treat the logs if necessary.

Daryl.
"And you must not stick for a groat or twelvepence more than another man would give, if it be a good bow.
For a good bow twice paid for, is better than an ill bow once broken.
[Ascham]

“If a cluttered desk is a sign of a cluttered mind, of what, then, is an empty desk a sign?” [Einstein]

I am old enough to make my own decisions....Just not young enough to remember what I decided!....

User avatar
rodlonq
Posts: 2096
Joined: Wed May 06, 2009 3:02 pm
Location: Ingham NQ

Re: Getting impatient already

#6 Post by rodlonq » Fri Jul 17, 2015 6:46 pm

Yes Daryl, I am. I swapped this D/R hunting bow (68"NTN 60#@28") for them. Hopefully old mate will blood it during the trip to the gulf.
1Strung.JPG
1Strung.JPG (49.37 KiB) Viewed 3933 times
No idea on the ring density, will let you know when I clean them up in a months time.
Do you think the type of insecticide that goes on fruit trees or something like that, or just Mortien surface spray like you'd use in the house for cockies, ants etc.?

Cheers... Rod

User avatar
cmoore
Posts: 204
Joined: Tue Mar 18, 2014 9:35 am
Location: Melbourne VIC

Re: Getting impatient already

#7 Post by cmoore » Fri Jul 17, 2015 7:12 pm

That's alot of osage!...So jealous :doh:
Set Happens

User avatar
perry
Posts: 1925
Joined: Tue Sep 05, 2006 9:59 pm
Location: morayfield qld australia

Re: Getting impatient already

#8 Post by perry » Fri Jul 17, 2015 9:59 pm

In my experience Insect Attack is far more likely with the Bark on. Thin the Sap Wood simply because thinner Wood dries more quickly and evenly - painful Job though :lol: not one I'd relish with a great stack of Osage like that ! I've made several Osage Bows where I did not bother thinning the Sap Wood, they shot just fine, just did not look as nice as when you have that lovely thin layer of Sapwood contrasting with the Heartwood. Same deal with Aussie Timbers like Brigalow and Mulga, Sap Wood Bows can work just fine

regards Jacko
"To my deep morticication my father once said to me, 'You care for nothing but shooting, dogs and rat catching, and you will be a disgrace to yourself and all your family.' "

- Charles Darwin

User avatar
rodlonq
Posts: 2096
Joined: Wed May 06, 2009 3:02 pm
Location: Ingham NQ

Re: Getting impatient already

#9 Post by rodlonq » Sat Jul 18, 2015 8:12 am

Thats interesting Perry. Everything I've read indicates the back of the bow should be a late wood ring, haven't seen an osage bow with a sap back yet. It seems like common practice with yew bows however. Perhaps it is a case of chasing minimum width by making the back the most resistant with a late ring. Would the bow need to be relatively wider to accommodate using only part of the sap for the back? Does the sap have a ring like structure that needs tone followed as one would with the heartwood? It seems like this requires much less work to make a bow = good thing :biggrin:

I am looking forward to taking a slice off each and having a look at the sap thickness and growth ring structure. Wish I had asked my friend to photograph it before sealing. I did think he was going to use PVA glue which should have dried clear. Maybe the glue is still wet in the photos.

Cheers.... Rod

User avatar
perry
Posts: 1925
Joined: Tue Sep 05, 2006 9:59 pm
Location: morayfield qld australia

Re: Getting impatient already

#10 Post by perry » Sat Jul 18, 2015 7:55 pm

Rod I reckon White Fella's tend to complicate everything, I'm a simplistic sort of 1/2 White Fella - I break things down nice and simple, [ read that as Lazy ] Imagine Stone Tools, would you want to be chasing Growth Rings on an Osage Stave with Stone Tools ?? I'm not keen to do it with Steel Tools :mrgreen:

White Fella's also delude themselves and like things nice and straight, uniform and predictable and reckon they can do things better than Nature. Work with what Nature has grown, don't work against it, go with it. Steaming twists and kinks out etc in my view is not worth the effort, Nature will win.

We also have different growing conditions, Seasons and Soil here in Australia - Osage aint Osage. Native Tree's vary region to region, let alone an Introduced Species, another Continent in another Hemisphere.

Work it down to that pretty Yellow Heartwood or chase thin Late Sap Wood so you get that lovely contrast between Back and Belly by all means ! BUT, experiment ! try a Bow with the Surface immediately under the Bark as the Back of the Bow, it'll Work !

Osage is a heavy Timber, not as Dense as many Aussie Timbers and for those new to Selfbows in my view is best suited to Man Tall narrow Lenticular Cross Sections, say 1 1/4" Wide and a Working Handle. Not to say a shorter Pyramid Limb Bow is a poor choice,far from it, just for the beginner stick with those designs that are less effort! You will find it is natural to lightly crown a Staves Belly when working it. A Flat Belly or rectangular Cross Sections is difficult to get right by comparision

Really looking forward to what you do with this Timber Rod

regards Jacko
"To my deep morticication my father once said to me, 'You care for nothing but shooting, dogs and rat catching, and you will be a disgrace to yourself and all your family.' "

- Charles Darwin

User avatar
greybeard
Supporter
Supporter
Posts: 2992
Joined: Tue Feb 07, 2006 9:11 am
Location: Logan City QLD

Re: Getting impatient already

#11 Post by greybeard » Sun Jul 19, 2015 4:50 pm

rodlonq wrote:.......Do you think the type of insecticide that goes on fruit trees or something like that, or just Mortien surface spray like you'd use in the house for cockies, ants etc.?
Rod,

Surface sprays may have to be applied on a regular basis. It may pay to get in touch with a rural supply store regarding what products may be available that are suitable for your purpose.

From a safety point of view you won’t want use a product that will leave harmful residual chemicals in the timber that you are processing.

http://www.bunnings.com.au/yates-500ml- ... e_p2961216

The following is a ‘home brew’ from the USA.

Buy a couple of cans of Castrol anti freeze and a couple of tubs (500g each) of borax dissolve the borax in warm water and add the antifreeze add 10 to 20 litres of cold water and thoroughly spray the wood with it to the point of run off.
This should fix it and make it resistant to termites for your lifetime: This is basically what Tim-bor is.

Daryl.
"And you must not stick for a groat or twelvepence more than another man would give, if it be a good bow.
For a good bow twice paid for, is better than an ill bow once broken.
[Ascham]

“If a cluttered desk is a sign of a cluttered mind, of what, then, is an empty desk a sign?” [Einstein]

I am old enough to make my own decisions....Just not young enough to remember what I decided!....

User avatar
Gringa Bows
Posts: 6331
Joined: Thu Aug 30, 2007 7:09 pm
Location: Bundaberg QLD

Re: Getting impatient already

#12 Post by Gringa Bows » Mon Jul 20, 2015 10:39 am

lot of yellow sawdust there mate

Post Reply