Its not what it looks like!!

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hunterguy1991
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Its not what it looks like!!

#1 Post by hunterguy1991 » Sat Nov 07, 2015 12:41 pm

Afternoon all,

Just wanted to share a quick one I made as an experiment. Couple weeks back Neil (Nezwin) dropped by for a chat while he was up this way and brought me a few boards of Cypress to have a play around with. Knowing that I make a fair few ELB's and he hadn't made any he suggested I might like to ELB a piece of it and see what happens... Well, this happened!! :biggrin:
Horn pass.jpg
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Braced.jpg
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She is 70"ntn, American ash backed Cypress, pulling 30lbs @ 28" and looks very suspiciously like a very rare timber species we don't see often down here...

Kept is simple, no tips just a horn pass in my traditional shield shape but I think its quite elegant. Shoots very smooth and gets pretty much all its reflex back after shooting within a half hour.

Let me know what you think.

Colin
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greybeard
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Re: Its not what it looks like!!

#2 Post by greybeard » Sat Nov 07, 2015 2:22 pm

Colin,

The bow appears to have turned out well.
hunterguy1991 wrote:...........and looks very suspiciously like a very rare timber species we don't see often down here.........
Looks a little like Ewghe.

The next step would be to try a 45# to 50# bow at the same n to n length to see how the Cypress handles compression.

There is a timber merchant in Caboolture stocking white cypress so I might have to check them out.

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!....
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perry
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Re: Its not what it looks like!!

#3 Post by perry » Sat Nov 07, 2015 2:33 pm

Interesting Colin, don't quite know why but with the Ash backing and D Cross Section I'm surprised it's handling compression well. Then again as I've mentioned before one of the most abused Selfbow's I've seen was made from knotty length of Cypress. Neat work Mate.

regards Perry
"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
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hunterguy1991
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Re: Its not what it looks like!!

#4 Post by hunterguy1991 » Sat Nov 07, 2015 4:46 pm

Thanks guys.

Daryl I will have to look them up and see what they have for another bow in a heavier weight.
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cadet
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Re: Its not what it looks like!!

#5 Post by cadet » Sat Nov 07, 2015 6:30 pm

That is super neato...

After watching some sketchy speculation here to the effect that it's very like the selfbow wood of choice, I had a play with a cypress board from bunnings and made a self crossbow prod. It exploded eventually during late tillering, but not before taking a very heavy draw and me deliberately working it very hard. It looks, works - and smells! - beautifully. Only problem is finding something knot free!
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Nezwin
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Re: Its not what it looks like!!

#6 Post by Nezwin » Sat Nov 07, 2015 6:44 pm

Beautiful! Really like what you've done with that piece. Only a low poundage but it's a start. I'm very keen to see how we, as a forum, develop our understanding of this timber. I don't think it's the be-all and end-all, but I do think it could be a fair choice.

I've got a lot of projects on the go at the moment, and more mentally lined up (I've got a nice ELB recipe now...) but I did visit the mill on Friday and pick up a few choice boards. One of them was a knot free 6' board with sapwood on one face, heartwood on the other :biggrin: Took me an hour to knock out a functioning self bow from that little beaut. Still got half the board left, so thinking that might make my first ELB :biggrin:

If you want to source some up your way, it may be worth contacting the mill (http://www.grantscypress.com.au/default ... s&FormID=1) and finding out where they deliver to in SEQ. I'm lead to believe these are THE guys for Cypress in NSW & Qld, but I could be mislead.

How did you find working the wood? Nice, eh?
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greybeard
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Re: Its not what it looks like!!

#7 Post by greybeard » Sat Nov 07, 2015 7:25 pm

Colin,

Cypress Supplies - Caboolture Division
Address: 25 Piper Street, Caboolture QLD 4510 [near the Caboolture Aerodrome]
Phone: (07) 5495 8024
hunterguy1991 wrote:....Daryl I will have to look them up and see what they have for another bow in a heavier weight.
Buy one of their logs and you can go as heavy as you like.
cypress-supplies-caboolture-pty-ltd-image.jpg
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On a more serious note,

The numbers do not look all that bad for cypress but I think bow design will be the secret to success.
Australian Cypress Vs Pacific Yew.jpg
Australian Cypress Vs Pacific Yew.jpg (62.45 KiB) Viewed 3866 times
End Grain Australian Cypress And Pacific Yew.jpg
End Grain Australian Cypress And Pacific Yew.jpg (77.67 KiB) Viewed 3866 times
It may even prove suitable for laminations under glass.

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!....
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Nezwin
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Location: Temora, NSW

Re: Its not what it looks like!!

#8 Post by Nezwin » Sat Nov 07, 2015 10:42 pm

greybeard wrote:Buy one of their logs and you can go as heavy as you like.
With Colin's history of heavy warbows, that sounds like a challenge!
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hunterguy1991
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Re: Its not what it looks like!!

#9 Post by hunterguy1991 » Sun Nov 08, 2015 3:37 pm

Similar properties Daryl but wont go as heavy as Yew looking at the crushing strength and MoR, However, I think it would make a bow of medium weight just fine.

The only way to see just what it would do in bows would be make a big one and see. So, I'll head in to that Cypress dealer in Caboolture (with that little bow in hand for show and tell) and see what I can get from them. A large stave would be ideal but if I have to do a backed bow that's ok for a test.

Colin
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Hamish
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Re: Its not what it looks like!!

#10 Post by Hamish » Mon Nov 09, 2015 9:57 am

Another fine effort Colin. I bet it is has pretty good cast for its draw weight, with its low stringfollow.
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hunterguy1991
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Re: Its not what it looks like!!

#11 Post by hunterguy1991 » Mon Nov 09, 2015 10:08 am

Thanks Hamish!

Yes it throws an arrow quite well for a 30lb bow I think. Beautiful and smooth in the hand as well.
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