Generally I would place Ironbark way down on my list of bow woods because of its physical / mechanical properties. Making a successful bow could be a bit of a challenge.
The debarked billet 8’ long and 3 ½” across the crown used for this project had been sitting in my storage rack for about five years and was harvested two to three years earlier.
Whilst working the billet I was surprised that there were no drying cracks.
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Because of the nature of this timber I believed that a flat bow offered the best chance of success and I went for a design similar to that of a flat bow found at Vedbaek in Denmark.
The differences in the properties of Danish elm and ironbark dictated that the limb cross section be quite a bit thinner.
The plan view of the bow is not perfectly symmetrical and some tooling marks remain. I was endeavouring to replicate a bow made with primitive tools some 6,000 years ago.
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The finished bow is 70” n to n and draws 35# at 26” dlpp. This was the ball park weight that I was after as it suits the re-enactors.
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Presently the brace about 5 ¼” and has a Fastflite Flemish twist string. Two coats of hand rubbed carnauba and beeswax was applied to seal the timber.
Daryl.
Not My First Choice of Bow Woods…But
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Not My First Choice of Bow Woods…But
Last edited by greybeard on Mon Nov 23, 2020 8:46 am, edited 1 time in total.
"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!....
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!....
Re: Not My First Choice of Bow Woods…But
Looking Good, is it a shooter and what are the specs. Cheers Roadie
Re: Not My First Choice of Bow Woods…But
That's some sweet action mate, let us know how it fares with some use. What sort of draw weight is it
"As far as I can tell my place is right here, on the smart end of this rifle" H.Glass-Revenant.
Re: Not My First Choice of Bow Woods…But
I placed some *'s between the text and images to make reading a little easier.
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!....
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!....
Re: Not My First Choice of Bow Woods…But
Nice one Daryl, that "primitive" look, both the finish and the shape is outstanding - though there's nothing primitive about them!
If I remember right, didn't Glenn Newell make similar bows from ironbark staves? I picked up a couple of boards to have a go with one day and it sure is heavy
If I remember right, didn't Glenn Newell make similar bows from ironbark staves? I picked up a couple of boards to have a go with one day and it sure is heavy
Re: Not My First Choice of Bow Woods…But
I found this old image of bows made from Australian hardwoods.
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At that time both Glenn Newell and Alan Jones were making these styles of bows but I can’t remember who made these particular bows.
Keith Keddie was making similar bows and I think his main timber was red ash [Alphitonia excelsa].
Daryl.
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At that time both Glenn Newell and Alan Jones were making these styles of bows but I can’t remember who made these particular bows.
Keith Keddie was making similar bows and I think his main timber was red ash [Alphitonia excelsa].
I sill have some ironbark from a billet that weighs in at 1,100 kg/cu/m.
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!....
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!....
Re: Not My First Choice of Bow Woods…But
That's the one I was thinking of, and I think there's another couple floating around on the interwebs (PA/paleoplanet?). Unfortunately I haven't been able to lay my hands on a stave of ironbark/spotted gum/stringybark yet to do a stave version, but I've laid out a board version which I plan on backing with linen at some stage. Them boards are heavy as you say! Haven't measured mine but they'd be up there somewhere I'd guess.