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Main Boards => The Bowyer's Bench => Topic started by: crossstickspro on November 02, 2008, 01:31:00 PM

Title: Jut thinking on a practice bow.. any input?
Post by: crossstickspro on November 02, 2008, 01:31:00 PM

I live in a town far from civilization and have a hard time finding material. Thats what I get for going to college in the Chihuahan desert.
but What I can find is plenty of pine boards (1x2x72)they look good and I was thinking of a re/de backed board bow design with a hell of a mix of thick backing and fiber glass. Can this work ?
Of course it wouldnt be for hunting or any other purpose other than practice.
Thanxs in advance,
Larry Mcnew

Title: Re: Jut thinking on a practice bow.. any input?
Post by: adam on November 02, 2008, 03:36:00 PM

I've never tried pine but from what i have read people have made great bows from pine using a pryamid style design. I would stay away from the fiberglass though. I would think it would be too strong and crush the back of the bow. But that is just my thinking.

Adam

Title: Re: Jut thinking on a practice bow.. any input?
Post by: Pat B on November 02, 2008, 10:29:00 PM

I would not use pine for a bow...especially if it is your first. Like Adam said FG would over power the pine belly. Even if you did make a bow from the pine, 2" wouldn't be wide enough to take the stresses of the tension or compression. What wood did the local Natives use for their bows? Juniper maybe? Mesquite? A little research on the early locals might give you some insight into this. You can order bow wood from TradGang sponsors or maybe from a member. You might even work out a trade with someone.     Pat

Title: Re: Jut thinking on a practice bow.. any input?
Post by: George Tsoukalas on November 03, 2008, 09:45:00 PM

Get some hardwood boards-oak, maple, ash, hickory. Pine makes good arrows but not bows. Jawge
 http://georgeandjoni.home.comcast.net/~georgeandjoni/

Title: Re: Jut thinking on a practice bow.. any input?
Post by: crossstickspro on November 09, 2008, 01:02:00 PM

thanks for the reply guys, I have done all the research, and every thing points to raiding miners and ranchers for timber and wagon wheel furrols. Ive decided to wait till I go to midland to get what I need, except Im going to harvest the river cane that grows in the creeks around here. My bot. prof. says its just like china bamboo just smaller.

Title: Re: Jut thinking on a practice bow.. any input?
Post by: Pat B on November 09, 2008, 02:01:00 PM

River cane is some of the best arrow material out there...and its free! You won't be disappointed!!!    Pat

Title: Re: Jut thinking on a practice bow.. any input?
Post by: Springbuck on November 24, 2008, 01:03:00 AM

Make a twig bow, or bundle long river canes together for a cane bow.  Are you familiar with these?

Title: Re: Jut thinking on a practice bow.. any input?
Post by: Springbuck on November 24, 2008, 01:31:00 AM

I just looked up a museum website.

  You have big-toothed maple, which is a very hard scrubby maple that grows where I live (UT), too.  I've used it a little...search washes and canyons in the hills.

 Manzanita, if you can find a big enough plant.

  Mountain hawthorn, same as above..

  Look at Texas and Arizona Kidneywood...don't know, but they come from a good family...

 Nogal bush (little walnut, Mexican walnut, also comes from a good family..

  You have 3-4 species of juniper, which makes smoe of the best backed bow in the world...

  Mesquite is very dense and tough, but again finding a good stave....

  mMentions several kinds of oaks, chinkapin, scrub oak....

   Much of this stuiff I have never seen or used, but might give you a place to look.  All I did was google "Chihuahua desert plants"...