Trad Gang

Tony Van Dort and I have become trad friends and now that he's home from China and busy with life up north we don't get to talk as often as we did when he was in China but this topic comes up with great regularity with us.

We both dream of someday owning one of Miller's all bamboo(concave/convex) bows.

It's hard to justify spending the money(1,100) on something that doesn't do windows/clean house or transport me anywhere.

Don't get me wrong.. it's not like the bow isn't worth the money as I am sure they aren't the easiest bows to make since there aren't many machines used in the building of them. I am also convinced that they would be shooters.

How do you folks deal with stuff like this?

I am a dreamer for sure...lol

God bless,Mudd

Buy it Mudd, or it will continue to gnaw at you and consume your thoughts!   :bigsmyl:

How do I deal with it? Putting in an order and hoping I can squirrel away enough money to cover the cost before it comes due. lol.

I'm gonnna cave on a new half-breed this week and then stockpile cash for a Miller concave-convex in the New Year. I am a weak man..... BUT LIFE IS GOOD!!!

I plan to go to Kalamazoo in January to speak with David about his CC/CV Expedition.  Mudd, were you thinking of the glass Expedition or the all wood Hawk?  With this bow my feeling right now is glass is the way to go.  Once Howard found glass it revolutionized the American Semi-long. I'm hoping he has a 50#er at the expo to shoot.  

Yes, it's a lot of money, but nobody else makes them and, as you know, David's work is impeccable  There probably aren't many of them out there, so the secondary market is a pipe dream.  And when spending this kind of cash on a bow, I want to order the EXACT bow I see in my mind.

Howard stopped making them due to the cost and time.  But apparently the few that were made are the real deal and shoot like a dream.   You know your "dreaming" and curiosity are going to get the best of you, Roy.  Like many of us around here, you need    :help:    

Anyone know off hand what the wait time is for a CC/CV Miller?

I don't know how yall deal with trying to decide which custom bow to order next. I shot quite a few customs before finally buying my Tomahawk. It is exactly what I want. I hope I don't get the "bow buying bug" ever.

Roy my friend,

I could not deal with it. I talked to David several times over the phone. We discussed various aspects of the bows that he makes. Then I brought up his CC/CV bows. It's as if the conversation took a 90 degree turn. David really lit up with information. Both the all wood and the glass are practically every bit hand made. The glass being the most difficult and time consuming. This because he has to make the glass for the back of the bow himself. The only commercially available glass is flat. While David uses flat glass on the compression side, the expansion side must be curved. David lays up the glass himself to fit each individual bow. Plus, he tillers each of his bows after each step on manufacture. Most bowyers glue the complete bow in only one (1) operation. David tillers when the bamboo lams are glued, again after the glass is applied and then when the handle is added. This is the way Howard built his personal bows.

Right now, I'm a little over two months into a seven (7) month wait for my glass Expedition. April seems a long way off.

Danny

You only live once.  If you really want something and can figure out a way to do it and not neglect the needs of your family or putting yourself in a serious bind, why not go for it?  That is my philosophy.

Mudd:::Put this at the top of your bucket list   :thumbsup:  sounds to good to wait.

You have my interest would someone have a pic please.

Guys, let me tell you everything Danny said above it accurate. I have spent countless hours at David's house the last time I left at 2 in the morning. I have said it before no one, and I mean no one builds a bow like David does. Each step in the process of building one of either the Concave/Convex or even all bamboo bows is done the way Howard did it. I have shot all of his models except for a Concave/Convex Hawk no glass model. He has never had one to shoot when I visit. I have shot his first Concave/Convex he built all by hand and his other with the black glass on it. Truly spits and arrow downrange. I am privelged for sure in being able to share his friendship and knowledge.I am trying to save money for one of his  Concave/Convex models but it all depends on if my wrist continues to give me problems or not. If it does I unfortunately may have top stop shooting or try a recurve.As Greg said if you can do it you should because he will not be building them forever and unfortunately no one else is building them or has all of the knowledge to do it the way Howard did it. There are only a handful of people left who know all of the secrets of building that type of bow. Alot of people know aspects of it but not the total package.I can count them on one hand. Flint

Someday arrived!

I called David and jumped in with both feet.

My name is now on his list for an Expedition 66" stringfollow 46@28 green glass on the back, white belly. The handle will be topped off with Osage.

I my be hopeless but this should be my final fix.

God bless,Mudd

Are we talking about an Adcock type cross section of the limb or is it something different than that.
God bless you all and Merry Christmas, Steve

Sixby  From what I understand it's using the bamboo with it's natural curve and layer it.

It makes a concave/convex limb.

God bless,Mudd

Final Fix   :laughing:   :laughing:Mudd now thats funny good luck with the new bow.

Sixby -

Like Mudd said, it is using the natural shape of the split bamboo instead of grinding it into flat laminations. Howard Hill did this on his personal bows, but because it is such a time consuming process, it could not be used for production purposes. It is much quicker to grind the bamboo flat. So Howard utilized the natural shape of the bamboo a long time before O.L. Adcock developed his process curving the cross section of the limb.

Danny

WOW, Mudd, "someday" came pretty fast.  You do need help!!!  :rolleyes:    :D    :laughing:

I decided at 61 that I shouldn't wait any longer.

David says it will be most likely July before it will be finished so that gives me time to raise the funds needed to pay for it.

God bless,Mudd

I hope you're not planning on leaving any time soon, Roy.  You're too much fun to lose so soon.  Though with the "sickness" you have you may run out of food and wither away to nothing.  I'd hate to see you resort to eating bamboo like a Panda    :biglaugh:  

I for one am VERY excited about your CC/CV purchase.  Hopefully I'll be ordering one myself after the new year.

Oh Mudd, your quip that this might be the "last one" just shows how badly infected with the bow buying bug you are.  Denial always rears its head right before we capitulate and further feed the addiction.  

Good for you Roy, There will come a day when you will say I should'a, and it might be to late. Enjoy your new bow when it comes!!

Proud for you Roy,a man deserves to have the bow of his dreams!

Good for Ya Mudd!! Ya Only Live Once!!

Mudd, I am happy for you! We will need to see some photos when you receive it. Boy, does it sound sweet.

I can hardly want to see these bows myself.  THey sure do sound like good shooter and pretty too.  Congradulations.  I wish I could get one but since I just retired from Air Force and I need to find a job I think it my be a few years.

I wish you would have ordered that without the osage, the string follow and and about twelve pounds heavier, then if I change my mind about getting one, I could buy yours.  I have a list of about 8 dozen arrows to build so far this coming year, so new bow expenditures will have to wait for me, but someday perhaps I will get one as well.

I just figured that I should start planning my 2012 birthday gift to myself now.

I sure look forward to getting it and feeling/seeing what Howard must have felt when he was shooting bows like these.

God bless,Mudd

Mudd I call dibs if you ever want to sell it. I would like to have every model bow David makes. A Miller will be my next bow. Now which one do I start with?

QuoteOriginally posted by cahaba:
Mudd I call dibs if you ever want to sell it. I would like to have every model bow David makes. A Miller will be my next bow. Now which one do I start with?

I seriously doubt this one will go anywhere except after my passing from here to a better place.

I'd start with an "Old Tom". I love mine!

God bless,Mudd

Canaba!! You beat me to it!  I would like second crack at it!

LOL, you guys have no faith in Brother Mudd.  What makes you think he might ever sell a bow?  Hmm?  :biglaugh:

QuoteOriginally posted by cahaba:
Mudd I call dibs if you ever want to sell it. I would like to have every model bow David makes. A Miller will be my next bow. Now which one do I start with?

I second Mudd's recommendation.  Go with the "Old Tom".  I love mine and you will love yours.  And start saving your pennies if you want all David's models.  Ain't cheap, but worth all those hard earned copper coins.