Okinawa bow build

Mad Max · January 14, 2017, 08:15:00 AM

when did you cut the wood? how dry is it? The bend looks pretty good but if the wood is still wet, bending it is not good.
Looks like a molly.

Lighterknot · January 14, 2017, 09:39:00 AM

Cut it a month or so ago and immediately shaped it and steamed probaly 3/4s of the total length to try to straighten it out. I read that after steaming wood the remaining moisture is driven out pretty quickly. Wish I had a moisture meter to know for sure but it feels very dry compared to the other staves from the same tree that I haven't touched yet.

What's a molly?

EwokArcher · January 14, 2017, 10:38:00 AM

Molly is our slang for a molligabet (not sure how to spell it) which is a bow with a wide thin bending section and narrow thick tips that act as levers.
I'd say your wood is still too moist to be bending it right now.

EwokArcher · January 14, 2017, 10:40:00 AM

I didn't know that steam would aide in the drying process. I look forward to more input on this I know some ppl will wait for like a week after steaming for moisture content to equalize before going on with the tillering process. I'm not that patient though.

Mad Max · January 14, 2017, 05:24:00 PM

"I'd say your wood is still too moist to be bending it right now"

X2

can you weight it, keep it inside with the A/C
and weigh it in a week.

Lighterknot · January 16, 2017, 04:57:00 PM

No central a/c here in Okinawa and 100% humidity is very common so we have 3 small dehumidifier in our house. I've had the bow in the utility room with one of the dehumidifiers for weeks so I'm sure that has helped. Wish I had a scale accurate enough to weigh the bow.

Mad Max · January 16, 2017, 05:30:00 PM

It has to be dry.

Lighterknot · January 31, 2017, 04:50:00 AM

What is dry? It's at 13% moisture according to the little handheld moisture meter I got

Mad Max · January 31, 2017, 09:05:00 AM

give it 2 or 3 more days with the dehumidifier and check it again.

I would bring it back in the house when you are not working on it.

Good luck with it.
I looks great.

Lighterknot · February 01, 2017, 01:09:00 AM

Thanks for the input and humoring all my questions. I did some reading on moisture content and it seems like areas with high relative humidity(over 60%) you can work with wood that is in the 11-13% range but if you are in a dry climate(below 30% humidity) you want the wood to be closer to 5-7%.

Already started working one on of the other staves while I let this one sit for a few more days. Man this is fun!

Lighterknot · February 12, 2017, 10:38:00 PM

Update for anyone curious. The tree is known locally as the Iju tree(Schima Liukiuensis Nakai) and there isn't much information online for it other than the pulverized bark is used for fish poison and they used to make dugout canoes from the large tree trunks. I've got about 20 shots through it so far and it seems a little sluggish but I imagine some of that is from me trying to do too much too soon with it and after some inexperienced(careless?) use of the draw knife it's only pulling about 30 lbs at a 28" draw.

Lazyeye506 · February 12, 2017, 11:10:00 PM

Looking nice! How is the twist now? I expect some of that to come back as it dries.

passion for knowledge · February 13, 2017, 05:32:00 PM

Found this regarding your wood.

http://tropical.theferns.info/viewtropical.php?id=Schima+wallichii

Lighterknot · February 15, 2017, 01:09:00 AM

Lazyeye: The wood is so dry now from being next to my dehumidifier that it won't even register on my moisture meter. There is very little twist compared to how it started.

Passion: That link says Schima Wallichii which may not be the same species as mine? Also it didn't list Japan as part of the distribution range. It would be nice if it was because that one sounds like the wood is pretty good.

Mad Max · February 15, 2017, 07:00:00 AM

nice job

Lighterknot · March 14, 2017, 01:45:00 AM

Put a coat of boiled linseed oil and calling it a successful first attempt at making a bow. already started the 2nd one!

Mad Max · March 14, 2017, 09:01:00 AM

You did a fine job

JEFF B · March 15, 2017, 05:08:00 AM

well done !!

passion for knowledge · March 15, 2017, 09:41:00 PM

I'd definitely say that's a success for your first bow.

You just became addicted to bow making.

http://tradgang.com/noncgi/ultimatebb.php?ubb=get_topic;f=125;t=014139#000000

Lighterknot · March 21, 2017, 01:39:00 AM

Thx guys, I am beyond happy with how it turned out considering I had no idea about what kind of wood it was and zero experience with making a bow. I feel like I learned a lot along the way so I'm hoping the next one I can get closer to my desired draw weight.