All this talk about axe handles and church pews and such has me thinking. Would there be enough interest to start a friendly game where everybody builds a bow, and the only rule is that the bow has to be made from materials that were originally used for something else.
Examples would be bookshelves, fence posts, benches, Timmy's crutches...etc.
I think points should also be awarded for age/history. For example: grandpas walking stick would be worth more than a bookshelf you just bought for the sole purpose of building a bow.
Anyway, I think it would be kinda cool to see some of the innovative uses household items could be put to.
Scott
That sounds like a cool idea. I have plenty of wood from old furniture/etc. to make risers, but I'll have to scratch around to find wood for limbs.
Now you've done it...another idea stuffed into my poor overloaded brain! :knothead:
Not only will I not be able to pass by a tree without picturing it as a bow or furniture or whatever, now I'll be eying peoples' furnishings too.
Dave.
I can play this game I have an old rock maple table top that is just sitting around and now have the ability to cut my own veneers or lams. I can do a "All Natural" Tri-lam bow like I have always wanted.
The only real problem is I dont have a stack thicknes of where to start say for 50 pounds at 28 on a 60 incher
Shawn
I can only see this competition ending with a pissed off wife!! "Honey, I have no idea what happened to the base trim in the kitchen."
Glad there is some interest! Any other rules or stipulations anybody can think of?
Scott
I think we should post pics of whatever it starts out as just to see the progression from furniture (or whatever) to bow.
I think you let the gang vote. Use that poll option and post it under the pow wow with all the bow that are entered. Leave it open for x number of days and who gets the most votes wins for the most part.
But use other points for say tie breakers, like who used the most recycled materials. ie old, belt for hand, old barn board for the bow, old cutting board for tips overlays and stuff like that. I mean you could have several extra points.
tips, overlays, underlays, rest, handle and the bow it self.
Just a brain storm, Oh and you would want to set a sign up date then a start and close date.
All my osage bows are made from fence posts. Can i still play?
When would the contest end? Can it be later in the year after the trade is done? I just don't want to get too jammed up with things I want to do.
Dave.
Awesome. I know nothing about running a contest so ill be winging it lol. I was really trying to gage interest, but it looks like there is a little bit.
Any more ideas you guys have are welcome, and DVS im pretty sure u can come up with something better than a fence post, but as long as we get before and after pics I suppose its ok. :)
Scott
Im open. Give me some input. What's a good date for everyone? I guess we need a date for entry and one for completion?
This os gonna have to be a long contest i think. Maybe sign up now and deadline is the end of the year. That way we have tike to get creative with our materials.
It might be a good idea to let it run fairly long to give people enough time to scrounge up enough old crap - I mean antique wood - to build a good bow. :goldtooth:
Plus I need some time to work on my trade bow and get it right.
Dave.
Alright, so deadline for finished bow sounds like 12-31-12. How long u guys think we should take entries? I was assuming we take names until a specified date then the rest of the year is used to build? Or you think just take entries all the way till the last day?
Scott
Might just let guys enter them as they build them Scott. They did something like this on the knife forum a good while back. I think making the deadline the end of the year is a good idea. There is almost 100 folks in the swap this year.
I would enter if it was open to entries until the deadline if I run across the material.
Im fine with that. Open entry until the end of the year...I guess anybody who wants to enter can just post here and ill try and keep track? I guess at the end of the year I can narrow it down to a top 10 or something to let everybody vote on.
Scott
I like these ideas: let it run to the end of the year, anyone can enter at anytime and we all vote for the winner. There doesn't have to be any prize, just a fun contest.
Dave.
Yep! I really want to see the before and afters. I think it should be a rule that we have to post pics of any and all things we dismantle for our respective bows. If halfway through you decide you want to add cutting board tips, as was mentioned above, you have to show us the whole cutting board just so everyone can see the transformation
Scott
Psychmonky I would start a sign up thread then a build thread or use this as a build thread. but start a sign up thread with the rules.
I agree to enter you should post pics of the before materials as you sign up.
If I was you I would try and get a panel to vote on the 10 ten who are not in the thing. If you go that route. That way you could enter yourself.
I am willing to help you out a bit in keep track of all that entered. After helping stiks with the swap I am ok at that kind of stuff.
This would be easy compared to that. This would just be a list of names.
To sum up what you have so far.
any one can enter but the bow must be of recycled material, that were something other then a bow.
You must post pics of the before, ie that dresser, handle or fence post and of course the end product.
You must post your bow before midnight 2012, 31 Dec. Now is what time zone?
How is that so far?
Psychmonky I would start a sign up thread then a build thread or use this as a build thread. but start a sign up thread with the rules.
I agree to enter you should post pics of the before materials as you sign up.
If I was you I would try and get a panel to vote on the 10 ten who are not in the thing. If you go that route. That way you could enter yourself.
I am willing to help you out a bit in keep track of all that entered. After helping stiks with the swap I am ok at that kind of stuff.
This would be easy compared to that. This would just be a list of names.
To sum up what you have so far.
any one can enter but the bow must be of recycled material, that were something other then a bow.
You must post pics of the before, ie that dresser, handle or fence post and of course the end product.
You must post your bow before midnight 2012, 31 Dec. Now is what time zone?
How is that so far?
Midnight CST.
Ill come up with a formal list of rules tomorrow and try and get them up so I can see if anyone has anything to add before I start the sign up thread.
Thanks in advance for all your help.
Scott
An obvious rule should be that it must be a shootable bow capable of withstanding full draw.
I wonder if the neighbors fence would make decent veneer?
Here are the rules I have so far:
1. You must build a shootable hunting weight bow EXCLUSIVELY from materials that start as other things. Examples would be fence posts, tables, shelves, trim boards, Dad's wooden leg, Etc. No saying "well these limb tips started as antlers, so they are OK." On the other hand, if you have an old pocket knife with antler handles, feel free to use them as overlays!
2. The string, glue, and finish DO NOT have to follow #1, but they are the only exceptions.
3. Photographs must be taken of the materials BEFORE they are dismantled to make your bow. We want to see the transformation from table (or whatever) to weapon. Obviously, we also need pics of the finished bow.
4. Entry is open until midnight CST 2012. This means that if you decide you want to play on 12-30 and you can hack out a bow in a day, go for it.
5. To enter, simply post your name and a pic of your starting materials on our entry thread. (materials can be added throughout the process but must have accompanying pics)Any pics of the building/dismantling process should be posted in the "friendly competition" thread in the Bowyer's Bench.
6. After the close of the contest, a panel of judges will narrow the field to a top 10. These ten will then be posted in the PowWow forum for the entire gang to vote on. Winner gets bragging rights.
--------------------------------------------------
Any changes before I post these rules on a sign up thread?
Scott
Hey, count me in! I think its a great idea.
This is gonna be way to cool!
Should have said "midnight CST on 12-31-12"
Any other changes to the rules before I post the FIRST ANNUAL SCAVENGER BOW CHALLENGE?
Scott
I love this idea, almost all my woodworking has a component of recycling. Never done it with a bow, though. One request, can we have a catagory for laminate bows and one for self bows. Cutting lams from anything and putting under glass gives those guys a whole world of options, while finding bow quality wood in furniture, fences or dads leg, can be a lot more difficult. This is not a bash of the laminate bow guys, I can't wait to see some of the stuff they reuse, should be great.
Love the idea, and second Tony's suggestion to have 2 classes.
No bash on laminates here either, I may have to do a laminate bow myself depending on what I can find.
Mike
Ah but where are they going to get glass? I guess they could cut a boat apart or something, but they cant just order .002 tapers and glue em to a table top.
I think we will have to wait and see if there are even enough entries to divide them up.
Scott
I don't have a problem having a class for laminate bows. I guess we will consider anything with 3 layers a lam bow? That way a simple backed bow is grouped differently than one with multiple layers.
Scott
Sounds good to me Scott. I like the idea that any major component needs to be recycled or is it all materials need to be recycled? hmmmm. Will make stringing these guys interesting :)
LOL rule number 2 is that string, glue, and finish don't have to be recycled.
OK guys its up. I just started the signup thread. Its called FIRST ANNUAL SCAVENGER BOW CHALLENGE.
The complete rules are there so go sign up and have fun.
Scott
We could start another sub catagory for the ugliest bow or the best looking bow from the ugliest stuff. I think I will try for the ugliest but best shooter catagory.
I thought it would be cool to have a "mojo" category too. I read an article in the Bowyer's journal a couple years ago about a guy who built a bow from the cherry tree he killed his first deer out of and backed it with his grandfather's hickory walking stick. that bow has to be magic lol
Scott
I'm going to look for materials before signing up. I just want to make sure I can actually build a bow.
One small concern: I have some salvaged wood for building risers, but I don't have pictures of the fireplace and furniture it came from. I've had some of this stuff for years. Will this be a problem?
Dave.
I guess we can just go on the honor system. this is all very informal anyway.
Scott
Sounds good to me. I'm gonna be prowling the antique shops looking for bow wood for the next little while. Of course I won't tell them what I'll be doing with those old maple skis or that nice maple table! :scared:
Dave.
LMAO I totally forgot I have a pair of maple skis!
Crap! There goes that idea! :banghead:
There are a lot of things out there that could be made of bow wood.
Dave.
Oh man! I just bought 15 boards from a gymnasium floor built in the 20's!!! 85 year old hard maple will probably make a good bow right?
Scott
Nope, old growth hard maple is next to useless, complete waste of money, just send it to me and I'll get rid of it for you.
Lol ill get right on that. The guy gave me an awesome deal on the condition that I make him a bow too. :)