So how many selfbows do you guys make? I have made 14 in the last five months . 1 black locust,2 hickory and 11 osage.And I am ready to start another one.Anyone else have it this bad?
Plus Blackhawk and I found a landowner that just cut down about 8 or ten osage trees and I stopped to see if I could get some he said no problem.so we ended up with about 25 to 30 staves apiece . and it was like 98 out when we went to get it . heat index around 104
Bob, I've had it that bad for over 25 years! Fun, ain't it?
I peaked out at about 15 a year and have been making less each year since. I will always make bows, made two so far this year, just finished my 140th, and will probably make a couple more later in the year.
Nope....don't know what ya mean :biglaugh:
There was a time I made 5-10 bows a month. Most were average, some were great, some were aweful. Nowadays, I finish 5-10 a year, most of them are pretty good. I get the most joy now in finding a bow in a stave. I guess that's why I started selling bow blanks and have about 20 unfinished projects in my shop. It's the puzzle that I most enjoy. That and cutting the wood, chasing a ring, laying out a bow.
It's all good.
Never gets old. I find myself planning the next 2 before i finish the one i am working on. Currently have two in the works and staves piled up for the next few. I am slow, so the enjoyment goes on.
I tried it several years ago then lost interest. Now I have a new stave vise, draw knife, tools, scrapers, and staves drying on a rack. I'm not a junkie yet... :D
Yet........kill something with a self bow and you wont touch another bow the rest of your life Mike.
If I keep getting great help and advise, I will keep after this :D
Ive only built bows seriously for 16 months, it sure feels like Im a junkie.
You have seriously down to an art form Chris! :laughing:
Nice to know I am not alone.
And it is all (Blackhawks) fault. LOL.
It is nice living 15 minutes from a guru like Chris.This guy has talent beyond talent when it comes to making bows.
And Pearl Drums I do hope on killing a deer this year with one of my bows.I have taken 10 to 15 deer with my old LAG widow longbow.but since starting to make all my own I have sold all my glass bows.
I think it has something to do with the osage dust.It makes you a bow building fool.
Bob, you can't beat the 2 Chris' can you? They both helped me re-do my old hickory bow, and I'm always asking for more help. Great guys. I hope someday I learn enough to help somebody else out! I think that is part of the addiction too!
Yeah I think I remember seeing some pics awhile ago about them helping you with the hickory bow.
I have not got to meet the other Chris yet . You are talking about Pearl drums right? I know Blackhawk speeks highly of him.And I love seeing Pear Drums posts.
Yep, PearlDrums and Blackhawk aka BlackMockingbird. Chuck Deshler has given me a bunch of advice too. Says a lot to take your time and help someone with little to no skills when you are busy building your own bows and pursuing your own hobby or business . I can't thank them enough, and now that my buddy KHALVERSON is way ahead of the curve I have some local assistance too.
Making, shooting and hunting with self-made bows is a great way spend some time. I don't build as many as I used to. It is a winter activity for me. Jawge
I want to and hit a wall... started with piece of hickory I think Gary Davis sent me in 2000 after I returned from a year in Korea....someone else gave me a stave of vine maple as well.
I have the hickory bow roughed out and almost to the point you can floor tiller it but then 9-11 happened and my life was upside down for the next few years overseas doing what I do... Retired from military in 2004 and thought I would have more time....boy was I wrong. Tried to get started this year but finding that starting again 3/4 of way through process might be harder for me than starting over on another stave. I dont have anyone nearby to watch over my shoulder and give insight that has done a couple dozen of these so it is written word and a VHS tape..though going to get Gary's DVD I think.
I want to get to a point that I am shooting selfbows more than all my glass bows...and not worried about one breaking because I know I can make another to replace it and likely will be better from the experience.
14 bows in 5 months....wow! With deer season starting in 2 weeks I doubt I will try again until January...and hope to be successful this time in completing one. Whether it stays together is yet to be seen...LOL
It appears my diagnosis is that I am in the early stages of this condition. I have only made 3....but I recently harvested and am seasoning several yew logs...I have some osage about ready to work up....as well as some hazelnut....yep, the condition has set in.
I'm nearing the 20 bows mark just this year alone,not to mention the few that didn't make it,and the almost 100 staves worth of wood harvested just this year,and prepping out some blanks as well,teaching n helping,going to shoots,spending hours everyday on the forums,and the list goes on etc.... does this make me a junkie? I think not :laughing:
Frickin' wierd-O's...............all of ya'. Especially you Hummingbird, or whatever your name is.....
I have made a couple bows.
QuoteOriginally posted by PEARL DRUMS:
Frickin' wierd-O's...............all of ya'. Especially you Hummingbird, or whatever your name is.....
Look who's talking pal :smileystooges:
I built 13 this year thusly, thats not near 20 or whatever you said you had.
Yea I'm a lost cause, a junkie now.... it's all you dang enablers.
I didn't stand a chance :knothead:
Your gonna have that Kip LOL.
I need to get my butt back in the shop, I think I'm starting to DT.
QuoteOriginally posted by coaster500:
Yea I'm a lost cause, a junkie now.... it's all you dang enablers.
I didn't stand a chance :knothead:
You where an easy target Kip Winger. I seen you coming from miles away buddy!
Stiks not that I'll ever find out but what are Bowyer DT's like.... I mean, does it rain pink splinters or what ???
Oh yea right Drums ... pick on the weak why don't ya!!!
You where an addict before the first ever rolled off the line buddy.
I make bows of all kinds, but selfbows are far and above the most challenging and rewarding for me... so 9 times out of 10, that's what I work on.
Oh yeah... notice my Tradgang handle? :thumbsup:
I just gotta know, what the heck do you do with all of those bows ???
I have kept 15-20 for myself and the rest have all found suitable homes, I have never sold one.
Yup Pearly Boy has given away quite a few bows to needy folks. Including me:) And I owe him one. So I am going to build him a BBO Bow this winter.
Pearl
Your a good man
Longstick, I wouldn't go that far. But I guess Pearly is ok:) Too bad he can't shoot for chit. :laughing:
Yup, specializin' in senior citizens! Gotta keep our seniors happy.