Welcome guest, is this your first visit? Create Account now to join.
  • Login:

Welcome to the NZ Hunting and Shooting Forums.

If this is your first visit, be sure to check out the FAQ by clicking the link above. You may have to register before you can post: click the register link above to proceed.

Terminator Ammo Direct


User Tag List

+ Reply to Thread
Page 1 of 2 12 LastLast
Results 1 to 15 of 27
Like Tree30Likes

Thread: Help please with NZ wood for bow.

  1. #1
    Member
    Join Date
    Aug 2016
    Location
    Gisborne
    Posts
    385

    Help please with NZ wood for bow.

    Hey Guys - my son has been making bows himself and now wants to improve them into something suitable for a little hunting. Like any young fella he has watched lots on youtube and picked up some good information. But any advice especially for NZ would be appreciated.
    - What timbers native or other timbers make good bow staves ? He has heard Lance wood is ok and currently has a piece drying in his room. He wants to try few different species ?
    - How long do we need to season it for ?
    - And do we simply season with bark on and just let it dry ?

    Cheers

  2. #2
    MSL
    MSL is offline
    Member MSL's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2014
    Location
    Waikato
    Posts
    6,471
    What diameter is the lancewood? It has a tendency to split during drying.

  3. #3
    Member
    Join Date
    Aug 2016
    Location
    Gisborne
    Posts
    385
    It's about 3.5 inches diameter and about 10 feet long. How long do you reckon it will take to dry, he is pretty impatient like all young fella's.

    Quote Originally Posted by MSL View Post
    What diameter is the lancewood? It has a tendency to split during drying.

  4. #4
    Member
    Join Date
    Jul 2015
    Location
    Otago
    Posts
    305
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SMANpElhULs - good video from Josh James on making his own bows
    Pete_D likes this.

  5. #5
    Member
    Join Date
    Jul 2012
    Location
    Invervegas
    Posts
    5,164
    I don't know how it would go in a bow stave, but it does (suprisingly, at least to me, but apparently not to Maori who used it extensively for walking sticks) make a superb springy and tough walking stick - Kowhai
    Pete_D likes this.

  6. #6
    Member Pengy's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2012
    Location
    Up in da hills somewhere near Nelson
    Posts
    9,750
    Yew
    Tommy likes this.
    Forgotmaboltagain+1

  7. #7
    Member Tommy's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2014
    Location
    W-BOP
    Posts
    6,530
    Quote Originally Posted by Pengy View Post
    Yew
    Mah people
    Pengy, Moa Hunter and Cordite like this.
    Identify your target beyond all doubt

  8. #8
    Member Tommy's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2014
    Location
    W-BOP
    Posts
    6,530
    Yew was that good for bow making compared to other species, that the introduction of firearms to Western Europe basically saved it.
    Identify your target beyond all doubt

  9. #9
    Member
    Join Date
    Jun 2013
    Location
    Middle Earth
    Posts
    4,287
    Bamboos.
    But I am not sure we grow them big enough in nz for descent bow construction.

  10. #10
    Member
    Join Date
    Jun 2013
    Location
    Middle Earth
    Posts
    4,287
    This is a French documentary on bow making. Just watch to see what is involved.
    https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=qN-ghlfo9vE

  11. #11
    Member hotbarrels's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2012
    Location
    Auck
    Posts
    1,792
    What about heavy schedule PVC pipe? No seasoning required.
    Pete_D and rewa like this.

  12. #12
    Member
    Join Date
    Jun 2013
    Location
    Middle Earth
    Posts
    4,287
    There I'd guy in hamilton making them in pvc and selling them on trade me I think?

  13. #13
    Member
    Join Date
    Sep 2016
    Location
    Waikato
    Posts
    184
    I heard privet is pretty good for making bows. Have a google and you will probably find the same info I did. No first hand experience on this though

  14. #14
    Banned
    Join Date
    Mar 2015
    Location
    North Canterbury
    Posts
    5,462
    Quote Originally Posted by Pete_D View Post
    Hey Guys - my son has been making bows himself and now wants to improve them into something suitable for a little hunting. Like any young fella he has watched lots on youtube and picked up some good information. But any advice especially for NZ would be appreciated.
    - What timbers native or other timbers make good bow staves ? He has heard Lance wood is ok and currently has a piece drying in his room. He wants to try few different species ?
    - How long do we need to season it for ?
    - And do we simply season with bark on and just let it dry ?

    Cheers
    Most milled timber will dry at 1 inch per month. With a 'bark on round' a guess would be to double that. If your son wants to make a primitive style but very fast bow he could try a long branch from a Macrocarpa. If you take one of those whippy branches from the bottom of a spreading tree especially one that the cows have been using as a back scratcher he will be surprised at how good it is. Better than Lancewood IMO. With a bit of suitable cord on the back of the bow like a sinew bow and a binding it will rocknroll
    Pete_D likes this.

  15. #15
    Member
    Join Date
    Dec 2013
    Posts
    603
    Rule of thumb for drying properly stacked and stickered rough sawn timber was always 1" of thickness per year. Obviously there are many variables that influence the actual drying time including species, initial moisture content, ambient temperature and humidity, ...
    Pete_D likes this.

 

 

Similar Threads

  1. Got Wood......?
    By Scouser in forum Taxidermy
    Replies: 68
    Last Post: 31-12-2015, 11:20 AM
  2. I like wood
    By steven in forum Projects and Home Builds
    Replies: 4
    Last Post: 28-12-2015, 06:27 PM

Tags for this Thread

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
Welcome to NZ Hunting and Shooting Forums! We see you're new here, or arn't logged in. Create an account, and Login for full access including our FREE BUY and SELL section Register NOW!!