3Rivers Archery



The Trad Gang Digital Market













Contribute to Trad Gang and Access the Classifieds!

Become a Trad Gang Sponsor!

Traditional Archery for Bowhunters






LEFT HAND BOWS CLASSIFIEDS TRAD GANG CLASSIFIEDS ACCESS RIGHT HAND BOWS CLASSIFIEDS


Author Topic: vine maple  (Read 531 times)

Offline PAPA BEAR

  • Trad Bowhunter
  • **
  • Posts: 2679
vine maple
« on: January 30, 2009, 02:33:00 PM »
i grew up on the oregon coast and we had tons of vine maple up in the woods.very tough wood,couldn't break it if your life depended on it.only way was to twist it around until your arm gave out or the limb did.this stuff is very springlike when you pull it....question....anyone make bows out of this stuff ? would it be good bow material ?  

thanks....larry         :campfire:
IT'S NEVER WRONG TO DO WHATS RIGHT AND NEVER RIGHT TO DO WHATS WRONG.....LOU HOLTZ

Offline jonsimoneau

  • Trad Bowhunter
  • **
  • Posts: 2946
Re: vine maple
« Reply #1 on: January 30, 2009, 02:35:00 PM »
I think Ted Raptor said on another post that his son made a bow out of vine maple.  You may want to get ahold of Ted and ask him about it.

Offline PAPA BEAR

  • Trad Bowhunter
  • **
  • Posts: 2679
Re: vine maple
« Reply #2 on: January 30, 2009, 02:41:00 PM »
seems to me it would shoot arrows like a 7mm mag
IT'S NEVER WRONG TO DO WHATS RIGHT AND NEVER RIGHT TO DO WHATS WRONG.....LOU HOLTZ

Offline PAPA BEAR

  • Trad Bowhunter
  • **
  • Posts: 2679
Re: vine maple
« Reply #3 on: January 30, 2009, 02:44:00 PM »
thanks jonsi
IT'S NEVER WRONG TO DO WHATS RIGHT AND NEVER RIGHT TO DO WHATS WRONG.....LOU HOLTZ

Offline Don Batten

  • SRBZ
  • Trad Bowhunter
  • ***
  • Posts: 1548
Re: vine maple
« Reply #4 on: January 30, 2009, 02:48:00 PM »
John Strunk said vine maple was his favorite bow wood now. He sent me a piece and I made a bow out of it. very narly but easy to work. Mine shoot nice and still has some set back it it.Don
"The older I get, the better I was" Byron Fergenson.

Offline BryanB

  • Trad Bowhunter
  • **
  • Posts: 85
Re: vine maple
« Reply #5 on: January 30, 2009, 03:46:00 PM »
VM is a fantastic self-bow wood.
Mark and only use the tension side of the tree(facing up).   If you look around you can find fairly strainght pieces.  Files and rasps tend to work better than draw knives.  The wood tends to have some tough swirly grain.
Good Luck,
Bryan

Offline B M A

  • Trad Bowhunter
  • **
  • Posts: 360
Re: vine maple
« Reply #6 on: January 30, 2009, 04:08:00 PM »
Vine Maple makes a very good bow. Spent some time this last weekend with John Strunk.  One of the subjects we talked about was Vine Maple and how much he likes it.  Easy to work. Give John a call, he can answer all your questions ab out vine maple.
Brock

Offline Oregon Okie

  • Trad Bowhunter
  • **
  • Posts: 648
Re: vine maple
« Reply #7 on: January 30, 2009, 04:12:00 PM »
ditto waht brock said. I talked to John too and he was definitely liking vine maple. He said he was using 2-3 inch diameter pieces and splitting in half .. (sawing actually) and using the tension side like said above. I'm going to look for a good piece soon.
Russ
"Don't believe everything you think" - bumper sticker

"Savage Blaster" - 50@31 - 63" (recurve I made with Steve Savage)
Firefly TD longbow - 50@31 - 63"
7 Lakes double shelf from a blank - 45@31 - 66"
Trident ILF w Blackmax carbons - 42@31

Offline Bjorn

  • Trad Bowhunter
  • **
  • Posts: 8789
Re: vine maple
« Reply #8 on: January 30, 2009, 04:14:00 PM »
John is a great VM master! He helped me do this one
 

Offline Jim now in Kentucky

  • Trad Bowhunter
  • **
  • Posts: 507
Re: vine maple
« Reply #9 on: January 30, 2009, 05:06:00 PM »
Chet Stevenson and friends were making bows ob VM in the 1940s, maybe '30s. He even made some arrows out of the kinky stuff--just for fun I assume. The picture I saw looked like you couldn't possibly shoot the arrow!

Jim
"Reparrows save arrows!"

"But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he that cometh to God must believe that he is and that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him." Hebrews 11:6

Offline BigArcher

  • Trad Bowhunter
  • **
  • Posts: 136
Re: vine maple
« Reply #10 on: January 30, 2009, 10:14:00 PM »
I often make bows from Vine Maple.  It is plentiful out here in Washington.  I does make a great bow but usually needs a steam bend or two to line everyting up.

The middle bow is vine maple with a little red stain.  I is 80# at 28.

BigArcher

 


 

Offline PAPA BEAR

  • Trad Bowhunter
  • **
  • Posts: 2679
Re: vine maple
« Reply #11 on: January 30, 2009, 10:32:00 PM »
thanks gang  :thumbsup:
IT'S NEVER WRONG TO DO WHATS RIGHT AND NEVER RIGHT TO DO WHATS WRONG.....LOU HOLTZ

Offline Paul WA

  • Trad Bowhunter
  • **
  • Posts: 786
Re: vine maple
« Reply #12 on: January 30, 2009, 10:53:00 PM »
It makes an excellent bow with above average cast, even quicker with a thin layer of sinew...PR
"I'm a trophy hunter till something else comes along"

Users currently browsing this topic:

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.
 

Contact Us | Trad Gang.com © | User Agreement

Copyright 2003 thru 2024 ~ Trad Gang.com ©