Materials in New Hampshire

[Nim-rod]

Anyone know where I can get bow making materials cheaply in New Hampshire? Clear fiberglass sheets? Action wood? Anyone have access to woods with Hickory or white oak or whatever? Not a big bow building culture up here and I have dabbled a bit but I'd love to get into it more without spending a ton on materials. Anyone into it here? Would love to be able to spend time with someone who does this stuff. Thanks.

[George Tsoukalas]

Are you kidding? New England is a bow making heaven... black locust, red oak, white oak, hickory, maples, hop hornbeam. These woods are found in the Granite State. Home Depot has red oak boards that make great bows if you have no woods to cut. My site may help you get going. Winter is bow making time. Spring is coming soon to a S NH town. LOL.    Jawge
 http://georgeandjoni.home.comcast.net/~georgeandjoni/

[Nim-rod]

Yea I've actually done a few board bows Jawge and mostly from your website. Great site by the way! Did them while single and in an apt but none survived very long. Now I have a house and most importantly tools! Unfortunatly I have no place to search and cut my own wood. My archery club probably wouldn't like me out there chopping stuff down all over the place. I'm not sure if I've ever seen hophornbeam around here but I sure would love to get my hands on some! I want to try out other things but spending cash on expensive supplies is out especially when I need practice at Lams. I have the bug again but good materials like staves either cost alot or I can't find them. Any good places near Manchester you know of?

[George Tsoukalas]

Can you talk to the highway dept? See if they can save you a trunk or 2. There is hop hornbeam further north of Manchester. The other thing is to try your hand at sapling bows. May be find some power lines somewhere where they clear cut to keep the trees low. Jawge

[don s]

when i used to work in construction years ago. a great source of free wood was in the new subdivisions that they are constructing new homes in. whenever they start a new hme they first have to clear out a woodlot. when they fell the trees get in there and ask if you can take some logs. they don't always say no.
                                         don