Selfbow stave source.

[wcasey755]

I am ready to take on the task of a selfbow. It has been a dream of mine to take game with a bow I made. This year ill be hunting with the bow I made with Kirk but next year id like to take it up a notch and go with a selfbow. So Id like to start building soon. I have all the tools but need a stave. Is there any source online to buy a stave? I dont have any trees harvested and dont care to wait three years. So I can put it on my Christmas list! thanks all!

[Pat B]

You can probably get a stave from Ted Fry in Hood River, OR. I think he's a sponsor here on TG.

[wcasey755]

Does he have a website?

You can probably get a stave from Ted Fry in Hood River, OR. I think he's a sponsor here on TG.

[Pat B]

Not that I know of but someone else here should know. I can't remember the name of his business.

[Pat B]

I just Googled it  His business is Raptor Archery in Hood River.

[wcasey755]

Thank you!

[wcasey755]

Unfortunately raptor archery doesn't offer staves. SO my search continues.

[Pat B]

Try Mike Yancy. He's also a sponsor here on TG  Pine Hollow Longbows

[wcasey755]

Bingo! Thank you sir!

[Buggs]

You don't have to wait three years for a stave to dry. You can shape a stave to almost finished dimensions green, which is way easier than working dry wood, and it will dry to equilibrium pretty quick.
If you live in the same region as Kirk, you should have a variety of self bow woods available to harvest.

[Roy from Pa]

Have you any Yew trees around your place?

[wcasey755]

Yes i have yew but wouldnt i need to wait for it to dry? how long does it take to be able to make into a bow?

[wood carver 2]

You don't have to wait three years for a stave to dry. You can shape a stave to almost finished dimensions green, which is way easier than working dry wood, and it will dry to equilibrium pretty quick.
If you live in the same region as Kirk, you should have a variety of self bow woods available to harvest.

This is a good idea.
Dave.

[wcasey755]

Yes I have a very fine Yew tree in my back forty. I was under the impression it would have to dry for up to two or three years. How does it work that way? Wouldn't it being wet make it harder to guess the draw weight when it dries? and after you get it shaped, how long does it take to dry?

You don't have to wait three years for a stave to dry. You can shape a stave to almost finished dimensions green, which is way easier than working dry wood, and it will dry to equilibrium pretty quick.
If you live in the same region as Kirk, you should have a variety of self bow woods available to harvest.

[Pat B]

Two to 3 years would be better to dry wood for bow building but you can quick dry some woods in just a few months as was mentioned above.

[Buggs]

You only shape it in it's green state. No bending! No tillering! And you don't take it all the way to the finished dimensions.
How long it takes to dry depends on the style of bow, type of wood and the cross section of wood you have produced.
Like Pat said, a couple months. Either Bowyer Bible one or two has a section on this process.
You can even clamp it to a form to dry and add some reflex at the same time.

[wcasey755]

Good info! thanks guys!

[Kirkll]

Hey Wyatt,
Don’t forget about vine maple. There is a lot of that stuff on the coast and you most likely have some on your property too. That stuff dries pretty quick and is much easier to find clear tight grain stock with built in reflex. I’ve built several kids bows from it.

I’ve got a few yew staves that are probably 10 years old back in my wood bin, but I have no idea on the quality of material. They may be junk with too many knots.
I can pull em out and look at em for you. I seriously doubt I’ll ever use them. I can’t seem to even find the time to finish my Osage self bow.

Now if you are interested in trying some board bows and doing some laminating. That opens a lot of other possibilities. I’ve got some 4/4 rough cut yew wood  planks that are long enough that are bone dry….

Get ahold of me sometime bro…. Love to hear how your electrical apprenticeship is going….  Kirk

[wcasey755]

I’ll be sending you a email tonight then! Up in a crane today!

Hey Wyatt,
Don’t forget about vine maple. There is a lot of that stuff on the coast and you most likely have some on your property too. That stuff dries pretty quick and is much easier to find clear tight grain stock with built in reflex. I’ve built several kids bows from it.

I’ve got a few yew staves that are probably 10 years old back in my wood bin, but I have no idea on the quality of material. They may be junk with too many knots.
I can pull em out and look at em for you. I seriously doubt I’ll ever use them. I can’t seem to even find the time to finish my Osage self bow.

Now if you are interested in trying some board bows and doing some laminating. That opens a lot of other possibilities. I’ve got some 4/4 rough cut yew wood  planks that are long enough that are bone dry….

Get ahold of me sometime bro…. Love to hear how your electrical apprenticeship is going….  Kirk

[Buggs]

I’ll be sending you a email tonight then! Up in a crane today!

Must be a Whooping Crane. Thats a pretty sweet offer from Kirk, especially considering Yew staves sell on the web for $100-250!!

Kirk, you could probably get that Osage bow done if you had a Gizmo or a Gizmod