Calling all bowyer and bender wanabees

[Phil S]

Using Bas' suggestion of a shop crawl with content, this post is to announce a Raleigh based workshop on Oct. 3rd.

Myself and Andy (carved tunes) are joining forces to offer a hands-on workshop on how to make a bow and the various methods of bending wood to form. Andy will be demonstrating how to carve and bend a recurve bow and will have you working on your own. I will demo how to easily steam bend the hoop for a bow back chair and will have you making your own shepherd crook walking sticks. That should consume the morning.

I will provide a catered lunch from a great local establishment. We will serve lunch in the shop to provide extra time if needed. As the bending forms and steam box take up some room, we are limiting the number of folks to ten.

I will keep track of the first 10 members indicate yes. To help lock in those that want to attend I am requesting all attendees make a $10 donation to the site - the lunch alone will be worth that!

My shop is in NE Raleigh only a few miles off Capital Blvd. - Details to follow.

 

[timf67]

Y'all want to come down to Charlotte for an encore???:gar-Bi

 

[sapwood]

Great idea and generous offer, Phil & Andy :icon_thum
Have fun! Alas, I'll be at the coast that day :mrgreen:

Roger

 

[CarvedTones]

Hey, I'm a bowyer wannabe!:gar-La;

Seriously, I haven't been at it that long, but have had some success and will share what I have learned. Some things will apply to other things besides bows. I will do some show and tell about wood sources - both from the lumberyard and "on the hoof". Mostly that is about what sort of wood and grain patterns work and how to debark/dry/split logs, saplings or branches. Then tools and techniques for rough shaping and tillering (finer shaping to get the bend right). I am hoping to bring enough staves to be able to provide one to any interested participants. I will be using a jig to torture the ends of a bow after steaming it that is somewhat general purpose for slat bending.

 

[Mark Stewart]

If you guys take it on the road I'd love to learn about haow to make a bow but that drive is just too much for me up and back in a day. I am old almost 44:rotflm:. Seriously I'd love to see this.

Thanks Mark

 

[lottathought]

Yes...
I want in.
Sounds like fun

 

[CarvedTones]

Yes...
I want in.
Sounds like fun

Would 9/25 work for you?

There are newer threads where a possible date change is being discussed.

 

[Bas]

I'm in! 9/25 or 10/3, both fine with me.
Now all we need is a fletcher and we can shoot stuff! :rolf:

 

[jarrett]

I'd be interested, but I can't make it on 9/25...but 10/3 is doable!

Sounds great...hope the date works out for me!

 

[CarvedTones]

I'm in! 9/25 or 10/3, both fine with me.
Now all we need is a fletcher and we can shoot stuff! :rolf:

I am working on that; I am growing one...

:gar-Bi

 

[Dan Bowman]

It sounds like fun! The only way I'm going to get my Dad to use a cane is if I make it for him. I can make the Oct 3 date.

 

[lottathought]

Andy, I will check but I think that 9/25 is the weekend I have to work. I will know on Monday

 

[Al Webster]

Phil & Andy;

I've been visiting this site for a few weeks now and am new to anything other than cutting 2x4's to make rabbit cages and the typical homeowner stuff. I'm trying to set up a small starter shop in a 10 x 20 shed but caught your bowyer wannabe notice. I live in Wake Forest, so it would be an easy hop to your class. Having used bows many years ago, not currently owning one and having a wife who is an excellent shot with one, I'd be very interested in attending your class. Please let me know whether or not there's enough room for me to attend and let me know what I need to bring.

Thanks;
Al

 

[CarvedTones]

The tide is turrning toward keeping the 10/3 date at this point.

 

[lottathought]

I think I can do either....sadly the schedule at work not that far out yet but I suspect I will be free for either

 

[Al Webster]

I could make either day, whichever is most convenient for others.