Getting back on the horse...

© 2011 Joshua Stark

There's nothing like a New Year's resolution to give you a kick in the pants.

I jest.  Although I did make a resolution to to tie a dozen flies per week, I've quickly fallen behind.  No, what did get me back to the fly bench was a combination of events and, as Frost might put it, "promises to keep."  But, in a good way this time. 

Last year, a very good friend of mine got married.  She'd invited us to the wedding, but it being in Massachusetts, we were unable to attend.  Instead, I began making some presents to send their way.  I packaged up some nocino and some green walnut ketchup and some fig preserves.  I also endeavored to tie them some flies, since he is a fly fisherman, and I believe she is now, too.

I sat at my bench with the idea of tying some impromptu salmon flies from some beautiful feathers that Holly had given me, as well as some feathers from our ducks and a couple of snipe unlucky enough to have flown in front of my shotgun last season.  I looked at my cache of feathers, floss and thread, and after a few attempts, I realized that I needed to practice some of the basics.  It had been probably two years since I'd really tied any flies.

Other life events quickly overtook me.  I lost my part-time job, and we had our baby boy.  The weeks ticked by, turned into months.

At one point, I commented on some birds that Chad Love had taken, mentioning that I'd love to tie some flies with those feathers, and he responded with an offer to send me some.  Then, Holly started photographing feathers, and I offered to tie some flies for her, too.

What was I doing?

Today, it hit me:  I was getting myself into trouble, that's what.  Not really; really, I was subconsciously kicking myself into doing something I love to do.  I love tying flies.

Many writers better than I wax poetic about the endeavor; all I can say is that there is a poetry inherent to it, a chance to make something beautiful and functional out of some beautiful and functional materials.  It is amazing, and quiet, and reflective.

So instead of trying to jump back in with the more complicated salmon flies, I backed down a bit.  I tied two elk hair caddis and an adams. 

I hope to get back into the fly-tying swing of things soon, and I'm finally off to a good start.

My first bow... with pics! And a tangent on social trust...

© 2011 Joshua Stark

I have to admit, I was too daunted to attempt a bow for the first couple of years I'd considered it. 

I would start thinking about it, even buy a piece of oak to start, and then take my recurve out to the range, draw it, and consider the power in those limbs.  I'd wonder:  Do I trust my woodworking skills enough to pull a bow of this poundage wrought by my own hands?

That's an interesting take on a lesson I'd taught my high school students way back in a past life as an economics teacher.  You see, almost every senior would come into that class with the same bad advice about the world - trust no one.  So, one of my first lessons was to teach the two most valuable components to a functioning market system:  Informed self-interest, and social trust. 

That first concept appears in every textbook, along with other half-truth attempts by the authors at being "cool", with the same catastrophic results as if they, themselves had appeared in class in baggy pants and backwards ball caps to rap about the "invisible hand" or the "science of choice".

The second concept, though, that of a social trust, never shows up in any text - at least, not directly.  And yet, a social trust is as important to a functioning economy as an informed self-interest.  To prove it, I'd ask my students a series of questions, starting with this:  Would you give your credit card information to your best friend?  I'd get snickers of derision at that suggestion; "heck no!"  Then I'd say, "well, you gave it to the gas station attendant.  What's his name?"  Stunned silence would follow.  Other questions were similarly designed, with the goal of getting students to understand that a market system requires an implicit trust in others, and that without it, we cease to have the wonderful things the market provides us. 

And so, as I would stand at the range, I'd consider how I have no idea who built my bow, presumably some able Korean, but I trusted this person to make something that I would repeatedly pull back to my face, straining, to loose a deadly-sharp instrument through the air.  We are amazing, trusting creatures, and it provides us with much. I also thought it extremely funny that I wouldn't trust myself to accomplish the same task.

Then, I stumbled upon an easy introduction to building bows.  Particularly daunted by the time, patience, and space needed to work on finish-tillering the bow (where one scrapes off the belly of the bow until one reaches its desired power), I was elated to find instructions that required no tillering of the belly.  It was a youth bow, designed with wood from a local hardware or lumber store in mind, and it made a bow of around 15 lbs. draw weight.  It was also made nigh indestructible by a linen backing. 

I built the bow over a few weeks, although the actual work was very quick (I was thwarted by the second wettest December on record here).  I've shown it in various stages of completion here at the blog, and now here is the finished product in action:

The shooter is the recipient of my first bow, and the best nephew I've ever had.  Am I still nervous it will break?  Frankly, the only thing I'm nervous about is the string, which is the first bowstring I've ever made, too.  It's made out of silk threads, so I'm not too nervous, but the tips of the bow and the string serving (the extra cotton string wrapped around the string to help protect it from abrasions where it meets the tips and the arrow) could both be improved.  It's something I'll work on.

This first project has given me loads of confidence, and I plan to make more.  If you are interested in a kid's bow that works, please head on over to the TradGang site, specifically here.  I modified the design a bit (to make the limbs a bit stronger, and I used leftover purpleheart for the tips and handle instead of oak), but the general design is obviously a great bow for kids.  I highly recommend it, too, as a first project.  If you don't have kids, find a neighbor or friend who does, and make it for them.  You'll all be happier for it.

Here's one more pic of the bow in action:

Trusting fellow, isn't he?

Quick and easy woodworking materials and projects

© 2010 Joshua Stark

Bob Vila, I'm not.  But, I can make a cute little basket, if I do say so, myself:

The materials are what make this work.  The ends are cut from a cedar fence board ($1.96 for a five-foot board), and the sides and bottom slats are cut from redwood bender board ($.99 for an eight-foot board).  The dowel was, I think, cut from another $1 piece.  The "nails" are brads from my staple gun.  Total cost I'd estimate at about thirty cents or so. 

I took this design from John A. Nelson's, "The Weekend Woodworker", via my local library.

Anybody else making any gifts this year?

The first bow - but no pics...

© 2010 Joshua Stark

Well, I gave my nephew the bow I'd been working on the past few weeks (on and off, so quit laughing!).

He has to be with his Dad on Christmas day this year, and so my sister and he put together a party for the family the weekend prior, where the kids get to open presents from each other, so we don't miss out on the excitement.  Well, I wasn't fully prepared for the party this year, and with the wet weather we've had this week, work on the bow was seriously curtailed.  So, I decided to give him the bow, along with a promise to bring him over to help me finish it, as well as make some arrows and a string. 

It bends well with the jute string I made at the last minute (and string-making turned out to be a lot more fun than I thought it'd be), and it looks nice with the mahogany Minwax finish I put on it.  I finished it with beeswax, although when he brings it back, we'll spray on some spar urethane for a final finish that should make the linen look better. 

The linen wound up being the most time-consuming part, because it's tough to get the edges to look nice.  However, next time I'm going to soak the linen in a water/glue mix, and just lay it on that way, to eliminate any potential for dry spots. 

For my next bow, I'll be making a scaled-down version of this one.  After that, I'll make a version with siyahs (stiff recurve ends glued on) that will pull a bit stronger than these.  We shall see.

As soon as I can, I'll get pics up of this finished bow.

Continuing with the bow

© 2010 Joshua Stark

We've got quite the rain coming down now, and we expect it to last a few days here.  Nothing as bad as back East, I hear, but it will keep us cooped up for a bit. 

However, I was able to get out to the workshop and shape the tips and handle of the bow I'm making for a present.  I also glued on the linen backing.  Linen is supposed to be a good backing for bows; it doesn't add any power to the limbs, but it keeps the wood from raising splinters.  Well, I glued it on (not my best gluing job, but I'm confident in it), trimmed it up some, and put a string on it.  And...

It bent!  And it didn't break!

This is my first bow, and I'm no pro, especially at finishing, but I think this one will be alright.  Here's a couple of pics:

It should be abundantly clear that I am no woodworker, nor do I play one on television...  However, this bow really seems like it will throw arrows, and for that I'm tickled pink (hence, the tiny slippers under the table).

Now, to make a string, and put a finish on this puppy.  Any suggestions?

Give me your elderberry recipes!

© 2010 Joshua Stark

I've got a few bags of blue elderberries (Sambucus mexicanus) in the freezer.  I've got one good spiced elderberry recipe, but I'd like more!  Send 'em along, and help us fill out our gifts for friends and family this holiday season...

Quick update: Bowyery

© 2010 Joshua Stark

Continuing my bow-making process, here's a picture of the handle and tip gluing process:

...and here is the wood after the pieces have been glued on:

I'm following the directions from this board bow buildalong at tradgang.com, using red oak with purpleheart tips and handle material.  The directions are fairly easy, but as anybody who knows me understands, my woodworking attempts are often fraught with peril for the wood in question.  I'm hoping the confidence from this bow will help me with new projects for Christmas presents.  We shall see...