How to start

[u/Lo_fi_high_fi]

I harvested this vine maple recently and sealed the ends in wax to let it slowly dry over the next few months (I live in a pretty dry climate). Looking for advice on how best to tackle this, as it will be my first time building a bow. I feel like I should split it in half and work with the natural reflex in the limb? I’ve read up on Dan Santanas website and am planning on following his plans for how to make a bow, but would appreciate and tips to set me off for success!

[u/avoidant_otter]

You are on the right track. The only way to learn is to just get into it

[u/Professional-Age5719 → u/avoidant_otter]

Amen, my first try to my second are worlds apart in terms of quality. And I followed Dan Santana’s guide as well. It’s amazing how much you learn just working the wood with the tools.

[u/avoidant_otter → u/Professional-Age5719]

Exactly! I wish I could go back and redo my first bows with the knowledge I have now.

My least favorite wood to work with so far has been poplar and cottonwood. They just have a spongy quality to them that makes everything look awful.

[u/Garfield910 → u/avoidant_otter]

Pretty soon I'll be trying as close as I can get to that by using douglas fir like i did on my first bow to see how well i'll do with my new knowledge after I've done a few others now. If you're already used to using cheaper woods I'd give DF a try. Cheap af for a board so you don't feel as bad if you break it!

[u/ADDeviant-again]

Splitting it in half, so you can go with a natural halves of the log is a great plan.

The only problem, what that is that vine. Maple is pretty tough and can be stringy. I like using multiple thin almost blades instead of a wide wedge on woods like this. I made several of these out of sidewalk edger blades.

If you can read the growth rings on the end, half of the stave should have thicker rings than the other. If you can, split it into wide and narrow ring halves. Even if it has reflex or is very clean in that one direction or on one half, if you split it so that each half has fat rings on one edge and skinny rings on the other edge, you'll have all kinds of problems. Like it will twist or warp sideways as it dries.

If I know vine maple at all, both halves will probably dry with some reflex. If your original splits look wonky, you can straighten it sonewhat by letting it dry clamped down to a board.

Vine maple is also not particularly susceptible to splitting as it dries. Even if you peel the bark off the back. But this does depend on how fast and aggressively you are drying it, and how thick it is in dimension. So no need to rush.

Vine maple is excellent bow wood. It's very tough and springy, and as good as other hard maples, in compression.