Hi,
I've only very recently started my bowyering journey. I attended am excellent ELB course from York Wood Crafts and made a Ash ELB (which I am totally in love with).
The course took us from a semi-green (~6 months seasoned) Ash log, about 12" diameter and 9' long, through to a longbow, using traditional handtools (wedges, froe, side axe, draw-knife, etc.)
Now I'd like to make some more using the same techniques, and whilst I've found it easy to buy some of the tools, and build others (spliting brake, shave-horse etc.) I'm finding it next to impossible to find timber.
I'm after green(ish) round timber from pretty much any hardwood, about 8"-12" diameter, and about 8'-9' foot long, ideal perfectly straight grained, no twist, knot free (yes I know, I can dream though).
I've rung all my local tree surgeons, who don't seem to have any concept of supplying wood for this sort of thing. I've rung all my local saw-mills, but they only seem to keep ready sawn planks, and very little hardwood, and only seem interested in negotiated beyond this if I'm buying in bulk. I've rang round several firewood suppliers (mainly found by noticing ad-boards next to a-roads), but they seem completely fazed by the idea I might want the timber left round, and green, and that I'd want to inspect it before I bought it. I've rang local wood-land management collectives, they seem somewhat more open to the concept, but don't have anything of that size (they mainly have coppiced products: 1"-2" poles etc.) I've tried online timber sales web-sites, but they only seem to deal in enormous quantities.
So now I'm stuck. Short of sneaking into local woodland and stealing trees (which I not suggesting as a serious option) I don't see any way forward.
Has anyone got any advice on where I could go from here to get hold of some appropriate timber?
Thanks,
Simon.
I've only very recently started my bowyering journey. I attended am excellent ELB course from York Wood Crafts and made a Ash ELB (which I am totally in love with).
The course took us from a semi-green (~6 months seasoned) Ash log, about 12" diameter and 9' long, through to a longbow, using traditional handtools (wedges, froe, side axe, draw-knife, etc.)
Now I'd like to make some more using the same techniques, and whilst I've found it easy to buy some of the tools, and build others (spliting brake, shave-horse etc.) I'm finding it next to impossible to find timber.
I'm after green(ish) round timber from pretty much any hardwood, about 8"-12" diameter, and about 8'-9' foot long, ideal perfectly straight grained, no twist, knot free (yes I know, I can dream though).
I've rung all my local tree surgeons, who don't seem to have any concept of supplying wood for this sort of thing. I've rung all my local saw-mills, but they only seem to keep ready sawn planks, and very little hardwood, and only seem interested in negotiated beyond this if I'm buying in bulk. I've rang round several firewood suppliers (mainly found by noticing ad-boards next to a-roads), but they seem completely fazed by the idea I might want the timber left round, and green, and that I'd want to inspect it before I bought it. I've rang local wood-land management collectives, they seem somewhat more open to the concept, but don't have anything of that size (they mainly have coppiced products: 1"-2" poles etc.) I've tried online timber sales web-sites, but they only seem to deal in enormous quantities.
So now I'm stuck. Short of sneaking into local woodland and stealing trees (which I not suggesting as a serious option) I don't see any way forward.
Has anyone got any advice on where I could go from here to get hold of some appropriate timber?
Thanks,
Simon.