OT - Here's some real Woodchuckery

Walosi

Walosi

Joined
Jan 10, 2001
Messages
2,618
By a near-relative in Tulsa. I look at his stuff, then at my pistol grips and rifle stocks, and go in the den and close the door. One of his pieces was in the White House for a year, and slated to go to the Smithsonian (if it didn't go to Arkansas, "by mistake" :rolleyes: ). It is pricey...very pricey.

http://www.woodturningplus.com/Ron_Flemming.htm
 
Bro I really appreciate looking at this kind of work. That *Is* Absolutely *Fantastic*!!!!!!:)

I couldn't make out if it was Dogwood Burl or just Dogwood. The piece appears to be burly though.

I could never understand the Cherokee making arrows from Dogwood. That has to be one of the crookedest trees there is.:)
Up north there's a red barked willow that growsa long the streams and rivers. It grows up very straight and almost a uniform diameter all the way up. Carefully dried they made wonderful arrow shafts!!!!!!
The dried bark smoked pretty well too.;)
Better than grapevines.:D
 
Originally posted by Bill Martino
Again, way outta my league.
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Mine, too, Uncle - Just about any two of his pieces would pay off my house...both mortgages :p

Bro, that was Dogwood Burl (didn't know Dogwood would burl, but if it burls, Ron has carved it). Dogwood in North Carolina grows on the treeline, and has to reach for the sum. It grows very straight, and fiberous, like Blackthorn, in some areas. I suppose they used it for arrows "back home", and continued when they found the tree in the Nations.
 
It must be wonderful to be able to do work like that. I have trouble sharpening a pencil or trying to make a toothpick.
 
Ron has learned woodworking from his father and his grandfather. He won't take a live tree. They built their home from an abandoned city incinerator (so help me!) and over the years it has been written up in several architectural magazines (it has a 50' tree growing up through a center atrium, built around the old smokestack foundation). Far from the "artsy-craftsy" type, when the rains get heavy, he's out on a bulldozer trying to shove Mohawk Creek back behind the levee he built to keep it out of the yard. A genuine, rare individual.
 
"A genuine, rare individual."

Maybe we dont have enough of'em here and we should invite him to the forum?

There was a thread around awhile back about high priced kuks. If we get him on HIKV....Maybe we could get him to make some handles?

If there is a market for those things he has carved....
 
AH, Yah, der ist ein market....the "drive through" is just wide enough for Bentleys, and the express line is full formal :D
 
I don't think you've ever mentioned Ron before... or have you and I just forgot???

That was some really nice work. You think he'd take on an apprentice with a goofy dog? I'll make the same offer I did John P. Feed me and let me and the dog sleep in the corner somewhere (closet would be better).

Although, that type of carving isn't what I want to get into, it is amazing at what someone can do with wood. It seems everyone down in Okla associated with the family is artistic in some aspect. I never thought of it before...

Yvsa, I have a friend/acquaintence that makes Yew bows and choke cherry arrows. This year, he took a huge Boone and Crocket (I think) Elk with his latest bow. I think he said he uses old saw blades for arrow heads. In fact, back in '94 Barry said he'd make me a bow... but that was over a pitcher of beer while we were on a motorcycle trip to Wyo. I think he forgot :( . I know he charges about $100.00 a piece for his arrows! But dang they are nice :D .

Alan
 
Beautiful work!! Thanks for sharing that Wal:)

Maybe we could get him to make some handles?
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Good idea, but I have enough trouble affording regularly priced khuks, let alone ones in the 4 to 5 figure range:eek: ;) :D
 
Alan I never learned to identify yew wood so I never got a piece of it to try. I know some northwestern tribes used it for bows, but Osage Orange was the wood around here. It was often traded for a long ways off as well. Some OO bows have been found up north among the Lakota and Crow!!!!

A $100.00 a pop for an arrow would mean that if you happened to shoot your arrow through the deer you would go looking for it first and the deer be dayumed. And if the arrow went all the way through the deer wouldn't be far away anyhow.:)
 
Yvsa,

I didn't know that Yew was a native tree to this area (and maybe it isn't for that matter... he might have it sent in)... I don't remember if Barry makes them out of any other wood, but it wouldn't surprise me. I have heard about Osage being used for bows, but I've never seen one before.

Barry's arrows are definitely something else. I choked on my beer when he first told me the price per arrow. But when he told me how much work went into each one, then I reconsidered. He hand fletches them with Turkey feathers (from Turkey season), and hand makes the entire arrow. IIRC, he said it took about 24 hours or so to make each arrow. I imagine that includes making each arrow head too. Whatever the price... he does excellent work. If he can pull down a record Elk with his stuff, then it has to be good.

If I had more time, or won the lottery, I sure would like to learn bowmaking... wood turning... forging... and a ton of other woodchuckery/bladesmithing stuff. I think I might have wasted my youth by not further exploring these things. Well, actually, I did get a lot of woodchuckery education while in school... just never persued it once I graduated...

Alan
 
ok...dangerous thing happening...you have me thinking.

How would one go about making a bow? Yall have brought it up before, but I have never really thought about it. What type of wood? I figure you want it staight as an arrow, pun not intended. Really, how would you go about learning. What books can yall suggest?

I cant forge anything in my apt complex, neighbors think I am wierd aready, but I can carve sand and polish. So woodworking is the way to go.
 
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