I have been wanting a shooting staff, one that I can use standing up. If i want to sit and shoot, i would use a bi or tri pod. But being 6'4" it is hard to find such a beast.
Then i recalled a sapling I harvested over 25 years ago from the forest close to where my parents home is now. It was choked with vines, giving it a gnarly look. I stripped the bark, waxed the ends, and its been drifting around waiting for the perfect time to use. This was it.
I figured 66 inches was a good height for me, but the staff was 56. I was going to have to add to it. The after market bipod Ys would look hideous on this staff, so I was going to have to make my own. And with the kids at their friends this weekend , it was the perfect opportunity to do this project... And eat some nice meat with the teenage vegetarians away! ;-) made a big pot of beef chili for the weekend, grabbed a walnut log I quartered from a downed walnut on my dads property , and went to work on a drawing.
I thought a rams head would be cool, but being this was the first time I ever attempted any sculpture type of woodwork , I quickly discovered the wood dictates the product, not me.. Lol
First I used my saws all to cut the rough shape, then chisels and hammer. In fact 80% of this project was done with chisels.
When I started removing the material that did not look like a ram I discovered a big old knot right smack in my way. Ram, may have been doable, but suddenly I saw something else in the wood, and I could even incorporate some deer antler material. And i have plenty , picking it up off the ground at my dada property.
The Ram, became an Owl.
Chisel, sand, hole saws to cut eyes, and used a soldering pen with interchange weller tips to burn designs into the wood and a small ball peen hammer to add dimple texture. Then I cut a 2" tip off an antler to use as the beak.
I then drilled a 1" hole with a spade bit. Followed by a deeper hole with a 17/64 bit, in which I JB Weld glued a 1/4 aluminum rod in. My theory was it would add strength, i reality it was probably because I could , and will add nothing to the integrity.
I shaves to top of the staff down to under 1 inch in diameter, and I epoxied a 1.5 inch long piece of 3/4 od copper tubing to the bottom of the staff. Later I added on a spare rubber tip from one of my canes.
JB Weld liberally into the 1" hole in the bottom of the walnut owl, attach to the shaft, and here its now curing.
I've ordered a 12 foot piece of 3/8 leather strap to wrap the bottom half of the Owl, and make an over sized wrist lanyard from.
CD Fingers will happy, I'm going to finish it in....drum roll please. //////
Pine Tar !
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Shooting staff, 25 years to make..
1This is just my opinion, yours may vary and is no less valid.
- Me -
"I will never claim to be an expert, and it has been my experience that self proclaimed experts are usually self proclaimed."
-Me-
I must proof read more
- Me -
"I will never claim to be an expert, and it has been my experience that self proclaimed experts are usually self proclaimed."
-Me-
I must proof read more